Second-placed Cadel Evans (BMC) lost 31 seconds to Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s Uran on Sunday, while Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo), who sits third in the general classification standings, dropped 15s.
But ahead of Monday’s rest day and the final six stages of this year’s Giro, Evans and Majka were quick to underline that nothing has been decided yet in Italy’s grand tour.
“We’ve still got a lot of difficult days to come,” Evans said.
“I’m not going to give up for sure. This Giro is so close that anything could happen.”
After stage 15, six riders are within three minutes of Uran, who will wear the leader’s pink jersey for the fourth straight stage on Tuesday.
Evans (+1:03) and Majka (+1:50) are followed by stage 15 victor Fabio Aru of Astana (+2:24), Movistar’s Nairo Quintana (+2:40) and Ag2r-La Mondiale’s Domenico Pozzovivo (+2:42).
Majka finished 57s behind Aru atop Montecampione, while Evans was 16s further back, but the Pole seemed unfazed.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Majka said.
“I lost 50 seconds today (to Aru) but it’s not a problem because there’s a long way to go and we’ve got four very tough days coming up. I’m not worried.”
The final week of the Giro will include three mountain stages and an individual time trial on Friday that will be ascend Monte Grappa – a 19-kilometre category-one climb.
Evans reckons the race could change a number of times in the mountains.
“We’ve got the Valsugana stage (to the Rifugio Panarotta on Thursday), Val Martello (via the Gavia and Stelvio on Wednesday) and I think the uphill time trial (to Cima Grappa on Friday) is also going to be important,” Evans said.
“And so will the Zoncolan (on Saturday). I don’t know if you have ever been up it but if you have a bad day there, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
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