Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 19 LIVE - Sepp Kuss completes the Grand Tour set, snatching victory from the break on the Queen Stage

How they edited that much action down, I have no idea. I doff my cap, as I sign off for this Giro. Enjoy Felix's company for the last two days, and I'll be back for Le Tour. It's not been a bad race, has it?

Featuring two turns up to Piancavallo, where Tao Geoghegan-Hart won on his way to the maglia rosa in 2020.

Jonas Vingegaard’s super domestique Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) was released from his usual team-mate duties and made the freedom count, soaring to victory on the final climb of the Queen Stage.

Billed as the hardest of the entire three weeks, the first of two days in the Dolomites took the race across six classified climbs, including the highest point of the race. The stage offered a maximum of 162 mountains points to any rider capable of cresting every climb in first position - more than enough to put the maglia azzurra within reach of any rider in the top five.

And none more so than second place, and previous Giro KOM Giulio Ciccone, who had experienced an active but frustrating three weeks. Ciccone was always likely to make the break of the day, but it took him a while to get there. He left the bunch shortly before the first climb of the day, Passo Duran, joining the larger early move midway to the top. Crucially, he brought Sepp Kuss with him. Ciccone’s team-mate Derek Gee left later and took longer, but he too would eventually reach the front of the race.

Riders rose and fell throughout the climb, and two kilometres from the summit of Passo Duran there were twelve out front, including Ciccone, Kuss, Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe), Einer Rubio (Movistar) and Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious.) The peloton wasn’t giving them much, as Visma’s Tim Rex rode a strong pace to keep them in check.

Ciccone took the first maximum of 40 mountains points, then claiming 18 more on the category 2 Coi, although Rubio made him work for them. The next 18, on Forcella Staulanza, were an easier take. 

Winning on Passo Giau, the Giro’s Cima Coppi, would be enough for Ciccone to take the lead in the King of the Mountains. After riding steady for most of the climb, this time Pellizzari and Kuss were his biggest threats. Derek Gee-West, having made it to the front group, looked to help his team-mate with a leadout, and Ciccone indeed had the kick to move into pole position. With two climbs remaining he had a chance not just of taking the jersey but of winning the stage as well.

Rubio looked to throw a spanner in the plans on the penultimate climb, however. Frustrated at being denied the Red Bull sprint prize by Gee-West, he made a concerted effort to prevent Ciccone from taking top points. The Canadian was involved in a different race, however. As  the break had extended their lead over the maglia rosa group to three minutes, a podium place had become a distinct possibility.

The Italian reacted furiously to Rubio’s insult, flying down the mountain to take a minute’s headstart onto the final climb of the stage. It looked to be enough, until it wasn’t. Kuss, having taken a more measured, careful approach to the stage, had enough in the tank to take about 20 seconds per kilometre, overhauling Ciccone inside 2km to go, before going on to win the stage. Gee-West wasn’t far behind, overtaking his team-mate late on, for his 8th career second place in the Giro.

From the GC group Decathlon CMA CGM had successfully suppressed the threat to their podium place, and set up an attack by Felix Gall that only Vingegaard was able to follow. Jai Hindley rode back up to them, gaining enough time over a flagging Thymen Arensman (Net Company Ineos) to move into 3rd overall.

Although he lost time again to Davide Piganzoli (Visma Lease a Bike), Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious) was able to keep hold of the maglia blanca, the best young rider’s jersey.

I don't speak much Italian, or lipread, but I suspect those weren't the actual words he used. Do you?

Swapping places with Arensman, who he now leads by 29 seconds.

He slips to 6th overall but has 1'03 over Davide Piganzoli. One more stage, Afonso.

1. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) 273 points

2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike) 216

3. Einer Rubio (Movistar) 164

It's slender, but with two category 1 climbs tomorrow, Ciccone probably has enough in hand, even if Vingegaard wins the stage. If he doesn't, and if he loses it by less than 10, Einer Rubio is going to have an enemy for life.

Displaced, I think, by Jai Hindley. But there's still all (or at least something) to play for tomorrow.

Not the win that he wanted, but more mountains points, and maybe even enough to wear the jersey in Rome on Sunday.

Six bonus seconds to help him higher in the GC.

Tour, Vuelta and Giro stages in his palmares.

He caught up with Gall and Vingegaard. Experience counts.

I think Vingegaard's earlier predictions are being realized, because Piganzoli is doing just fine.

Riders all over this hill, causing all kinds of changes to the classifications. I'll probably just sort it all out at the end, I think.

He strikes out for home, set to complete the Grand Tour set.

And clearly climbing better. There's the catch. It could be heartbreak again.