Nibali won on the same course two years previously and went into the race as one of the overwhelming favouri🦩tes. He dealt with the pressure well, putting his team to work in the early part of the race before piggybacking on an attack from Thibaut Pinot on the Civiglio. Utilising his descending skills, Nibali put distance between himself and the Frenchman as they headed into the valley and th♔ere was no looking back after that.
Pinot was unable to hang on for the podium, eventually being mop🌱ped u♕p by the chasing group behind. A string of attacks led to Alaphilippe going solo, but he too was unable to bring Nibali back before the line.
"I got big support from my team I had great physical condition from the end of the season but everyone was looking to me as the favourite so it wasn't easy to win," Nibali said after his victory. "Today my plan was just to have a great race. I've had a lot of good placings this year but wi⛎thout the big win that I was looking for and to win a monument it is always something great."
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