Giro d'Italia 2018: Froome wins stage 14, Yates extends lead – as it happened

Chris Froome, kicked out of the Giro in 2010 for hitching a ride on a police motorbike, has enjoyed his best ever ride in this race. Sounds like Team Sky have not written this off just yet.

Pinot lost 42 seconds, which could have been worse, considering he was never one of the main players as that final climb took shape.

Great ride from Domenico Pozzovivo, who fought back well.

Froome celebrated that like it was one of his greatest triumphs. There is a week to go, and he is not completely out of this, though winning the Giro from here *would* be his greatest moment.

Paul Griffin emails in.

Yates looks insanely comfortable: the face of a man in a deckchair, deliberating over a second cup of Earl Grey. Absolutely ridiculous.

And Yates showed his mettle and form by almost taking the stage. He gets six probably vital seconds of bonus for finishing second in the stage. Dumoulins, though, is still very much in this, with a trademark gritty ride. He only lost 31 seconds on the leader.

That’s been one hell of a race, living up to its billing. Froome, despite all his woes, has written himself into history with that win on one of the toughest climbs in cycling.

Fabio Aru is over the line, but lost 2’ 26”. That’s the host’s best chance gone..

Pinot goes over the line and looks to have lost over a minute.

Now for the clock, Dumoulin finishes fifth and will only lose 30 seconds on Yates.

Froome takes one of those vicious hairpins. The rain coming down with Yates on his tail.

Yates now closing on Froome. This could be a photo finish....

Dumoulin under the “one km to go” sign. He’s had a decent day, and might be happy that Yates has not made up too much time.

Has Froome bonked? He’s into the first of three tunnels.

The tunnel approaches for Froome, with one kilometre to go. But Yates is gaining.

Froome is still out in front, and has shown he has fight left in him, a consolation when his dream of adding the Giro to Le Tour and the Vuelta is looking doomed.

As it stands, Yates is going to take 25 seconds out of his chasers.

Under 2.5km to go. Dumoulin and Pinot, Yates’ challengers are grouped together.

Yates is gaining...tremendous ride from him. Froome threw the kitchen sink at it, but does he have anything left in the tank?

Now Yates has a go, and he has blown Lopez and Pozzovivo away. Froome looks to be slowing but the gap is still at 11 seconds. Meanwhile, Yates has got 20 seconds on Dumoulin, which he would have targeted at the start of the day. The time trial on Tuesday has to be borne in mind.

Froome is 11 seconds clear on Yates, who nevertheless looks cool. Froome needs to take minutes, not seconds off him. He kicks again, bathed in sweat.

Lopez and Pozzovivo look to be pacing Yates up the hill. Froome is almost over the worst of the hill. Yates won’t want him to get too far clear but, barring disaster, the pink jersey will be his.

And Froome is clear! The road is open for him to win this. Behind him, Pozzovivo and Yates, who can content himself that Dumoulin is falling back.

Froome attacks! He’s got three minutes to make up. And Yates has dropped back.

Chris Froome takes evasive action to shove a fan dressed as a dinosaur to the side of the road. It’s a cramped road, and people playing the fool are not welcome.

We are under 5km now. Yates is strong, and sitting off Froome’s shoulder.

Yates looked back to see where Dumoulin was, only to see his rival is still hanging on.

The Sky Train is in session now. A familiar sight, maybe, but not one that has been in evidence in Italy this year. Poels and Froome are strong but Yates is in their slipstream. Michael Woods’ attempt for glory looks to have failed.

The final, deadly five kilometres are approaching. Most of the favourites are in touch, with Pinot accompanied by a teammate. Aru’s chance has gone, it seems.

Woods has a little daylight. Froome now looking in better nick and has moved up a bit. Yates is looking comfortable. And Aru has been dropped.

Dumoulin struggling? Poels is still setting the pace. Woods has not been allowed to get away. Fabio Aru is out of the saddle as the race slips away from him.

Michael Woods, the Canadian with EF Education First–Drapac, with an attack off the front. He’s in a pink jersey, though not the important one.

Dumoulin is in deep in the pack, riding defensively as expected. Froome is ahead of him, while Yates is sat in an OK position.

Conti is caught by Anton at the front, but the peloton is now within 15 seconds. Wout Poels has been attempting to lead the group but Froome doesn’t look in the form to take advantage of his teammates’ work.

The road is flanked by heavy woodland meaning that the various bends are a real problem to negotiate and to catch sight of rivals. Rohan Dennis, previously in seventh, has been dropped. He has lost weight to get better at climbing, but it’s been too much.

This road is narrowing, and this is the easy part. Gruelling stuff and far worse to come.

Conti is hanging on grimly at the front. But he is now below 30 seconds ahead.

We are under 9km already, and Simon Yates is looking good. Chris Froome way down the group. He looks a bit ragged, but that is no guide, considering the style that has brought him such success.

Here’s where it begins. The peloton has caught up with all but the first two of the former breakaway. Igor Anton, a former winner of this stage, has kicked for victory early. Very early.

There are just 11km to go, but the real story will be written over the next hour or so. Talk of the start of the hill being known as the “gates to Hell”.

From the top of the mountain, Ray tells me that the “cowbells are ringing here now”. The final descent is in place, just as calm and collected as the previous climb. The breakaway down to two men, Conte and Barbin. Their glory is done for now, though at least they will reach the Zoncolan first.

Conti takes the points at the penultimate peak. Now for the Zoncolan.....

Yates has three men alongside him in the dwindling peleton, including the experience of Roman Kreuziger.

The leading group, their lead down to 1’10” are trying to gain those points. Valerio Conti is going for them, but this looks a last hurrah for the escapees.

Here’s where the wildcat attacks start. There are mountain classification points to fight for. Yates leads that as well, and Chaves, out the back, has been looking after the jersey for him, won’t be collecting any points.

A TV shot of the Monte Zoncolan shows the tifosi are dressed in sensible kagouls and with umbrellas at the ready.

That breakaway group is down to 2’00” and dropping. Sunweb are pushing things along with Tom Dumoulin looking quite calm under his shades. Mitchelton-Scott have the front of the group, with Yates also staying cool.

Live Fitba alert here. Barry Glendenning is beavering away on this one.

Ok, we are at the bottom of the valley now. The Maglia Rosa group is small. This is where the fun begins. Just under 30km to go and it gets tougher all the way.

Meanwhile, from the Monte Zoncolan itself, Ray Murphy, awaiting that final climb, has been in touch via Twitter (My DMs are open).

Pissed rain earlier . Nice and sunny now .. crowds massive all the way up .. people camped everywhere overnight .. bbq making me hungry .. wonderful atmosphere.. great anticipation. Tremendous colour.

If that descent has been a little safety first, Guardian reader Dr Joe Street has emailed in a classic of the genre, Big Fabio Cancellara showing us how it’s done. It’s from Le Tour, but same rules apply.