CERVINIA, Italy (AP) — Chris Froome effectively sealed victory in the Giro d'Italia on Saturday by holding his only remaining challenger in check up the final climb of the three-week race.
The four-time Tour de France champion takes a 46-second lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin into Sunday's mostly ceremonial finish in Rome and is poised to win his third consecutive Grand Tour, matching the achievements of cycling greats Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.
Froome took the pink jersey a day earlier with an audacious 80-kilometer solo attack, moving him up from fourth overall and erasing more than a three-minute deficit.
"It's not finished yet but the battle is over," Froome said. "It's an incredible feeling, because two days ago I was in fourth place."
Dumoulin attacked Froome multiple times on the last of three climbs of the 214-kilometer (133-mile) leg from Susa to Cervinia but in five attempts wasn't able to gain any ground. After Dumoulin's fifth attack, Froome responded with an acceleration of his own and dropped Dumoulin briefly.
Dumoulin again dropped back just before the finish and crossed six seconds behind Froome.
"The last two days he was too strong for me but I have no regrets," Dumoulin said. "I gave everything I had."
Spanish rider Mikel Nieve of the Mitchelton-Scott team won the stage with a long, solo breakaway to celebrate his 34th birthday.
Robert Gesink finished second, 2:17 behind, and Felix Grossschartner came third, 2:42 back.
Froome crossed seventh alongside teammate Wout Poels and immediately shook hands with his fellow Team Sky member.
Thibaut Pinot had entered the stage in third overall but the French rider cracked on the penultimate climb and dropped far behind, enabling Miguel Angel Lopez to take the final podium spot, 4:57 behind Froome.
Only two riders have ever won three or more consecutive Grand Tours. Merckx won four straight between 1972 and 1973 and Hinault took three in a row in 1982 and 1983.
The concluding stage is a flat 115-kilometer (71-mile) leg of 10 laps around a circuit through the center of Rome.