UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar extends Giro d'Italia lead to nearly eight minutes

Relentless Tadej Pogacar extended his overall lead in the Giro d'Italia to nearly eight minutes as Georg Steinhauser claimed his first professional win in Wednesday's brutal Stage 17.

UAE Team Emirates rider Pogacar had secured his fifth stage win of his debut Giro on Tuesday and, while he did not add to that tally 24 hours later, the Slovenian did increase his grip on the pink jersey yet again. After finishing second behind Steinhauser, it means he now leads Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) by seven minutes and 42 seconds and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) by 8 min 04 sec.

Pogacar had threatened to make it win No 6 with a late attack but in the end he finished one minute, 24 seconds behind Steinhauser.

“Well I really held my horses until the final so it was a really beautiful stage,” said the two-time Tour de France winner. “A little bit cold on the last descent but we stretched the legs good on the final climb.” he said.

“Ineos did a good pace, Martinez tried to attack, I followed and then I decided to dig a little bit and I rode away and kept my tempo to the finish. I'm super happy that Steinhauser took the win today so for me its also like a victory. I'm super happy.

“I'm satisfied how it is, even if I don't win anything now, everything is just bonus from now on. The main goal is always to keep the jersey into Rome and not do anything stupid. But there is one really nice stage, Monte Grappe close to Slovenia, we can see what happens there.”

There was none of the drama and chaos of the previous day but the weather was still wet and freezing in parts on a tough day in the Dolomites.

Apart from one short stretch, the riders were constantly climbing or descending on the 159-kilometre route from Selva di Val Gardena,