Filippo Ganna delighted the home crowd with victory in the individual time trial at Lake Garda on stage 14 of Giro d'Italia, as Tadej Pogacar extended his overall race lead.
Ineos Grenadiers rider Ganna, a former world time trial champion, clocked 35 minutes and two seconds over the 31.2-kilometre route which had started from Castiglione delle Stiviere.
The Italian national champion had been at the top of the leaderboard for almost the entire day – but his mark did look under threat late on from maglia rosa holder Pogacar as the UAE Team Emirates rider was quicker at the first time check.
Pogacar, though, finished some 29 seconds adrift, which left him runner-up on the stage podium.
Dutchman Thymen Arensman was third, one minutes and seven seconds off the pace, with his Ineos team-mate Geraint Thomas placing fourth a further seven seconds back.
"I suffered a lot – I had to wait two hours to see If I had won," Ganna told reporters afterwards.
"It is like a second home for me here at Lake Garda though, so that made it easier."
In the general classification standing, Pogacar extended his lead, now 3 minutes 41 seconds ahead of Welshman Thomas who reclaimed second place as Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) lost ground to sit a further 15 seconds back.
Sunday’s stage 15 will see a mountain top finish, running over 222km from Manerba del Garda to Livigno Mottolino and will feature three Category One climbs.
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