"An attack for brave riders like Richard Carapaz" - Alberto Contador believes Isaac del Toro will be tested from far out on stage 19

Alberto Contador, two-time winner of the Giro d'Italia, has described in Eurosport stage 19, a day that will prove to be decisive in the whole Corsa Rosa and perhaps the stage that is the hardest of the entire three weeks - in which Isaac del Toro will have a colossal test to defend his pink jersey.

"Another new stage with 5 very high mountain passes, very long, very hard. Penultimate opportunity for the men who want to win the race, who want to improve in the classification or, why not, for an Isaac del Toro to win this Giro d'Italia", Contador previewed for today's stage.

"There will be a high quality breakaway, riders will filter ahead, some with an interest in the stage, others in supporting their leaders in the final part, the show is assured". There are 4900 meters of climbing, despite the stage only being 166 kilometers long in the Valle d'Aosta. 

Alberto Contador believes that in the first two first climbs of the day, the Col Tzecore (15.8 km at 8%) and the Col Saint-Pantaleon (16-5 km at 7%), the favorites will not attack and that they will serve, however, to wear down the race:

"There are many mountain passes chained together with 5,000 meters of elevation gain. I think that the intermediate climbs will not play an important role in terms of a possible attack by the general classification, but they will play a role in terms of wear and tear and will make a difference in the final part".

The terrain will be brutal, and Contador believes the fatigue will build up quite a lot: "Especially on the Col de Joux (15 km at 7%), with very hard percentages, although it's not the last pass, it's conducive to an attack for brave riders like Richard Carapaz. It is a pass with many areas of 7.5%, 8% average gradient".

However 'El Pistolero' doesn't exclude the possibility that the attacks might only come on the final ascent of the day, by far the hardest: "We can't rule out that the attacks could wait for the final climb because we have to take into account that the following day there is also a stage".

"It can be expected because although it is classified as second category it is tough, especially the last part. Taking into account the punishment that the riders will take, it could be the best option to launch the attack".