"I just suffered. It's been a long three weeks" - Eddie Dunbar cracks at Tre Cime di Lavaredo but remains in fight for Top5

Eddie Dunbar has been a breakthrough at this Giro d'Italia, as he's proven to be a Grand Tour candidate. He has struggled quite a lot at Tre Cime di Lavaredo, however he remains in fifth place and has hopes of keeping it this afternoon.

"I just suffered. It's been a long three weeks. I just suffered up that last climb. There's not much more to say really," the Irishman said in a post-race interview. "It wasn't my best day, by any means. My legs weren't my best compared to the last days. As I said, we're after three hard weeks and the altitude maybe got to me a bit as well. But no excuses, I didn't have the legs today, simple as."

The day overall was ridden conservatively which left all the spectacle for the final ascent, which may have saved the leader of Team Jayco AlUla. Dunbar was dropped early in the brutal ascent, eventually giving in 54 seconds to Damiano Caruso, who he had previously removed from fourth place. "It was always going to be difficult. Maybe I went a bit too deep yesterday and paid for it today, but it's all learning."

"It was just a strange day, it was just the two last climbs that were pretty fast. Before that, Ineos controlled it pretty well. It was a tough day, but I'm not looking for excuses. I just didn't have the legs, you know," he concluded. The 26-year old starts the final time-trial to Monte Lussari with Thibaut Pinot and Thymen Arensman both within 20 seconds, and will have a tough task to maintain his position.