"I think he did really well to limit the losses" - Jay Vine finds his best legs as he proves crucial to Almeida's Giro winning ambitions

Jay Vine had big ambitions coming into the Giro d'Italia, it's now likely that he will leave without a stage win or GC result, however he has in the final week proving to be a key domestique for João Almeida.

On stage 18 to Val di Zoldo it was an all-out day for the overall classification contenders, with attacks surging in the ascent to Coi. Vine stuck with the Portuguese who could not respond to the move of Jumbo-Visma. "João was telling me when to slow down and when to speed up. I think he did really well to limit the losses," Vine said after the stage.

At Monte Bondone UAE managed to organize itself to set up an attack for Almeida and Vine looked back to great form, as seemed to be the case in the opening week. He dropped out of GC contention after a brutal second week weather-wise, but has now recovered and is showing good legs.

He almost crashed in the final descent of the day, but his presence helped Almeida limit the losses to Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic and remain in sight of the overall victory in Rome. Almeida starts stage 19 39 seconds back on the Welshman, but the climbs in the Dolomites and the visceral time-trial up to Monte Lussari still provide plenty terrain for differences to be made.