Giro d’Italia 2024 Stage 17 recap: Georg Steinhauser pulls off superb solo win as Tadej Pogacar extends lead

Pogacar's lead creeping up to the eight-minute mark... while O'Connor limits his losses to hold onto fourth spot.

1. Tadej Pogacar
2. Dani Martinez +7:42
3. Geraint Thomas +8:04
4. Ben O'Connor +9:47
5. Antonio Tiberi +10:29
6. Thymen Arensman +11:10
7. Romain Bardet +12:42
8. Einer Rubio +13:33
9. Filippo Zana +13:52
10. Jan Hirt +14:44

"It's something unbelievable. Already on stage eight I noticed that I had good legs – maybe the legs to win a stage. The queen stage [Stage 15] was an unbelievable day. I could already be happy with [my third place on] the queen stage at this Giro. And today, already when I rolled to the sign-on, I though, ‘F***, I have good legs’.

"So I went from the beginning in the break. It was a bit strange because we got caught by the peloton. But at one moment I thought I had to try again – and I did, and it worked out. I heard on the radio [about Pogacar]. I was super nervous on the last climb. I knew I had to push all the way to the finish. I heard at one point that he was attacking, but it was already two kilometres to go, so I thought I would make it."

1. Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost)
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) +1:24
3. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) +1:41
4. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) "
5. Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) "
6. Einer Rubio (Movistar) "
7. Romain Bardet (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) "
8. Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) +1:55
9. Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick-Step) "
10. Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates) "

It's the Italian Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) who takes the final bonus seconds ahead of Thomas, Martinez, Rubio and Bardet. Tiberi will move up to fourth after Ben O'Connor losing time today. He will also extend his white jersey advantage over Arensman.

The pink jersey is all smiles as he soft-pedals home to extend his lead at the top of the standings.

The German debutant is rewarded for his daily aggression with the first win of his career. Victory for the EF Education-EasyPost youngster on the Passo Brocon.

He will be aware that Pogacar is closing in but surely the German has enough of a buffer to deny the Slovenian - who has now started to ride - a sixth win.

He won't win the stage but he will take time on all his rivals again. The Slovenian isn't even breaking a sweat or trying to push himself to his limits - but he's still so much better than all the others. Behind, Rubio leads the chase with Tiberi, Thomas, Martinez, Bardet and Majka on the back.

The Colombian makes the first move and that forces a shuffling of the pack before the inevitable: Tadej Pogacar comes onto the front to dictate play. Filippo Zana has been distanced, ditto Thymen Arensman.

The Australian has been dropped and that hands an opportunity to Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious, who will look to move up to fourth in the standings.

After Ecuadorian champion Narvaez peels off, Dutchman Thymen Arensman comes to the front for Geraint Thomas, who has Pogacar and Majka on his wheel. This pink jersey group is down to around 15 riders but they won't catch Steinhauser, who has three minutes.

It will be too late for the stage win but it may help their man Geraint Thomas move back into second place in the standings - if he can take some time on Dani Martinez, that is. They will catch Ghebreigzabhier very soon but Steinhauser - although in a world of pain - is still three minutes to the better up the road.

It looks like the main favourites have thrown in the towel as the gap grows out to 3'15". And with lone chaser Ghebreigzabhier now 1'45" behind the German leader, the pendulum is well and truly swinging in favour of Steinhauser.

Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) starts the Cat.1 ascent of the Passo Brocon (11.9km at 6.4% with a maximum tilt of 14%). He's the big favourite because Pogacar will surely not chase behind, so we're relying on the other teams - and they all seem to have already shot their collective bolts.

But the 22-year-old German won't care about that - he's now going all-in for the stage win. He has 42 seconds on his pursuer, Ghebreigzabhier, 1'58" on Frigo, and then 2'36" on the pink jersey group with the final climb coming right up.

He's ridden an exceptional debut Giro has the young German and made the breakaway on numerous days. He now stands a really good chance of maiden pro win, especially with the peloton now 2'30" in arrears. But he's been on the front foot since the start, whereas the GC riders behind will be more fresh. So that gap could come tumbling down...

The weather has really deteriorated on this side of the mountain as Georg Steinhauser continues his descent through the mist and fog and trees. He has 45 seconds on Ghebreigzabhier and another minute on Frigo and Scaroni, with the peloton at 2'05". It's perfectly poised ahead of the second ascent of the Brocon.

The German lone leader pockets the 18pts over the top of this first Cat.2 ascent of the Brocon. Ghebreigzaghier goes over for 9pts around 20 seconds later. Next over is Christian Scaroni, currently in blue, who had attacked with Marco Frigo near the summit.