Eulalio and Arrieta slugged out a crash-riddled final.<\/span> (Photo: Dario Belingheri\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEul\u00e1lio and Arrieta got away in a strong group of 13 early in the day. There were questions whether the GC teams would let them go on a stage designed for a classification shake up.<\/p>\n
The two finalists didn\u2019t wait to find out what Red Bull, Visma, and Lidl-Trek might do.<\/p>\n
They attacked clear on the Viggiano and worked together to fend off the remnants of the break.<\/p>\n
It looked like Eul\u00e1lio and Arrieta would stay together until deep in the final after the classification teams chose to play safe in the grusome conditions.<\/p>\n
But the weather gods had other plans for Eul\u00e1lio and Arrieta.<\/p>\n
Arrieta crashed hard on a greasy bend 13km from the line and lost contact with Eulalio as he waited for a bike change from the UAE car.<\/p>\n
The stage looked over as Eul\u00e1lio ripped solo toward the finish. But it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
He then also crashed 6km from the line, and Arrieta caught back.<\/p>\n
But there was a third twist to the tale. Arrieta overcooked a corner 2km from the line, and the moment of correction allowed Eul\u00e1lio to get away.<\/p>\n
But it still<\/em> wasn\u2019t over.<\/p>\n