On the scene for week three of the Giro d'Italia

After a hectic final week of the Giro, and four days with no internet access, i finally have some time (and an internet connection in a bar), to post some pictures.

On the first pass through Aprica on stage 16, breakaway riders and then the Russian-teams-led peloton rode past the assembled team buses.

Landa exulted in the second of his consecutive stage wins.

Trofimov and Amador, fourth and fifth on the stage

Aru, after losing almost three minutes and his second place on GC to Landa:

Geniez

There were Giro d'Italia cookies for everyone in the press room at the Verbania headquarters for stage 18.  Nice touch, Verbania!

Practically the entire press corps could have taken a group selfie in Hesjedal's goggle-like sunglasses.

Some podium shots of stage winner Gilbert, maglia rosa Contador, and maglia azzurra Kruijswijk:

Press conference:

The view from the stage headquarters in Cervinia was pretty awesome: Monte Cervino, aka the Matterhorn.

Fabio Aru scored an emotional stage win.

Hesjedal was second on the stage.

JVdB

Intxausti

Basso, Tiralongo, Stortoni and Rogers

The grupetto was led in by Hansen, Tjallingii, Slagter, and Eisel.

Aru on the podium

Contador skipped the press conference in Cervinia, but before getting in a car to leave, he stopped to sign autographs for some kids.  While signing one boy's cap, he said to the kid, "Questo cappellino è magico, no?" ("This cap is magic, no?").

On stage 20 in Sestriere, Aru won his second stage, while Contador did enough to clinch his Giro win.

Darwin Atapuma

Igor Anton

Davide Formolo with mountain backdrop:

To cap off a wonderful Giro, I ran into a fellow Minnesotan in the finish area at Sestriere: Greg Lemond!