Cork cyclist Eddie Dunbar has moved up to fourth in the Giro d'Italia after another superb climbing performance in the Dolomites.
The Team Jayco AlUla rider is now 3'39" behind leader Geraint Thomas, losing 36 seconds to the leader, who pulled away on the final climb alongside his rival Primoz Roglic.
However Dunbar's strong ride saw him stay in touch with the top three in general classification, jumping over Damiano Caruso to take fourth place.
With only one mountain stage, a time trial and final stage into Rome to go, a podium spot may be beyond Dunbar, but a fourth-place finish would be superb for a rider in only his second Grand Tour.
Dunbar's team-mate and Italian national champion Filippo Zana took the stage, pipping Thibaut Pinot at the line.
"It was a decent day," Thomas said. "To gain time on Almeida and not get dropped by Primoz, it was a good day, a solid day for sure. I felt pretty good, pretty in control.
"Primoz, he likes to go hard, then take it easy, then go hard. I gave him a few turns, then I wasn't sure how he was feeling. In the last two kilometres he really squeezed on it again, he was super strong, but I was pretty happy with how it was.
"Obviously it's nice (to gain time) but Primoz had a bad day the other day and Almeida did today. I've just got to keep being consistent day by day, climb by climb."
