Video: Dumoulin slaps down Quintana after Giro finish; old school psych-out
A stare down, patronising words and a chuckle; Dumoulin goes in for old school psych-out. And Quintana doesn't even answer.
On a really hard and exciting stage at the Giro yesterday, the main protagonists attacked each other repeatedly.
And at one stage, close to the finish, the big three even brought each other out of the back of the favourites group, such was the tactical battle going on.
Nibalia and Quintana refused to work with Dumoulin at that point, inside the final 2km.
The Dutchman was critical of both afterwards, saying they were the ones losing time to the men just behind them overall who can threaten their general classification positions.
To his immense credit, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) attacked early and often, on a stage won by Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing).
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Quintana was trying to put Tom Dumoulin to the swords in the mountains and take his race leader's jersey away.
And Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida) also played his part; animating the race like the other two big guns.
The Big Three: Tom Dumoulin battled with Quintana and Nibali on a great stage. We'll look back on the day, indeed the past week, as a classic.
But Dumoulin coped so well. On the early climbs he simply let Quintana and Nibali attack only to ride up to their back wheels again with really measured efforts.
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He got it so spot on at times that he caught them right on the summit of the climbs.
When we look back on yesterday, and indeed the last week of racing, it will in time become a classic week in a Grand Tour.
It's been a week when a big star was born and when the guys with the most firepower proved unafraid of taking each other on.
Such hostility and drama on the bike is always hoped for by fans but often not delivered in a sport controlled by race radio.
Even after the finish yesterday Dumoulin made sure to needle Quintana.
Walking right up to him and towering over him he asked him what he wouldn't ride in the final before chuckling when the Colombian didn't answer.
It definitely wasn't an ugly or aggressive moment, but it is great to see these guys acting like real people rather than boringly weighing up everything they do and say.
And later in a video interview, below, Dumoulin said he hoped Pinot came and took a podium place from Quintana or Nibali because at least he was more willing to race.
You won't hear Chris Froome say things like that!
The meeting at the finish...
Dumoulin gets stuck in during interview
Maglia Rosa copes so well on climbs (with top commentary)
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