Giro d'Italia: Stage-by-stage guide to Chris Froome's historic victory

Froome overcame crashes before the opening time trial and again on stage eight to take victory

According to Team Sky boss David Brailsford, Chris Froome came close to quitting the Giro d'Italia as he slid out of the general classification and nearly five minutes off the leaders at one point.

Instead, the 33-year-old stuck in the race to produce one of the most memorable Grand Tour victories in years, reeling in compatriot Simon Yates and holding off defending champion Tom Dumoulin.

In doing so, Froome has become just the third rider to win three successive Grand Tours after taking the Tour de France and Vuelta de Espana in 2017.

Stage 1: Friday, 4 May - Individual time trial, Jerusalem - 9.7km

Dumoulin proved his time trialling prowess with a sensational ride in Jerusalem.

Winner: Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb)

Report: Froome crashes before race as Dumoulin crushes rivals

Chris Froome's quest to win a third Grand Tour on the trot takes an early blow when he crashes on a pre-stage recce of the route. Defending Giro and world time trial champion Tom Dumoulin goes out last and comfortably beats his rivals, also eclipsing long-time leader Rohan Dennis to take the stage win and maglia rosa. Simon Yates is the strongest of those chasing GC honours, finishing seventh, just 20 seconds back

Stage 2: Saturday, 5 May - Haifa-Tel Aviv, 167km

Elia Viviani picked up his second career Giro stage win with victory in Tel Aviv

Winner: Elia Viviani (Ita/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Viviani wins sprint as Dennis takes race lead

Elia Viviani lives up to his favourite billing by winning the bunch sprint in Tel Aviv, despite losing his lead-out men in the closing stages. All the race favourites finish in the peloton, while Rohan Dennis picks up three bonus seconds in an intermediate sprint to take the overall race lead.

Stage 3: Sunday, 6 May - Be'er Sheva-Eilat, 229km

Viviani won his third career Giro stage in front of huge crowds by the Red Sea

Winner: Elia Viviani (Ita/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Viviani takes second win as race leaves Israel

The 'Big Start' comes to its conclusion with the expected finale as Elia Viviani wins the sprint for the line by Red Sea. He is nearly dumped into the barriers by Ireland's Sam Bennett but nudges his way through to complete a superb start to the race.

Stage 4: Tuesday, 8 May - Catania-Caltagirone, 198km

Wellens claimed his second Giro stage, having won his first in 2016

Winner: Tim Wellens (Bel/Lotto Fix All)

Report: Yates up to third as Froome loses time

The first stage in Italy serves up an exciting race as Tim Wellens breaks clear to win on a testing uphill finish. Simon Yates impresses by finishing fourth in the same time as Wellens to move up to third overall. But Chris Froome struggles and loses 21 seconds, slipping to almost a minute behind Rohan Dennis, who retains the pink jersey.

Stage 5: Wednesday, 9 May - Agrigento-Santa Ninfa, 153km

Enrico Battaglin claimed a third stage victory during the Giro d'Ita

Winner: Enrico Battaglin (Ita/LottoNL-Jumbo)

Report: Battaglin wins stage five as Yates remains third

Enrico Battaglin comes off the wheel of Italian compatriot Giovanni Visconti to snatch stage five as the overall lead stays the same. Team LottoNL-Jumbo's Battaglin makes his move inside the final 200m of the stage in Sicily. In another frantic finale, Britain's Simon Yates takes fifth to stay third overall, 17 seconds behind general classification leader Rohan Dennis.

Stage 6: Thursday, 10 May - Caltanissetta-Etna, 164km

Yates (R) finished in the wheel tracks of Colombian team-mate Chaves, who took his second Giro stage win and first of 2018

Winner: Esteban Chaves (Col/Mitchelton-Scott)

Report: Yates takes overall lead as Chaves wins stage six

Britain's Simon Yates storms into the overall lead as team-mate Esteban Chaves wins stage six. The 26-year-old attacked in the last two kilometres of the 163km stage to Mount Etna with his rivals for the general classification unable to react.

Yates now leads from reigning champion Tom Dumoulin by 16 seconds, with Chaves 26 seconds back. Chris Froome sits eighth, one minute 10 seconds behind his compatriot, after crossing the line in the second group.

Stage 7: Friday, 11 May - Pizzo-Praia a Mare, 159km

Bennett, 27, celebrates his first Grand Tour stage win

Winner: Sam Bennett (Ire/Bora-Hansgrohe)

Report: Bennett wins stage seven as Yates retains lead

Britain's Simon Yates holds on to the overall lead as Ireland's Sam Bennett wins stage seven of the Giro d'Italia. The Bora-Hansgrohe rider jumped Elia Viviani just before the line as the 159km stage from Pizzo to Praia a Mare ended in a bunch sprint.

Mitchelton-Scott's Yates, who took the pink jersey with a 16-second lead after stage six, is among the group of riders to finish behind Bennett.

Stage 8: Saturday, 12 May - Praia a Mare-Montevergine di Mercogliano, 209km

Richard Carpaz becomes the first Ecuadorian rider to win a Grand Tour stage

Winner: Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Movistar)

Report: Yates retains overall lead as Ecuador's Carapaz wins stage

Britain's Simon Yates hangs on to the leader's pink jersey as Ecuador's Richard Carapaz makes a late move to win stage eight of the Giro d'Italia. The Movistar rider launched a solo attack with a little over one kilometre to go on the 209km route from Praia a Mare to Montevergine di Mercogliano.

Mitchelton-Scott's Yates finishes safely in the bunch to maintain his 16-second lead over Tom Dumoulin.

Stage 9: Sunday, 13 May - Pesco Sannita-Gran Sasso d'Italia, 225km

Simon Yates goes into the second rest day of the Giro with a 32-second lead over team-mate Esteban Chaves

Winner: Simon Yates (GB/Mitchelton Scott)

Report: Sensational Yates takes first Giro stage win

Britain's Simon Yates extends his overall race lead to 32 seconds with a well-time burst from the pack to win his first Giro stage on a summit finish. The Bury rider makes his move in the final 100m to distance defending champion Tom Dumoulin and fellow Briton Chris Froome, who now sits more than two minutes adrift.

Stage 10: Tuesday, 15 May - Penne-Gualdo Tadino, 239km

Matej Mohoric won his second Grand Tour stage with victory over Nico Denz in a two-man sprint

Winner: Matej Mohoric (Slo/Bahrain-Merida)

Report: Mohoric sprints to victory over Denz

Slovenia's Matej Mohoric outsprints Germany's Nico Denz to take the stage win after the pair break clear late on. Britain's Simon Yates retains the overall lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin, who moves up to second after Yates' team-mate Esteban Chaves cracks and loses significant time.

Stage 11: Wednesday, 16 May - Assisi-Osimo, 156km

Simon Yates became only the second Briton after Mark Cavendish to win multiple stages in the same Giro

Winner: Simon Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott)

Report: Yates extends lead with second stage win

Britain's Simon Yates, who picked himself for victory in this guide, wins his second stage of the Giro and extends his overall lead. The Mitchelton-Scott rider attacks with about 1.5km to go, dropping all his rivals before Tom Dumoulin responds to limit his losses, coming in two seconds down on Yates to now trail by 47 seconds. Chris Froome struggles again and slips to over three minutes behind Yates.

Stage 12: Thursday, 17 May - Osimo-Imola, 214km

Sam Bennett became the first Irishman to win multiple stages at a Grand Tour since Sean Kelly at the Vuelta a Espana of 1988

Winner: Sam Bennett (Ire/Bora-Hansgrohe)

Report: Bennett wins stage as Yates stays in pink

No change among the main contenders after a stage for the sprinters eventually ends as just that.

Elia Viviani does not contend the finish after he gets dropped and it is Sam Bennett who kicks early to win in some style and secure his second stage win of the 2018 Giro.

Stage 13: Friday, 18 May - Ferrara-Nervesa della Battaglia, 180km

Elia Viviani claimed his third win of the 2018 Giro on stage 13

Winner: Elia Viviani (Ita/Quick-Step Floors)

Report: Viviani wins third stage as Yates retains lead

Elia Viviani emphatically wins his third stage of the 2018 Giro, leaving his rivals behind in a bunch sprint finish. The contenders for the title enjoy an easy day before the imposing Zoncolan climb on stage 14, with Simon Yates retaining his overall lead.

Stage 14: Saturday, 19 May - San vito al Tagliamento-Monte Zoncolan, 186km

Chris Froome sprays the celebratory champagne after winning stage 14

Winner: Chris Froome (GB/Sky)

Report: Froome wins first Giro stage as Yates extends lead

Chris Froome secures a first stage win at the Giro, beating Simon Yates on the brutal summit of Mount Zoncolan. The four-time Tour de France winner, who had slipped to more than three minutes off the lead, won the stage following a battle with his fellow Briton who finishes second, six seconds behind and puts more time into key rivals as he holds on to the overall leader's pink jersey.

Stage 15: Sunday, 20 May - Tolmezzo-Sappada, 176km

A third stage win for Britain's Yates and he increased his lead at the top of the standings

Winner: Simon Yates (GB/Mitchelton-Scott)

Report: Yates wins his third stage and extends leads

A fine solo win from Simon Yates sees him claim his third stage victory of this year's race and extend his overall lead. He becomes the first rider since Gilberto Simoni in 2003 to win three road stages while wearing the maglia rosa in one edition and now leads by two minutes 11 seconds.

Monday, 21 May - rest day

Stage 16: Tuesday, 22 May - Individual time trial, Trento-Rovereto, 34.2km

BMC's Rohan Dennis - riding in his Australia national champion's kit - took the time trial but Simon Yates was the big winner on Tuesday

Winner: Rohan Dennis

Report: Yates retains Giro lead after pivotal time trial

Simon Yates produced a magnificent ride to limit his losses on Tom Dumoulin to a minute and a quarter and tighten his grip on the maglia rosa. With four stages to go - including three in his favoured mountains - Yates leads the Dutchman by just under a minute.

Stage 17: Wednesday, 23 May - Riva del Garda-Iseo, 155km

Viviani had won one Giro stage before this year's race

Winner: Elia Viviani

Report: Viviani takes fourth win of Giro as Yates retains lead

Italy's Elia Viviani claims his fourth stage win of this year's race after a chaotic sprint finish in the rain. Britain's Simon Yates stays clear of any danger to maintain his 56-second lead over defending champion Tom Dumoulin.

Stage 18: Thursday, 24 May - Abbiategrasso-Pratonevoso, 196km

Max Schachmann celebrated his first grand tour stage win

Winner: Max Schachmann

Report: Simon Yates' lead cut in half after stage 18

Britain's Simon Yates has his Giro d'Italia lead cut in half after a dramatic final climb on stage 18. Young German Max Schachmann capitalises on a breakaway to take the stage win after 196km to Prato Nevoso. But all the drama is behind him as Yates loses 28 seconds to Tom Dumoulin, in second, and Chris Froome in fourth.

Stage 19: Friday, 25 May - Venaria Reale-Bardonecchia, 184km

Froome struck out to win from 80km from home

Winner: Chris Froome

Report: Froome wins stage to take lead in Giro

Chris Froome launched a devastating attack to win stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia and take the leader's pink jersey from fellow Briton Simon Yates. Yates finished almost 39 minutes behind Team Sky's Froome, who attacked 80km from the finish in Bardonecchia. With two days remaining, Froome now has a 40-second lead over Tom Dumoulin as he attempts to become the first British man to win the Giro d'Italia.

Stage 20: Saturday, 26 May - Susa-Cervinia, 214km

Mikel Nieve left Team Sky for Mitchelton-Scott at the start of this year

Winner: Mikel Nieve

Report: Froome set for historic Giro victory

Chris Froome is set for a historic Giro d'Italia victory after he held off late attacks from nearest rival Tom Dumoulin on the penultimate stage into Cervinia. He extends his advantage over the Dutchman to 46 seconds with Sunday's final stage in Rome traditionally a procession.

Stage 21: Sunday, 27 May - Rome, 115km

Froome has finished on the podium in 10 of the last 13 Grand Tour appearances he has made

Winner: Sam Bennett

Report: Froome wins Giro for historic treble

Team Sky's Chris Froome becomes the first Briton to win the Giro d'Italia as he coasts home in Sunday's processional stage in Rome. The 33-year-old is the seventh man to complete a Grand Tour hat-trick after adding Italian success to the 2017 Vuelta de Espana and four Tour de France wins.

"For any cyclist this is the dream to have all three leaders jerseys in the space of 10 months," Froome said. "To have finally won this race, I can't quite believe it myself."