Afonso Eulálio defies expectations to keep Giro lead as Filippo Ganna dominates time trial

MASSA, Italy (AP) — Afonso Eulálio surprisingly remained in the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia after Tuesday's lengthy individual time trial, which was won in dominant fashion by Filippo Ganna of Italy.

No one could come close to Ganna, a time trial specialist who completed the flat, 42-kilometer (26-mile) route along the coast from Viareggio to Massa in 45 minutes, 53 seconds.

Thymen Arensman was second, 1:54 behind Ganna, with Rémi Cavagna another five seconds back.

Pre-race favorite Jonas Vingegaard, who is also an expert time trialist, was expected to move into the overall lead after the 10th stage, despite starting the day 2:24 behind Eulálio.

However, an impressive ride from the young Portuguese rider — who is relatively untested in time trials — saw Eulálio keep hold of the pink jersey with a 27-second advantage over Vingegaard. Arensman moved into third overall, 1:57 behind Eulálio.

“I suffer, suffer, suffer, but in the final I arrive here and I keep the maglia rosa, it’s incredible,” said Eulálio, who rides for Bahrain Victorious.

“Only in the final the car started to tell me ‘you are close, you are close, you are close to Jonas,’ but when the car tell me you were close, first moment I think OK it’s close, but not to keep the maglia rosa, and in the final (they) started to tell me like 30 seconds and I just continue believing and I went all in, like I did (the rest of) the 40k.”

It was the only time trial in this year’s race. Ganna has won eight Giro stages and all but one have come in time trials but he is also targeting Friday's 13th stage, which ends in his hometown of Verbania.

“From today starts another Giro for Filippo, I want to try to arrive more conservative for this massive goal for me,” Ganna said. “We hope to enjoy tonight a little bit and then we stay focused for the last 14 days.”

Wednesday’s 11th stage is a 195-kilometer (121-mile) route from Porcari to Chiavari that features three categorized climbs.

The 109th men’s Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.

The women’s Giro runs from May 30-June 7 with Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini as the defending champion.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Italy's Filippo Ganna celebrates on the podium after winning the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Portugal's Afonso Oliveira Eulalio wears the pink jersey of the race overall leader as he stands on the podium after completing the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Fabi Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Portugal's Afonso Oliveira Eulalio crosses the finish line to complete the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard pedals during the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Portugal's Afonso Oliveira Eulalio competes during the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Italy's Filippo Ganna pedals during the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Portugal's Afonso Eulalio starts the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from Viareggio to Massa, Italy, Tuesday May 19, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The newly drained Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's bottom surface has noticeably faded since it was lined with a protective coating in a color President Donald Trump called “American flag blue” this spring.

An Associated Press reporter and photographer viewed the fenced-off Reflecting Pool on Wednesday from the top of the Washington Monument. The new liner appears grayer than when the pool was repainted and refilled with water in early June. Debris that had been visible earlier this week after the pool was drained is now largely gone, after work crews removed it.

Trump’s problem-plagued effort to revamp the landmark has stretched well past his initial goal of having the Reflecting Pool ready by July 4 for the nation’s 250th birthday.

The president at first suggested his renovations would cost $1.5 million, but the bill ballooned to more than $16 million by June.

Trump had said the repairs would last a century, but within days of the project's initial completion last month, the water was beset by an algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom.

Ohio-based Green Water Solutions, also known as Greenwater Services, was given a $1.7 million contract to install a water-purification system in the Reflecting Pool, while Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded $14.7 million to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.

Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for the peeling paint, though critics allege it’s from shoddy repair work.

Trump has said, without citing evidence, that vandals made a “350-foot gash” in the liner and caused other problems. No large slash marks were immediately visible Wednesday from the Washington Monument view. It was not possible to do a more up-close inspection of the entire pool due to a dark fence surrounding the perimeter.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, said that after the water is drained and debris is cleaned from Independence Day fireworks, the plan for the pool is straightforward: “Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again." He was speaking with conservative podcaster Katie Miller.

Court documents show that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor was said to have cut the pool’s new liner.

Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty last week in D.C. Superior Court to deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool. Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker.

His attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided the case as an abuse of prosecutorial power and maintain he is being scapegoated for the poor job done fixing up the Reflecting Pool.

At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the pool, court records show. All three pleaded not guilty during initial court appearances.

The work on the Reflecting Pool is just one of a number of projects Trump has spearheaded across the nation’s capital. Most prominently, he demolished the White House’s East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom and plans to build a towering arch. between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

National Park Service workers investigate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The Reflecting Pool, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol are seen, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The Reflecting Pool is seen from the Washington Monument, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The Reflecting Pool is seen from the Washington Monument, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)