Rodríguez immediately retook the lead of the race the following day at the summit finish at the . Although he finished second to Farnese Vini-Selle Italia rider Matteo Rabottini on the day, Rodríguez gained 39 seconds on Hesjedal through his late-stage attack. After the race's second rest day which came after that stage, the gap between Rodríguez and Hesjedal remained at the half-minute mark for the next three stages; the breakaway succeeded once again on stage 16 as Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Jon Izagirre soloed away from a group of riders in the closing stages, while on stage 17, Rodríguez won the stage after a group of the leading overall contenders escaped on the Passo Giau. Also among that group were Hesjedal, former winners Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD), with Team Sky rider Rigoberto Urán and Colnago-CSF Bardiani's Domenico Pozzovivo making up the sextet. Stage 18 saw the sprinters' last chance of victory with Andrea Guardini of Farnese Vini-Selle Italia edging out Cavendish for victory.