 Contador faced repeated challenges from Riccardo Riccò and Danilo Di Luca in the race 's final week . They were separated by less than a minute after stage 15 , and though Di Luca would falter slightly in the Giro 's second individual time trial , the time gap among the three of them was just 21 seconds heading in to the Giro 's final mountain stage . Di Luca faltered further in that last mountain stage , losing almost five minutes and any chance to repeat as Giro champion , but Contador and Riccò finished together and were separated by only four seconds going into the Giro 's final stage , another individual time trial . Contador 's superior time trial skills provided the difference in the Giro 's finale . Though he finished 11th on the stage , he gained more than two minutes over Riccò , winning the Giro overall without taking any individual stage . 
