As it happened: Maglia ciclamino changes hands again as stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia ends in a sprint
The race's penultimate sprint showdown comes at the end of a 167km stage
Hello and welcome to stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia!
There haven’t been many successes for the pure sprinters this Giro. In fact, only two stages could be said to have come down to a straightforward sprint so far, with a late crash in Napoli putting paid to most of their hopes on stage 6, and an unlikely breakaway denying them a chance to sprint in Milan on stage 15.
Now today, on another flat stage that at first glance looks like one for a bunch finish, life has been made complicated for them by a late wall close to the finish.
That late climb might only last 1.1km, but the fact it averages 11.1% (with a short stretch at about 20%), and is only 9km from the finish, makes it a serious challenge for the sprinters to get up still in contention.
Another way that climb will shape the race is by discouraging the sprinter teams to chase, and therefore increasing the chances of a breakaway succeeding. So yet again, the stage is set for another big to get up the road from the start.
The riders see the flag for the official start. They’ll be starting for real in about fifteen minutes.
Jonas Vingegaard readying himself for another day in pink. He's only got four more days left to hang on and seal overall victory.
The race for the Maglia Rosa will be a significant subplot in today’s stage. Jhonatan Narváez leads Paul Magnier by just 12 points, and, depending on how the stage unfolds, in theory both riders could do anything from score maximum points at the finish, to none at all.
The riders are still 2km away from the official start.
The peloton is all stretched out, but nobody has got a gap of anymore than a few bikelengths yet.
Bardiani's Magli is the first rider to get a small gap.
Magli has been joined by Jacobs, who's been among the first toto get involved in the attacking in what feels like almost every stage.
Magli and Jacobs have 14 seconds.
Inevitably, Polti want to get involved, and Sevilla has attacked out of the peloton to try and join the two leaders.
The leaders have been allowed almost 30 seconds already. Surely there are more who will want to get up the road on a breakaway-friendly day like today?
The road is flat for now but goes up an unclassified rise in about 10km. That might be what some would-be attackers are waiting for.
Many aren't waiting 'till then - about 7 more riders have just clipped off the front of the peloton.
Morgado and Walshweid are both in thie group.
Kubiš was also in that group, but they've been caught.
160KM TO GO
They've been racing for about 10km, and the two leaders have grown their lead to 40 seconds.
A new move in the peloton, this time instigated by Juul-Jensen.
They're caught, and a Rose Rockets rider counters.
Matyáš Kopecký is the Rose Rockets rider.
Jacobs and Magli at the front of the race.
The pace has dropped off in the peloton, with the two leaders being allowed just over a minute and Kopecký 40 seconds. But the climb is imminent, and if the pattern is repeated from previous stages, this is where the pace will increase again and more committed attacks be made.
The riders are on the uphill now.
The pace is up on the peloton as they climb, with Ganna struggling to hold on at the back.
Five riders have jumped out of the peloton on the climb, and more are trying to join them.
Robert Stannard is one of them and has gone clear of the rest.
Stannard and that group have been caught.
Two López are on the attack - Juan Pedro of Movistar, and Harold Martín of Astana.
Up ahead, Magli is struggling on the climb and has been dropped by Jacobs.
The two López have caught Magli, and been joined by Hamilton of Picnic.
Kubiš attacks again, and a long line of riders follow him.
Kubiš's attack wasn't enough to force a gap.
Jabobs' lead disappeared on that climb, and he's been caught as they descend, along with all the chasers behind him.
So the race is all together and we have no breakaway.
More moves keep coming, but a new one from Garofoli and Bais is the first to get a gap.
A large counter group is forming behind those two leaders of about 15 riders.
This chase group is getting bigger and bigger - up to about 20 riders.
This is interesting - Jhonatan Narváez is riding right at the front of the peloton on this descent. Will he try and get up the road and helo form a break?
New attack, as Nelson Oliveira and Bais go clear.
Those attacks came together, but Bais has attacked again, this time with his teammate Mifsud.
The gradient is now rolling up and down, but there aren't any climbs as tough as the first until considerably later in the stage.
It's a scorching day out there in Italy.
Jai Hindley has been held up for some reason, and has to make his way back to the peloton.
This is hardly prime terrain for breakways to go clear,with the road for the upcoming 40km mostly slightly downhill, but still riders are trying to make moves.
Rafferty is the first rider to attack from the peloton in a while to manage to get a gap, but nobody's gone with him.
120KM TO GO
Still Bais and Misfud lead, the gap holding steady at 15 seconds. The race is far from settled down.
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James Shaw has attacked the peloton and is chasing the two leaders, but is having to do so all alone.
Ghebreigzabhier has crashed in the peloton. He's up on his feet though and is about to take a new bike to continue.
He fell right at the front of the peloton, the third rider in line. Thankfully nobody else fell with him.
Ghebreigzabhier is back at the back of the peloton.
Lidl-Trek have taken control of the peloton, and are riding tempo, with no new attacks being made. There are only three riders up the road, and many, many more who wanted to - but the terrain isn't ideal for them to join them.
Shaw is with them now, and we have a new three-man lead group.
At some point Jonas Geens broke clear from the peloton, and he's chasing the leaders in solo pursuit. He still has 17 seconds to make up on them.
Bais and Mifsud, before they were joined by Shaw.
And now Geens has joined them, to make it four up the road. And with a lead of over a minute, it seems we have our break of the day.
It's Lidl who are leading the peloton. They must be confident that Milan can survive the final climb. Though he has the build of a pure sprinter, Milan is deceptively good going uphill, and has been among the last of the sprinters to be dropped on many of the climbs this Giro. And after a frustrating, winless Giro, and with so little time left, he’s getting desperate for a win.
Magnier is having a chat with his team car at the back of the peloton. He’s in a similar mould to Milan in terms of climbing ability. His Soudal team tried to get some riders up the road in the break earlier, but now that they haven’t, Magnier looks set to be their man for the day.
The break up the road, before they were joined by Geens.
Considering how breakaway-friendly the parcours today looked, and how many efforts there were to get into it, the group that has finally gone clear is neither as big nor as strong as had been anticipated. It’s odds on that it will be caught…
…but remembering what happened in Milan, when another four-man group made up mostly of wildcard teams held off the bunch to take the stage, we’d be foolish to write them off.
For the first time in a while the riders are going uphill, this time up a classified climb - the 3.2km, 3.9% Fastro.
Lidl are still leading, but taking it very easy on this climb.
The gap is flying up as a result of Lidl-Trek’s slow down, and it’s up to over three minutes as the near the top of the climb.
NSN are now doing a turn at the front of the peloton on the climb, with Mullen. They might see this as a day for Corbin Strong given his strength on the climbs, though Vernon has also been climbing very well at this Giro and could potentially survivie the climb.
The gap has gone up, but not by as much as initially reported. It's actually at 2:15.
The four riders in the break of the day. It's another good day for Polti VisitMalta, who have done sterling work ensuring they're represented and visible in most of the race's breaks.
There are three teams riding at the front of the peloton - Lidl-Trek, NSN, and, interesting, UAE Team Emirates XRG.
That’s a sign that Narváez wants to go for the stage win, this time from the peloton rather than the breakaway. That final climb looks ideal for him, and his team’s work indicates he’s going to try an attack on it.
One dilemma for UAE and Narváez is that they only have five riders left after that horrible first week crash. As strong as their remaining riders are, they don’t have the numbers to control the peloton without burning through too many before the climb, and Narváez will need teammates to both position him and lead-out if he is to plan the perfect attack.
Then of course there is the Maglia Ciclamino, which Narváez intends to defend after reclaiming it yesterday. Ideally, as well as win the stage, he would like for Magnier to be dropped and score no points in that classification.
The men’s Giro d’Italia might be nearing its endgame, but the women’s Giro has yet to begin. Saturday sees the first of nine stages, to be raced by a stellar field, and with a great parcours.
Jonas Vingegaard has just changed bikes, as some of his Visma teammates have also. It appears to be a pre-planned move for a different bike set-up.
60KM TO GO
The gap remains much the same, at 1:10. The peloton aren't really giving the break a sniff today.
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It's the kind of day where it's of paramount importance to keep cool.
50KM TO GO
Still the gap between the peloton and Bais, Misfud, Straw and Geens remains at about 1:15.
In a rare mis-step from what has been a superb Giro for Eulálio, he has gone down heavily in a crash. He's back up and riding, but that must have hurt.
Eulálio faces a chase to get back into the peloton. He finds himself 1:40 down.
The terrain is trickier from here until the finish. The road really starts to undulate, leading to an intermediate sprint in just under 10km, before a flatter run-in to the final climb.
It’s interesting to note that Lidl-Trek have been using Walscheid and Consonni to lead the peloton throughout the day, who they normally save until the final lead-out. They must have deduced that they are unlikely to survive the final climb, and therefore be of no use to Milan come the sprint, and are therefore instead holding back their stronger climbers to help him in the finale.
Alternatively, we could have Lidl’s strategy all wrong - could they see the final climb as one for Ciccone to attack on, rather for Milan to survive up? Ciccone is arguably the most explosive puncheur in the race (save for maybe Narváez), and is just about as desperate for a stage win as Milan is.
Eulálio is still chasing, but getting closer to the peloton. He's currently getting checked out by by Drs car.
40KM TO GO
The gap's at 1:12 as we near the intermediate sprint. The break will make it there without getting caught, ensuring most of the Ciclamino points are hoovered up, but there will still be one point to fight over if Magnier and Narváez fancy it.
Bais moves to the front to makes sure he takes the points at the intermediate sprint. He's looking for points in the intermediate sprints classification.
Back in the peloton, Narváez is going for the final point. He's being led-out by teammate Arrieta.
Magnier does not bother to chase Narváez, meaning he's free to take the point without sprinting.
Magnier must be trying to save as much energy as possible to preserve to take on the final climb.
Although UAE are up towards the front in the peloton, it's been mostly Lidl and NSN doing the work pulling.
30KM TO GO
The gap's down to one minute. And that's going to plummet even more once riders start jostling for position ahead of the final climb.
There's been a split in the peloton on the descent, about 40/50 riders in the front split.
There are a few sprinters caught out, Van Uden included. And Eulalio has also missed the split, having made it back into the peloton earlier.
The split has been undone. O'Connor was also caught out, but helped bridge the gap, along with Decathlon who had multiple riders to lead the chase.
All that action has seen the come right down, to 20 seconds.
And it's now just 7 seconds. The catch is imminent.
The Giro peloton, as it passes through Prosecco country.
Geens attacks the others, who have sat up and are back in the peloton.
The catch (aside from Geens, who's still 10 seconds ahead) has been made before the Red Bull KM, so there are seconds available if anyone can sneak out of the peloton.
The peloton has slowed a bit, allowing the lead to grow again to 18 seconds.
Gall and Arensman were sniffing around at the front of the peloton for the seconds at the intermediate sprint, but their teammates took them instead.
The race for positions is on Lidl, Rose Rockets, Ineos and Visma all have trains near the front of the peloton.
Rose Rockets have strung the peloton all out, with four riders, but who are they working for? You'd have thought this climb is too tough for Groenewegen.
Here come Netcompany Ineos, who take over from Rose Rockets with a charge.
But they've faded a little, as Lidl, Rose Rockets and Visma have the prime spots onto the climb.
Geens is caught, and the riders are climbing. This is the pivotal moment of the stage!
Milan is riding right at the front of the peloton.
He's got a big lead too, of a few seconds, with nobody following him.
He must be feeling fine after his crash.
Kuss is setting tempo at the front of the peloton with teammate Vingegaard on his wheel.
Milan has drifted back a little, but still looking good, 12th from the front.
Narváez i actually further behind Milan, and Magnier further behind him.
Kuss' pace has broughtEulálio back.
Kuss is done and now Vingegaard leads.
KOM - MURO DI CA' DEL POGGIO
Vingegaard crests the top - and there's been a gap furhter in the peloton!
About 20 riders have gone clear from the rest.
Among them are Eulalio, Strong and Silva.
Aular is here, as are GC riders Arensman and Gee-West.
Rondel, Sobrero and Pinarello are also here.
Not here are Milan and Narváez, nor Storer.
Alessandro Pinarello is leading the front group, working to keep this group clear for his team's sprinter Strong.
The chase group are 10 seconds behind.
Hindley is in the front group - and he attacks!
That move is shut down by Bernal, working for teammate Arensman.
Kulset counter attacks, and has Eulálio following him.
Eulálio and Kulset have come together, and lead by a few seconds with 5km left to ride.
There are 12 riders in the pink jersey group behind the 2 leaders.
A much larger group featuring Narváez is about to join the Vingegaard group.
The two chase groups have come together. It's unclear how many sprinters are in it.
Lidl and Soudal are working, so we assume that their sprinters Milan and Magnier are here.
Eulálio and Kulset still lead by 8 seconds with just 3km left to the finish.
It's a big group that are chasing them, featuring at least 30 riders.
Milan, Magnier and Narváez are all there.
They're closing down on the two leaders now.
The catch is made, 1200m from the finish. It looks like we're going to have a sprint.
Movistar come to the front for a corner, just inside the final km, trying to set up Aular.
Soudal take over at the front for Magnier, but Milan is up there too.
Magnier begins his sprint...
Stuyven was led out superbly by Stuyven, who positioned him to start his sprint well ahead of Milan.
Zambanini took second, Milan third.
Better yet for Magnier, Narváez finished well back in the peloton, so he now retakes the Maglia Ciclamino and is in pole position to win it with another sprint stage to come.
Here are the new Maglia Ciclamino classification:
1 Magnier 195
2 Narváez 158
3 Milan 103
4 Silva 82
5 Leknessund 79
The late climb made for a thrilling finale, and for a while it looked as though Eulálio might add to what has already been a dream Giro a first stage win.
Though splits did occur on the final climb, big group came together by the finish, with 59 riders - including all of the GC men - finishing together.
That includes Jonas Vingegaard, who rode the final climb on the front foot to ensure he keeps hold of the Maglia Rosa.
Thanks for joining us today! After a day that was (just about) for the sprinters), to race heads back into the mountains for two back-to-back big climbing tests. The GC race will therefore again come to the fore. Who will win the fight for the podium? Can any climbers get a stage win from the breakaway? And will Jonas Vingegaard be put under any pressure? It’s set to be an exciting couple of days, so be sure to join us tomorrow in the iconic Dolomites for a huge stage of 6 summits and over 5,000m of climbing, including the Cima Coppi of the Passo Giau.
