Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia is a monster 240 kilometres, with Maglia Rosa Steven Kruijswijk holding a strong, three-minute lead. Join The Roar for all the action from 10:30pm (AEST).
The riders continue their trek towards France, setting off from Muggio and battling towards the western border of Italy, crossing the finish at Pinerolo.
The longest stage of the race, Stage 18 is a real cruise for the most part, even finishing with a fast-paced descent. But the lead-up to that finale issues the challenge of the day.
There are nearly 170 kilometres of racing before anything dramatic in the parcours. The slight ascent off the flats begins around the 100-kilometre mark, but it’s gradual.
A 10.5 per cent climb over five kilometres comes towards the end though, peaking with just 20 kilometres to go. A punishment of sorts for the general lack of variation and flat track the peloton have to deal with for the rest of the day.
With just four stages remaining, the general classification battle is all but over, with Dutchman Kruijswijk holding the aforementioned three-minute lead.
In cycling though, three minutes can disappear very quickly, especially with the fight for the rest of the podium still very much alive.
Esteban Chaves and Alejandro Valverde are battling it out for second, while Ilnur Zakarin and Rafal Majka can sneak into the top three, sitting a touch over one minute further back.
Prediction
Look for a breakaway to take the stage, with a three or four-man sprint for the finish. The jump should happen around halfway, as the previously mentioned gradual ascent from the flats begins to take hold.
Diego Ulissi is a strong favourite to snag another stage victory for Lampre-Merida, while the GC leaders will stay tight in the pack and hold on to the times they have.
As always, check out Brendon Vella’s Stage 18 preview for a more in-depth analysis.
Connor Bennett
Editor
A fairly eventful day in the saddle for the riders but no changes to the standings. The next couple of days in the mountains will be the real leg burners and pink jersey test for the GC riders.
Connor Bennett
Editor
General Classification Standings 1 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 73:50:37 2 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge 0:03:00 3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:23 4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:04:43 5 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha 0:04:50 6 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team 0:05:34 7 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:07:57 8 Andrey Amador Bikkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team 0:08:53 9 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:10:05 10 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data 0:11:16
Connor Bennett
Editor
Stage 18 results: 1 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step 5:25:34 2 Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:00:00 3 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:00 4 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida 0:00:20 5 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:30 6 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:00:34 7 Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina-Southeast 0:01:10 8 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky 0:01:16 9 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:24 10 Davide Malacarne (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:04:28
Connor Bennett
Editor
Ettix-Quick Step rode wonderfully today with Brambilla and Trentin holding in the breakaway while Tinkoff in particular dropped away. It looked like Moser would out sprint Brambilla at the end but Trentin came out of the clouds to steal that one from his Italian countrymen
Connor Bennett
Editor
He took a lot of corners quite wide and slow enough to let other riders through, not the signs of a confident rider. Pride I guess? Confidence booster? Who knows
Scott Pryde
Expert
Kruijswijk might have just shown us why he is going to lose time over the next 2 days. He is nervous on those descents. Interesting to see them sprint as well. What's the point. Cheers Connor.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Valverde threatens to break off again but Kruijswijk has been under full control in the last 20km. The peleton cross the line over 10 minutes after the winners and there will be absolutely zip change in the top GC standings after all that
Connor Bennett
Editor
Valverde tries to jump but he can't make ground and Niballi also goes through to the front. Too late to threaten the pink jersey from these two
Connor Bennett
Editor
Kruijswijk is being protected by a beautiful ride from Battaglin, as he has all day. The Maglia Rosa has been keeping his opponents behind him
Connor Bennett
Editor
Astana and Dimension Data getting riders forward
Connor Bennett
Editor
Teams all over the place in the main pack, Lotto not looking in control as they have most of they day
Connor Bennett
Editor
Well the stage result is sorted but there's still plenty of action within the peloton who are on their way down on the descent. Valverde and Kruijskwijk have a lot of strategy to sort out between now and the finish
Connor Bennett
Editor
the chase group of Modolo, Arndt and Rovnyi come through in respective order to round out the top 6 as the peloton plugs away about 13 minutes back
Connor Bennett
Editor
Coming into the last corners!! Moser leads... Around a few right turns as Trentin comes out of nowhere!! Brambilla on the back whell of Moser but it's Trentin who absolutely flies around the final corner, into the slipstream and straight past both of them. Out of absolutely nowhere, Trentin has taken the stage in front of Moser then Brambilla
Scott Pryde
Expert
How good is Trentin!!!! What a win.
Connor Bennett
Editor
The motorbiek cameras are struggling to keep up through the tight streets and the leaders are scoping each other out now with a touch over 1 kilometre to go
Connor Bennett
Editor
A little jump from Moser and Brambilla responds, they battle for a second before coming back together. They look absolutely spent at this stage with less than 2km to go
Scott Pryde
Expert
Valverde will attack roughly 13 minutes from now.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Rovnyi is off the corner!!! Ivan Rovnyi has over shot the corner on the cobbles and ploughed into the fence, he's dropped back now and his chances may be done
Connor Bennett
Editor
Both lead group and chase turning over their lead men to keep the legs as fresh as possible. Brambilla and Moser are fighting to keep this lead