Giro d’Italia Stage 18 Race Report: Nico Denz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) won his third Giro d’Italia. The German won twice in the 2023 Giro and today won stage 18. He was part of a large ‘break of the day’ and then escaped with ten other riders before going solo for the win. Mirco Maestri (Polti VisitMalta) and Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) were second and third at one minute. Isaac Del Toro (UAE Emirates XRG) held the overall lead.
*** The full ‘PEZ Race Report’ very soon. ***
Stage 18 finale
If there are any sprinters left in the 2025 Giro d’Italia, they have the chance of a win today. The middle of the stage is difficult with the last climbs of the Alps, but the finale is made for the fast-men. It’s also a short stage of only 144 kilometres.
Stage 18 – Not that easy
The start is in Morbegno, in the Lombardy Bitto Valley and is famous for its cheese. The peloton follows the shores of Lake Como, before three climbs of the Parlasco (Cat 2), Colle Balisio (Cat 3) and Ravellino (Cat 3). These climbs shouldn’t be a problem for the fast-men on the road to Cesano Maderno, where the Giro has held the final time trial in 1979 and 2008.
Romain Bardet came very close to a stage win in his last Giro on stage 17
Is Richard Carapaz the top favourite now?
Egan Bernal is looking like his old self
The peloton followed Lago di Como for a while
The race left the lake to climb in-land
Not a good day for Juan Ayuso – A bee sting in the face yesterday forced him to abandon today
Hugo Houle and Bart Lemmen leading the big break of the day
The bunch let the break go
An easier day for the pink jersey Isaac Del Toro
A third Giro win for Nico Denz
Stage winner Nico Denz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe): “This is probably the most emotional of my victories at the Giro. Losing Jai Hindley early then the whole team, staff included, was fully committed to help Primoz Roglic win the Giro. We spent two months in altitude for that. I was three months away from home to prepare for the Giro. A dream was lost when we lost Primoz. We’ve thought all this hard work was for nothing. Luckily things turned around. We motivated ourselves for Giulio [Pellizzari] to do a good GC. To win here today on father’s day [in Germany], that’s for papa. It’s pretty special. When Primoz left the Giro, I went through the Garibaldi [the road book], I had to plan and get the freedom to go for it today. I made this one break. Then it was just about following my instinct. Our group was collaborating in the finale. I thought I’d give it a shot with 19km to go. I got a small gap. I just went and here I am!”
The sprint for second went to Mirco Maestri
# Stay PEZ for all the Giro news in EUROTRASH Monday and Thursday. #
Giro d’Italia Stage 18 Result:
1. Nico Denz (Ger) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe in 3:12:07
2. Mirco Maestri (Ita) Polti VisitMalta at 1:01
3. Edward Planckaert (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
4. Filippo Magli (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè
5. Alexander Edmondson (Aus) Team Picnic PostNL
6. Dries De Bondt (Bel) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
7. Daan Hoole (Ned) Lidl-Trek
8. Davide De Pretto (Ita) Jayco AlUla
9. Nicola Conci (Ita) XDS Astana
10. Larry Warbasse (USA) Tudor.
Giro d’Italia Overall After Stage 18:
1. Isaac Del Toro Romero (Mex) UAE Emirates XRG
The post GIRO’25 Stage 18: Solo Denz Big Break appeared first on PezCycling News.
