BarcelonaThe 18th stage of the Giro seemed like the last chance for the sprinters to add a win, but a four-runner breakaway turned the script upside down. In the end, the Belgian Dries De Bondt (AlpecinFenix) was the fastest on arrival in Treviso beating the Italian Edoardo Affini (Jumbo Visma), the Danish Magnus Cort (EF Education) and the Italian Davide Gabburo (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane). The big group arrived a few minutes later with the second-placed general, the Australian Jai Hindley (Bora), suffering from technical problems, although he avoided getting hurt and continues just three seconds behind the leader of the general classification. the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers).
The eighteenth stage, between Borgo Valsugana and Treviso (156 km), was ideal for sprinters, although it had the trap of the wall of Ca ‘del Poggio at the end of the route. The four escapees, who shot alone for much of the stage, arrived with a two-minute margin over the large group, where the sprinters’ teams failed to neutralize the breakaway. And all this at a stage when the fourth-place finisher, the Portuguese João Almeida (UAE), no longer started because he tested positive for coronavirus. This consolidates the Basque Mikel Landa (Bahrain) as a candidate to climb the final podium in Verona, although it continues more than a minute behind Carapaz and Hindley. The veteran Sicilian Vincenzo Nibali, who leaves the Giro at the age of 39, climbs to fourth place thanks to the loss of the Portuguese.
The 19th stage, between Marano Lagunare and the sanctuary of Castelmonte, will be mountainous, with two special category ports in the Alps. Saturday will be the second stage ideal for climbers, where the fate of the most even Giro of the last 50 years should be decided. The last stage will be an individual time trial in Verona, where Carapaz aspires to win his second Giro, and Hindley, the first.