Giro 2019: Attacker Cima pips sprinters, Carapaz retains lead

Breakaway rider Damiano Cima stays just ahead of the chasing peloton in the 18th stage of the Giro, while Richard Carapaz retains the maglia rosa. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 18th stage Giro d’Italia 2019

1. Damiano Cima (ita)
2. Pascal Ackermann (ger) s.t.
3. Simone Consonni (ita) s.t.
4. Florian Sénéchal (fra) s.t.
5. Ryan Gibbons (rsa) s.t.
6. Manuel Belletti (ita) s.t.
7. Davide Cimolai (ita) s.t.
8. Arnaud Démare (fra) s.t.
9. Sean Bennett (usa) s.t.
10. Mirco Maestri (ita) s.t.

GC after stage 18
1. Richard Carapaz (ecu)
2. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.54
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 2.16
4. Mikel Landa (spa) + 3.03
5. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 5.07
6. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 6.17
7. Rafal Majka (pol) + 6.48
8. Simon Yates (gbr) + 7.13
9. Pavel Sivakov (rus) + 8.21
10. Davide Formolo (ita) + 8.59

11. Jan Polanc (slo) + 9.20
12. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 10.32
13. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 14.51

Race report
Attacks are flying from the start, but it takes 50 kilometres for the breakaway to take shape. Maestri, Cima and Denz open up a gap of 6 minutes. The peloton brings it back to 2.30 minutes before the leaders widen the gap again to more than 4 minutes.

The race comes down to a dramatic finish with Nico Denz opening up the sprint and while he and Mirco Maestri are swallowed by the bunch, Damiano Cima narrowly holds off the sprinters. Pascal Ackermann finishes in second and Simone Consonni in third.

Richard Carapaz finishes safely in the bunch to stay in the GC lead.

Another interesting read: route 18th stage 2019 Giro d’Italia.