Giro 2023: Denz wins three-up sprint, Thomas still in pink

foto: Cor VosBreakaway riders Tom Skujins, Sebastian Berwick and Nico Denz battle it out in the streets of Rivoli. Denz outsprints his fellow-attackers to take the win. The GC riders take it easy and Geraint Thomas stays in pink. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 12th stage 2023 Giro

1. Nico Denz (ger)
2. Toms Skujins (lat) s.t.
3. Sebastian Berwick (gbr) + 0.03
4. Alessandro Tonelli (ita) + 0.58
5. Marco Frigo (ita) + 2.07
6. Ilan Van Wilder (bel) + 2.20
7. Alberto Bettiol (ita) s.t.
8. Christian Scaroni (ita) s.t.
9. Michel Heßmann (ger) s.t.
10. Alex Baudin (fra) s.t.

GC after stage 12
1. Geraint Thomas (gbr)
2. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.02
3. João Almeida (por) + 0.22
4. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 0.35
5. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 1.28
6. Lennard Kämna (ger) + 1.52
7. Eddie Dunbar (irl) + 2.32
8. Thymen Arensman (nld) s.t.
9. Laurens De Plus (bel) + 2.36
10. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (fra) + 2.48

11. Jack Haig (aus) + 2.58
12. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 3.22
15. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 4.48

Race report
A huge breakaway takes shape after 15 kilometres. Bauke Mollema, Ilan Van Wilder, Mads Pedersen, Davide Formolo, Alberto Bettiol, Andrea Pasqualon, Toms Skujins, Marco Frigo, Patrick Konrad, Laurens Huys, Einer Rubio, Michael Matthews, Sepp Kuss, Michel Heßmann, Sebastian Berwick, Nico Denz, Christian Scaroni, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, Samuele Battistella, Alex Baudin, Alessandro Iacchi, Veljko Stojnic, Jasha Sütterlin, Vadim Pronskiy, Alessandro Tonelli, Jonathan Lastra and Valentin Paret-Peintre are on board.

Their lead exceeds 1.30 minutes when Stefano Oldani and Davide Gaburro start chasing. Lorenzo Fortunato and Luca Covili also want to join the breakaway. The four regain contact after 50 kilometres of action.

Denz, Skujins, Battistella, Berwick and Tonelli open up a gap with 90 kilometres remaining. Battistella loses contact and the other four put over 3 minutes into their former companions. A chase does not take off until Scaroni, Baudin and Bettiol join forces just before the first passage on the line.

The three gradually close the gap to 2.15 minutes, but then Skujins ups the pace at the front. Which causes Tonelli to lose contact. The other three reach the summit of the Colle Braida 3 minutes ahead of the first chasers.

Denz accelerates with 12 kilometres to go. Skujins shuts down the gap straight away, Berwick 3 kilometres later.

Denz is the strongest sprinter of the three and the German takes the win. The GC riders cross the line more than 8 minutes later. Thomas stays in pink.

Another interesting read: route 12th stage 2023 Giro.