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Friday, May 24, 2024
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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia
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Current racing:
- May 4 - 26: Giro d'Italia
- May 23 - 26: Tour of Norway
Upcoming racing:
- May 26: Rund um Köln
Latest completed racing:
- May 14 - 19: 4 Days of Dunkirk
- May 18: Veenendaal - Veenendaal Classic
- May 11: Tour du Finistère
- May 5: Tro-Bro Léon
- May 4: GP du Morbihan
- May 1: Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt
- April 21 - 28: Tour of Turkey
- April 23 - 28: Tour de Romandie
- April 26 - 28: Vuelta Asturias
- April 21: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- April 15 - 19: Tour of the Alps
- April 17: La Flèche Wallone
We posted the report from the race organizer and stage winner Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Jonathan Milan's Team Lidl-Trek:
A chaotic sprint in Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia and Jonny has to settle with the podium, behind Merlier
Milan’s expression on the finish line in Padova is a mixture of amazement and disappointment. Jonny, who started his sprint from the back of the sprinters’ group, had just undertaken an incredible comeback that, unfortunately, was only 99% complete. The winner, narrowly, was Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep).
Tim Merlier (far left) just beats big Jonathan Milan. Sirotti photo
The regret is palpable, because once again Lidl-Trek undertook the bulk of the work to keep the daily breakaway under control. Furthermore, the set-up of the sprint was another impressive effort, though there was a snag in the plan – Jonny became separated from his leadout in the final kilometer. Despite the second place, however, Jonny Milan’s strength was evident. The comeback to fight for the win was impressive and deserved a better reward than the second place.
But, in the words of Jonny, “that’s cycling”.
In the end, facts speak: in six sprints, Jonny has finished three in first place and three in second. With one final sprint expected in Rome, Lidl-Trek is looking for one more roll of the dice!
Jonny’s reaction:
"To finish second, like this, after the splendid work of my teammates, is not nice. I can’t hide my disappointment. I was fine, the feeling was right, but in the chaos of the last kilometer I lost the wheels of my teammates. In short, it was my fault for not finalizing a great opportunity…
"Today was without doubt the most chaotic sprint of this Giro. The finish was very tricky, at times dangerous with narrow passages for a bunch sprint. We knew there were risks, we were prepared, but then the situation was more complicated than I expected. The big regret remains that we didn’t finish off the work the team did to keep the race under control and launch the leadout and sprint.
"That’s cycling. The goal is to turn today’s regret into motivation for the next chance. There is still a goal to chase, which is the Rome stage. Let’s move on."
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Here's the report from GC third-place Geraint Thomas' Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Geraint Thomas and Thymen Arensman held station at the Giro d’Italia following a day for the sprinters on stage 18.
Thomas retains third overall, while Arensman held on to sixth, despite a late puncture heading into the final eight kilometres. Some quick reactions and a selfless bike swap saw Connor Swift give up his Dogma, allowing Arensman to quickly ride back into the bunch, with help from Jhonatan Narvaez.
Thomas was well positioned on the run-in, which ultimately saw a chaotic bunch sprint won by Tim Merlier (Soudal - Quick-Step).
The peloton gets rolling in the rain. RCS photo
Two more big GC days remain in the General Classification battle, with Thomas sitting 22 seconds back on second-placed Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe).
Thursday also saw the start of the Tour of Norway. Oscar Rodriguez led the Grenadier charge on the opening day, coming home ninth on the uphill finish in Voss. Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) continued his recent momentum by winning the opening stage to take an early race lead.
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Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this Giro report:
In the penultimate flat stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tim van Dijke finished seventeenth. The 24-year-old Dutchman got boxed in at a crucial moment, preventing him from sprinting for the top spots. Earlier in the stage, Edoardo Affini was part of the breakaway. The win was for Tim Merlier.
After the past mountain stages, there was another chance for the sprinters in Padova. After the start in Fiera di Primiera, a short climb awaited the riders. After that it was almost flat until the finish. In the opening kilometres, Affini tried to set up the early breakaway, but he did not get space from the sprinters' teams. Moments later, four other riders did manage to form the good breakaway. The peloton did not give them much space.
With sixty kilometres to go, the four leaders seemed to be caught by the peloton. At that moment Affini still made the jump to the leading group. The lead of the five never grew beyond half a minute. They were caught at ten kilometres from the finish, after which the peloton prepared for a bunch sprint. Affini piloted Van Dijke to the front at the right moment, but at a crucial moment the Dutchman got boxed in. Van Dijke eventually finished seventeenth.
Tim van Dijke finishing stage 7. Sirotti photo
“It was a fast and tricky final, but I felt very good”, Van Dijke said afterwards. “Edoardo was also strong today. After his efforts in the attack, he still did a great job to put me in a good position. At 900 metres from the finish line, there was an important corner. I was well placed there. From then on, I expected a peloton drawn to a ribbon, but that was not the case. The speed decreased, leaving me swamped by the riders behind me. Unfortunately, I was too far away to fully sprint. Fortunately, the feeling was good. I will try it again in Rome.”
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And here's the Giro report from Team dsm-firmenich PostNL:
After battling through the mountains, the sprinters would once again get their opportunity at the Giro d’Italia on stage 18 into Padova. With a parcours that predominantly headed downhill, the peloton kept the breakaway close throughout the day to ensure they wouldn’t be given too much leeway. However, with the gap kept close there were counter attack attempts from the peloton at around 60 and 40 kilometres to go. Yet, they were quickly put out and the status quo resumed. In the peloton Team dsm-firmenich PostNL looked after finisher Tobias Lund Andresen, with the climbing group doing their best throughout the stage.
Coming into the finale, Chris Hamilton dropped Lund Andresen off before Romain Bardet came forward and pulled Lund Andresen up as the race charge towards the flamme rouge. It was a hectic and chaotic finale, with multiple twists and turns on narrow roads. Unfortunately, Lund Andresen lost positions in the chaos and when he opened up his sprint it was from far back and into the wind, ultimately crossing the line in 16th place on the stage.
Romain Bardet after finishing stage 17. Sirotti photo
Speaking at the finish Lund Andresen said: “The guys did what they could do to position me with Chris dropping me off at around five kilometers to go. Romain then came up and did a nice job in the last couple of kilometers. In the end I was unfortunately on the wrong side and had to go slow for the last corner and was pushed out of the wheel I wanted to follow. From there I ended up having to ride into the wind the whole time and I never really caught any momentum. We’ll try again on the final day into Rome.”
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