Still missed… Thibaut Pinot was beaten in the sprint by the Italian champion Filippo Zana this Thursday during the 18th stage of the Giro, between Oderzo and Val di Lozo (161 km), in the enchanting setting of the Dolomites. While playing the last season of his career, the leader of Groupama-FDJ dreamed of giving himself a magnificent gift four days before his 33rd birthday. But there was no second victory in the Tour of Italy this Friday, after the success at Asiago in 2017. And the blue jersey for best climber, which he recovers three days from the finish in Rome, will be little consolation.
The Franc-Comtois, now 7th overall, had already come close to a triumph last Friday, in Crans Montana, and had welcomed his second place behind the Colombian Einer Rubio with a lot of chagrin.
This Thursday, when returning from the mountain after a day reserved for sprinters, Pinot hardened his tone in the last 9 kilometers, and blew up the leading group then composed of six men, including three Tricolores. One of them, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, was distanced like the Italian Marco Frigo, before Warren Barguil and the Canadian Derek Gee also let go.
Geraint Thomas still in pink, ahead of Primoz Roglic
Only Filippo Zana (24), from the Jayco AlUla team, was able to follow the pace set by his eldest, before grilling him in the last meters to win for the first time in his career in the Giro.
The Welshman Geraint Thomas (Ineos) keeps the leader’s pink jersey on his 37th birthday, ahead of the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), who takes advantage of the downside of João Almeida (UAE Emirates) to steal second place in the Portuguese second place overall.
The queen stage of this Tour of Italy is scheduled for Friday, between Longarone and the Tre Cime, with just over 180 km and five climbs, including the explosive Passo Giau (9.9 km at 9.3%) then the final towards the Trois Cimes de Lavaredo and its 18% portions. After this Thursday’s efforts, it would be very surprising to see Pinot get involved in the fight.