We are heading towards a spectacular sprint

We’ll meet again tomorrow for a stage where it will go up a little more, a stage for punchers and adventurers, where Julian Alaphilippe could do something.

Arensman had to return before the finish.

We can see in slow motion that Milan had returned to Merlier’s level, but the Belgian managed to accelerate again while the Italian was at the end of the race. Very nice victory. That’s 3 sprints for Milan, and 2 for Merlier. Last explanation in Rome on Sunday evening.

Milan was very far away, he managed to come back, but he started too far, and Merlier, the second fastest in this peloton, achieved his second stage success.

Kaden Groves takes 3rd place.

Milan is very far, too far!

Particularly between Pithie and Consonni. Pithie makes new friends every step of the way!

This sprint is going a bit in all directions. We wait until the 3 km mark for the leaders to move back a notch.

And now it’s the Soudal Quicksteps that are rolling

He took over Conor Swift’s bike, and he’s trying to get back into the peloton.

Let’s go for the sprint.

So they can do it? Probably not. But what a number.

It’s fascinating. It must have been 20 km that the breakaways have been in the focus of the peloton. Be careful, there is also a change of direction in a few kilometers, and all the favorites group together at the front so as not to be surprised by a sudden edge.

The leaders are at the front to avoid falls.

Pay attention to the two turns in the last kilometer.

They’ve been a handful of seconds away for 20 miles, everyone would have gotten up a long time ago, but not them. They are burning the sprinters’ teammates.

But he returned to the peloton.

Especially if you want to keep them.

Finally, about thirty kilometers

They are only 16 seconds away, but the escapees do not let their guard down at all.

And yet the sprint teams accelerated well. We wonder if there will be many teammates left for the sprint.

The peloton came back to 20 seconds, so Affini, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider, left the peloton to join the breakaway. And the gap went back to 26 seconds. Not sure that’s enough.

It is again the EF, winners yesterday with Steinhauser and represented at the front with Honoré, who are shaking the coconut tree.

The gap fell to 45 seconds. The peloton could be tempted to catch up quickly.

It plays calmly between the breakaways and the peloton, but there is no chance that the four in front will go to the end.

What’s the point, a second place in the Giro…

There is a little wind but nothing dramatic yet.

The peloton recovered a little. There’s no point in coming back to escape too early. There are two sprint opportunities left, today and Sunday, which means they are not going to let the opportunity pass them by.

Be careful not to come back too quickly either, we remember that during Benjamin Thomas’ victory, the peloton had allowed a group to emerge by joining too quickly with the first breakaway.

Jonathan Milan takes the points for 5th place, consolidating his cyclamen jersey.

In the intermediate sprint, Andrea Pietrobon takes the points, he who is leader of the “Traguardo Volante” classification ahead of Julian Alaphilippe. He thus consolidates his first position in this very honorary ranking, which rewards fugitives. The peloton is back to less than 1’20”.

Given Jonathan Milan’s lead over Kaden Groves (109pts), it is not certain that we will be competing with him in the peloton for 5th place. 1’40” apart, the hunt is going well.

Winner the day before, the German is congratulated by other riders at the back of the peloton. The situation is calm, the gap fluctuates around two minutes.

The sun begins to return, Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep combine their efforts at the head of the peloton, 2’30” from the breakaway.

2’30” ahead for the breakaway, we shouldn’t give this group too much room.

Maestri takes the lead on the only difficulty of the day. He led the pace in the final part. The breakaway took a lead of almost two minutes.

Mirco Maestri and Andrea Pietrobon (Polti-Kometa) are accompanied by Mikkel Honoré (EF Education-Easy Post) and Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group-Bardiani).

The peloton gets back up, which will allow Domenico Pozzovivo to return. The Italian veteran, who has been suffering since the day before, was dropped from the first ramps.

There is no Julian Alaphilippe with him this time but in particular Andrea Pietrobon who tries to follow him, his teammate. But it doesn’t come out in the bump yet.

We arrive at the Lamon coast (3.4km at 5.6%), the only difficulty of the day, which could allow a group to form.

2nd overall, Daniel Martinez was trapped but should quickly return.

The peloton seems to be letting go this time.

The sprinters’ formations prevent Edoardo Affini (Visma-Lease a Bike) from taking off. We are wary of this stage which could be more complicated than expected with the rain.

It looks more complicated than expected to take the breakaway, with the rain having its effect.

We witness several attacks with Andrea Pietrobon (Polti-Kometa) who tries directly but several riders follow him. The backpackers seem motivated.

The start has not yet been given but it will take place in the rain.

Victim of a fever, the Italian from the Astana team decides not to start. This Wednesday he wore the best climber jersey, he who was often on the attack on this edition.

After several mountain escapades, the leaders will have an opportunity to breathe this Thursday during the 18th stage of the Giro 2024, between Fiera di Primiero and Padua. 178 kilometers will be covered and a massive sprint is likely.

The peloton will start from the small village of Fiera di Primiero, which is located at the foot of the Pale di San Martino, the largest massif of the Dolomites, at an altitude of 730 meters. The only difficulty listed will occur after 17 kilometers in Lamon. The runners will go to Padua, to the east of the Po plain.

After an initial downhill part, it will be difficult to get flatter in the last 100 kilometers. Before two more difficult days, the sprinters will have a penultimate opportunity to express themselves since a new sprint should take place on Sunday in Rome, during the final finish.

If Tadej Pogacar dominates in the mountains, Jonathan Milan already has three victories in this Tour of Italy thanks to his qualities as a sprinter. Cyclamen jersey on his back, the leader of the points classification, the Italian from Lidl-Trek will once again be the man to beat.

Winner of the first massive sprint at this Giro, Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) then experienced more complicated moments but the Belgian remains formidable. Australian Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) finished second twice and will have an opportunity to do better.

Before the final arrival in Rome this Sunday, the sprinters have a new opportunity to express themselves in this third week of the Giro. The 18th stage of the Giro 2024, between Fiera di Primiero and Padua, presents no major difficulties and a fast man should win.

The runners will leave Fiera di Frimiero at 1:05 p.m. for the fictitious start and 1:10 p.m. for the real start. The arrival in Padua will take place between 5 p.m. and 5:20 p.m., depending on the average race speed.

The Giro 2024 is broadcast on the Eurosport 1 channel, which will go on air at 1:05 p.m. for the fictitious start of the 18th stage.

Setting off solo 34km from the finish after spending the day in a breakaway, Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) won the 17th stage of the Giro, for his first participation in a grand tour.

In this mountain stage between Selva di Val Gardena and the arrival at the summit of Passo Brocon, the young German took advantage of the wait-and-see attitude of the group of favorites who only woke up in the last kilometers. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) finished second in this stage and continues to increase his lead at the top of the general classification.

Welcome to our live RMC Sport to follow the 18th stage of the Giro 2024 between Fiera di Primiero and Padua, 178 kilometers long.