Giro 2018 Stage 18: Schachmann wins three-up sprint in Prato Nevoso, Yates holds on to pink

The 18th stage on the Giro d'Italia is mainly played out on the flat, yet the race ends uphill in Prato Nevoso. Maximilian Schachmann outsprints Ruben Plaza and Mattia Cattaneo after a final haul up of 13.9 kilometres. Tom Dumoulin strikes in the last kilometres and puts 28 seconds into Simon Yates, who holds on to pink with his lead halved. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 18th stage 2018 Giro d’Italia

1. Maximilian Schachmann (ger)
2. Ruben Plaza (spa) + 0.10
3. Mattia Cattaneo (ita) + 0.16
4. Christoph Pfingsten (ger) + 1.10
5. Marco Marcato (ita) + 1.26
6. Michael Mørkøv (den) + 1.36
7. Vyaecheslav Kuznetsov (rus) + 1.52
8. Jos van Emden (nld) + 3.22
9. Alex Turin (ita) + 3.29
10. Davide Ballerini (ita) + 5.09

11. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 10.48
12. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 11.03
13. Tom Dumoulin (nld) s.t.
14. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
15. Wout Poels (nld) + 11.07
16. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 11.23
17. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
18. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
20. Simon Yates (gbr) + 11.31
21. Davide Formolo (ita) s.t.
22. George Bennett (nzl) + 11.36
24. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.
25. Rohan Dennis (aus) s.t.
30. Sam Oomen (nld) + 12.30

GC after the 18th stage
1. Simon Yates (gbr)
2. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.28
3. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 2.43
4. Chris Froome (gbr) + 3.22
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 4.24
6. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 4.54
7. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 5.09
8. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 5.54
9. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 5.59
10. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 7.03

11. George Bennett (nzl) + 7.06
12. Ben O’Connor (aus) + 7.45
13. Sam Oomen (nld) + 9.04
14. Carlos Betancur (col) + 9.28
15. Wout Poels (nld) + 9.40
16. Alexandre Geniez (fra) + 9.53
17. Davide Formolo (ita) + 10.03

Race report
At km 7 a group of nine go clear. Ballerini, Cattaneo, Pfingsten, Van Emden, Van Poppel (Boy), Plaza, Kuznetsov, Marcato, Fonzi and Turrin race to a 20 seconds lead, but the pack brings it down and keeps chasing. It’s only when Schachmann and Mørkøv bridge across that the gap widens to 16 minutes.

Van Poppel attacks with 20 kms remaining and tackles the climb to Prato Nevoso with a 20 seconds lead before he is reeled in.

With 2 kms left to climb the front group is down to Schachmann and Cattaneo, yet Plaza claws back under the flamme rouge. The 24-year German produces a long uphill sprint to distance the Spaniard and Italian.

On the lower slopes Poels leaves the peloton and he seems to be waiting. Probably for Froome, yet López joins him when he counters an attack by Carapaz in the battle for the young riders classification. The Colombian continues alone, while Dumoulin puts pressure on Yates in the last kilometres. The maglia rosa and Pozzovivo jump to his wheel and Froome rejoins a little later. The four-time Tour de France winner doesn’t wait though and heads for Poels. Pozzovivo goes after him with Dumoulin on his wheel. Yates loses contact. For the first time this Giro he can’t follow – obviously, he is in trouble.

Froome, Dumoulin and Pozzovivo join Poels and they work together until the line. Yates is struggling in the wheel of Nieve to limit his losses. The maglia rosa crosses the line 28 seconds down on Dumoulin, which means his lead is halved.

Tomorrow’s Queen Stage travels over three intermediate climbs – including the partly unpaved Colle delle Finestre – for a steep uphill finish at the Monte Jafferau.