Tim Merlier seized victory in a tumultuous sprint, securing himself the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia in Padova, whilst Tadej Pogacar maintained his hold on the prestigious pink jersey of the race leader. Merlier, who’d already claimed victory in the third stage, narrowly bested Jonathan Milan to snare the win, relegating Kaden Groves to a third-place finish.
The race’s terminal segment proved tricky for numerous sprinters who were unable to keep pace with their lead-out men as the finish line neared. Both Merlier and Milan got off to a fine start despite being out of position initially. Merlier admitted that the last kilometre was fast and slightly surprising, but he managed to manoeuvre around and sprint to the finish line successfully.
The overall standings remained unchanged after the sprint finish, with Pogacar boasting a lead of seven minutes and 43 seconds over Dani Martinez. Trailing a further 23 seconds behind in third place was Geraint Thomas, with only three stages left in the race.
The contenders for the general classification welcomed some relief following several challenging mountainous days, with the 178 km stage from Fiera di Primiero showcasing a predominantly downhill track for the first half before the extended stretch into Padova. Among the riders attempting a breakout were Mikkel Honore and Mirco Maestri, although sprint teams keen on capitalising on vital opportunities curtailed their efforts – the last available before Rome on Sunday. The competition will resume its uphill trajectory on Friday with a 157 km stage from Mortegliano to Sappada.