Giro d'Italia

Cesano Maderno, a small but charming town in northern Italy, got to host its first Corsa Rosa finish, at the end of this year’s shortest stage. On paper, despite some climbs in the first part, it should have been a day for the sprinters, but the presence of more than 30 riders in the breakaway spelled the end of their dreams of victory in the first hour of racing.

Just like Wednesday, Mattia Cattaneo was in the large group that established a mammoth 11-minute advantage over the peloton, making it back-to-back breakaways for the experienced Italian, who once again was prominent at the front of this move. In the last 25 kilometers, the group splintered, and from those who made the cut, Nico Denz (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) attacked and soloed to victory at the end of stage 18.

The bunch concluded much later, and with it, James Knox – Soudal Quick-Step’s best man in the GC – who’ll now prepare for Friday’s tough stage in the Alps, which comes with five classified climbs, including Col Tzecore, Col Saint-Pantaleon and Col de Joux.

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images