Zana triumphant as Roglič fires shot in Giro GC battle

Filippo Zana (Jayco-AIUIa) outsprinted Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) on stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia in Val di Zoldo, while race leader Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) covered an attack by Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) to remain in the pink jersey.

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Pinot and Zana were the last riders left from the early breakaway, and hit each other with attacks on the climb to the finish before settling in for the final uphill sprint to the line. The Italian National Champion just had enough left to beat Pinot on the line, the Frenchman with the consolation of returning to the lead of the mountain rankings.

“For me this Giro d’Italia has been a dream,” said Zana. “I need to thank Team Jayco AlUla for allowing me to join a WorldTour Team and bringing me to where I am now, at this level.

“It’s the best team I could have joined to help me grow and bring me to this level and play my best cards. I need to thank all my team members, all the riders who have helped me, Marco Pinotti… This is incredible.

“In the final sprint I tried to stay behind until the last moment as I thought that an occasion such as this is quite rare, and I wanted to give everything. It went well at the end, it was a 50/50 opportunity but in the end I had something extra. It’s an incredible feeling, to win a stage at the Giro d’Italia wearing the Italian national champion jersey!”

Meanwhile, in the fight for the pink jersey, Roglič launched an attack on the second last ascent of the day, the Coi. While Thomas was able to follow, all others were dropped, with stage 16 winner João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), previously second overall, missing out.

Almeida chased with the help of Jay Vine, and came within mere seconds of reaching the escaped pair again on the descent and early slopes of the final, much shorter climb to the finish in Val di Zoldo. However, he wasn’t to join the front pair as they worked together to keep the Portuguese star at bay.

Almeida conceded 21 seconds on the day while Thomas remains in the lead on his 37th birthday.

The Giro d’Italia continues with stage 19, the queen stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia. With 5423 metres of climbing and a brutal finish to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the Giro could well be decided tonight. Watch from 7.25pm AEST on SBS On Demand, with coverage on SBS On Demand starting at 8.30pm AEST.