2024 Giro d’Italia: Stage 18 Results

Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) bested  five or six of the best sprinters in the world to won Stage 18 of the 2024 Giro d’Italia, the 178 km long Fiera di Primiero-Padova. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Kaden Groves (Alpecin – Deceuninck) finished second and third respectively. This is Merlier’s second stage win of the 2024 Giro.

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) retains the Maglia Rosa.

After the many climbs of the last few days, the Giro offered another chance to the sprinters in the 178-km long Fiera di Primiero-Padova. Christian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan Team) did not start today.

After the neutral start, there was a four man breakaway with Mikkel Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost), Mirco Maestri, Andrea Pietrobon (Team Polti Kometa) and Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè). The peloton was rather uninterested, though Lidl-Trek and Soudal-QuickStep were leading the chase.

With 80km to go, the leading quartet was just 1’28” ahead of the peloton.

By the 60km mark, it was flat (though technical) roads all the way into the finish. The gap was down to 23 seconds when Eduardo Affini (Visma Lease a Bike) attacked the peloton. Quick Step was quick to respond, but the increase in speed probably marked the end of the breakaway.

Affini caught the leaders at 55.5km to go but looked more content to join them than to move on up the road.

As the race passed though Padua and entered the final 30km, the leading quintet could look back and see the peloton just 10 seconds back.

The catch came at 10km to go. No surprise to see Lidl-Trek, INEOS and Soudal Quick-Step jump right to the front. Alpecin-Deceuninck was in the mix as well, protecting Kaden Groves.

Inside the final kilometers, the speed cranked up to 55km/h.

After navigating the final turn inside the final 700m, the sprinters opened up and Merlier won just ahead of a five abreast group.

“It’s my second victory here this year and my ninth of the season, so obviously I am very happy,” said Merlier. “Things were hectic today, but the guys put me in a good position for the last kilometers, which were incredibly fast. Bert guided me through the penultimate corner, but then I lost a couple of positions as we entered the last corner. Despite this, I remained calm and confident, and even if I had to come around after starting my sprint, I trusted in my Specialised SL8 and Castelli sprint suit. At the start of the race, I said that I wanted to take more than a win here, and now that I’ve done it, I can say that my Giro is a successful one.”

Stage 18 Brief Results:

1. Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) in 3h45’44”
2. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) s.t.
3. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.
4. Alberto Dainese (Tudor) s.t.
5. Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis) s.t.

General Classification After Stage 18:

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
2. Daniel Felipe Martinez (Bora – Hansgrohe) at 7’42”
3. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) at 8’04”