Frenchman Magnier takes third stage win at the Giro

Frenchman Paul Magnier sprinted to his third stage win on the 18th stage of the 109th Giro d'Italia. After 171 kilometres between Fai della Paganella and Pieve di Soligo, the Italian Jonathan Milan from the German Lidl team once again missed out on his longed-for stage win in third place on the uphill finishing straight. Edoardo Zambanini finished second. Magnier had already won the first and third stages.

The overall leader Jonas Vingegaard was the first over the crest of the short but crisp climb just ten kilometres before the finish. However, a larger group came together again in a fast finale to the finish.

In the overall standings, the Dane defended his pink jersey without any problems despite a puncture a good 60 kilometres before the finish and maintained his comfortable lead one day before the climbing stages in the Dolomites. The two-time Tour de France winner is 4:03 minutes ahead of the Austrian Felix Gall and 4:27 minutes ahead of the Dutchman Thymen Arensman.

To the roof of the Giro on Friday

On the undulating section, a group of four was able to break away after several attempts. However, the peloton kept the gap manageable and caught up with them again.

On Friday, the cycling pros face the queen stage with the mountain finish in Piani di Pezzè. A total of 5,000 metres in altitude have to be conquered in the Dolomites, including the Passo Giau at 2233 metres, the highest point of the tour. There are also two first-category climbs on Saturday before the tour ends in Rome on Sunday.

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