Stage 18

The road

At the start

Ulissi gone, Panarotta ahead

Diego Ulissi, twice a stage winner in this Giro, does not start. Nairo Quintana defends pink by 1:41 from Rigoberto Urán, with Cadel Evans third and only thirteen seconds covering third to sixth on general classification. Today climbs the Passo San Pellegrino and the newly added Redebus before thirteen kilometres at 8.4 per cent to the Rifugio Panarotta — the last real chance for anyone chasing the podium.

How it was won

1. 1117 km to go

   The break forms on San Pellegrino

   The move of the day is built on the first climb, and Julián Arredondo accelerates away with Deignan to take the summit points on the Passo San Pellegrino.

2. 248 km to go

   The blue jersey is settled

   Over the Redebus the escape has more than eight minutes and Arredondo again takes maximum points, cementing the mountains classification while Movistar tap out a steady rhythm behind.

3. 310 km to go

   De Gendt goes first

   Under the 10km banner on the Panarotta, De Gendt leads Cataldo by 25 seconds with Arredondo chasing hard and Deignan on his wheel. The maglia rosa group is already too far back to matter.

4. 46 km to go

   Arredondo will not settle

   He reaches De Gendt's wheel with six kilometres left and immediately shoots away. Duarte chases him down, then Deignan, then Pellizotti; De Gendt goes again at five, Pellizotti counters — and still the Colombian comes back over the top of all of them.

5. 54 km to go

   Evans loses the podium

   Further down the pass Europcar wind it up for Rolland. Sicard digs, Rolland attacks, and Evans holds on by metres — until the second attack, when the grip finally slips. The 2011 Tour winner ends the day ninth overall.

6. 6At the line

   The mountains king takes his stage

   Arredondo hares away from the wreckage of the break for the last time, Duarte pursuing him all the way up the Panarotta and never quite arriving. The Colombian has a hundred metres of road to celebrate on.

The result