Stage 18

The road

At the start

Down out of the mountains

Nans Peters won at Anterselva and the podium fight barely moved: Carapaz in pink, Nibali at 1:54, Roglič at 2:16, Landa at 3:03. Today the race comes down off the Dolomites — 222 kilometres to Santa Maria di Sala with one modest climb early and then flat roads the rest of the way. It is the sprinters' last real chance before Verona, and Démare, in ciclamino, has no reason to help anyone.

How it was won

1. 135 km to go

   Démare won't chase

   The three-man break still holds two minutes with 35km to go and the alarm bells ring: points leader Démare refuses to commit, fearing a straight duel with Ackermann, leaving Bora scrambling for helpers.

2. 23 km to go

   The break comes apart

   With just over 3km left Nico Denz attacks his own breakaway and the trio's harmony shatters; they weave across the road trying to make each other lead as the peloton bears down.

3. 3At the line

   Cima steals it

   FDJ hit the front and Denz and Maestri are swallowed by the sprint — but Damiano Cima flings his bike at the line and holds off a furious Ackermann by inches for a breathtaking Nippo-Vini Fantini win.

The result