Affini attacks, Van Dijke gets boxed in on eighteenth stage Giro d’Italia
After the past mountain stages, there was another chance for the sprinters in Padova. After the start in Fiera di Primiera, a short climb awaited the riders. After that it was almost flat until the finish. In the opening kilometres, Affini tried to set up the early breakaway, but he did not get space from the sprinters’ teams. Moments later, four other riders did manage to form the good breakaway. The peloton did not give them much space.
With sixty kilometres to go, the four leaders seemed to be caught by the peloton. At that moment Affini still made the jump to the leading group. The lead of the five never grew beyond half a minute. They were caught at ten kilometres from the finish, after which the peloton prepared for a bunch sprint. Affini piloted Van Dijke to the front at the right moment, but at a crucial moment the Dutchman got boxed in. Van Dijke eventually finished seventeenth.
“I will try it again in Rome”
Tim van Dijke
“It was a fast and tricky final, but I felt very good”, Van Dijke said afterwards. “Edoardo was also strong today. After his efforts in the attack, he still did a great job to put me in a good position. At 900 metres from the finish line, there was an important corner. I was well placed there. From then on, I expected a peloton drawn to a ribbon, but that was not the case. The speed decreased, leaving me swamped by the riders behind me. Unfortunately, I was too far away to fully sprint. Fortunately, the feeling was good. I will try it again in Rome.”
Giro d’Italia
Stage 18
Result
Rankings
Result
1
Tim Merlier
Soudal Quick-Step
03:45:44
2
Jonathan Milan
Lidl – Trek
+00:00:00
3
Kaden Groves
Alpecin – Deceuninck
+00:00:00
17
Tim van Dijke
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:00:00
84
Attila Valter
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:00:00
98
Jan Tratnik
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:00:28
114
Edoardo Affini
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:01:17
Rankings
1
Tadej Pogačar
UAE Team Emirates
67:17:02
2
Daniel Felipe Martínez
BORA – hansgrohe
+00:07:42
3
Geraint Thomas
INEOS Grenadiers
+00:08:04
23
Attila Valter
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:54:06
39
Jan Tratnik
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+01:52:16
111
Tim van Dijke
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+04:05:47
130
Edoardo Affini
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+04:32:21
Powered by Pro Cycling Stats
Subjects
Cycling – World Tour men
Tim van Dijke
1
Giro d’Italia
