Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 18: Melide → Verbania, 170 km
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Race leader Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) signing in for Stage 18 in Melide, Switzerland		share this photo
The rollout from Lake Lugano		share this photo
Leaving Lake Lugano and Switzerland		share this photo
BMC's Philippe Gilbert and Amael Moinard. We'll see Gilbert again later		share this photo
Sylvain Chavanel (Iam) taking a pull in the break		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert (BMC) was dropped from the lead riders on the cat 1 Monte Ologno (10.4 km, avg 9 %, max 13 %)		share this photo
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) launched off the peloton when Astana was off the back		share this photo
Alberto Contador dropped his chain, but quickly recovered		share this photo
Alberto Contador reaching the top of the cat 1 Monte Ologno (10.4 km, avg 9 %, max 13 %) with a great view overlooking Lago Maggiore. Q: Did you ride flat out on the climb? A: I decided to pace myself because there were many, many kilometres to go to the finish line. They kept me informed of Hesjedal's position. I knew he might be a good ally, but I obviously had to see if he had gained time on the Aru group. As we reached the top of the climb I saw that he was still there, so I decided that the best option was to ride together, I think it was an interesting and intelligent move.		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert (Bmc) attacked on the descent of Monte Ologno		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert (Bmc) with a 40s gap to...		share this photo
Rinaldo NOCENTINI (AG2R LA MONDIALE) leading the chase for the rest of the break		share this photo
Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) joined Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) near the top of Monte Ologno and along with break rider David Villella, the three worked well together ahead of the other GC contenders		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) one minute back		share this photo
Fabio Aru (Astana) struggled again today. The end of this Giro can't come fast enough now. Will he be able to maintain the final podium spot with two mountain stages remaining.		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) "motored" the descent and twisty corners at the front of the race		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert (Bmc) wins solo in Verbania		share this photo
Q: What was the plan before the stage? A: We said this morning that anyone in the team, apart from Caruso, could try to get into the breakaway, because we knew it was a stage when the breakaway might make it all the way to the finish. Everyone had a go and, in the end, we got away with two of us: Moinard and me, which was perfect.		share this photo
Q: Did you know Monte Ologno? A: No, but last night we slept on the other side of the lake and one of the hotel staff said, "Look at that hill: that's tomorrow's climb." From, I don't know how many, maybe 20, kilometres away, it didn't seem so hard, but it turned out to be a very demanding climb. I suffered a lot but I rode at my rhythm, and I knew that, with such a long descent, it would be possible to regain the leaders. I reached them before the foot of the descent.		share this photo
Great finish perspective of the Stage 18 finish in Verbania with gorgeous Lago Maggiore in the background		share this photo
2nd Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Bardiani Csf) + 47s		share this photo
11th Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) + 6:05, tops among the GC contenders		share this photo
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) tucked up behind for 12th, 40s ahead of the other GC riders		share this photo
Your Stage 18 winner, Philippe Gilbert (Bmc)		share this photo
Philippe Gilbert said post-race : [Watching TV screen behind podium] "It's the first time I've ever watched the Maglia Rosa finish on TV when I've been in the race! I'm very happy with this second stage win. We rode a great race with Amael Moinard, my team-mate in the breakaway. We worked together. He went with the best climbers in the group, I followed at my own pace, and when I crossed the mountains point with a deficit of 40 seconds, I knew I could get back to them."		share this photo
Authentic podium kisses		share this photo
Alberto Contador wipes his hands after another dust up		share this photo
Q: Were you exacting revenge for what happened on the Mortirolo stage? A: No, today was rather different. We were working at the front because we knew that it was very important to approach the foot of the climb at the head of the peloton, given that there was only space for a maximum of two riders. Behind, you save energy, but there is more danger of gaps opening or crashes. We decided to expend that energy. At the foot of the climb, the team rode hard, seeing that Fabio's face said that he didn't have good legs. In the end it turned out to be a good decision.		share this photo
Q: Yesterday you said you would start thinking about saving energy. A: I knew that there would be moments today when I'd have to ride hard, but it was not a stage like tomorrow's, which has one mountain more, or the Sestriere stage, when there's one mountain more as well. Today, most of it was descending, which helped the situation. It was a big effort, but less than on a day like tomorrow or Saturday.		share this photo
Alberto Contador is looking more and more confident. His lead is now over five minutes.		share this photo
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Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 18: Melide → Verbania, 170 km
« Stage 17 photos	return to: « Giro d'Italia 2015 Dashboard  |  Giro d'Italia (2015) photo gallery	Stage 19 photos »