Giro d'Italia (2019) Photos; Stage 18: Valdaora → Santa Maria di Sala, 222 km
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A nice new pink bike; a rosy start to Stage 18 for Richard CARAPAZ (ECU/MOVISTAR)		share this photo
He may be inexperienced in his role as race leader, but Richard CARAPAZ (ECU/MOVISTAR) has the backing of a strong team with all riders still in the race		share this photo
Richard CARAPAZ (ECU/MOVISTAR) signing in for Stage 18 in Vadaora		share this photo
Points leader, Arnaud DEMARE (FRA/GROUPAMA - FDJ)		share this photo
Last day for Arnaud DEMARE (FRA/GROUPAMA - FDJ) in the Maglia Ciclamino		share this photo
Rollout from Valdaora		share this photo
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The three men break; Damiano CIMA (ITA/NIPPO - VINI FANTINI - FAIZANE'), Nico DENZ (GER/AG2R LA MONDIALE) and Mirco MAESTRI (ITA/BARDIANI CSF). With only a 2 minute advantage with 35 km to go, their chances appeared slim.		share this photo
The three riders were still away inside 1 km to go with the peloton bearing down		share this photo
One rider left with 25m to go		share this photo
Damiano CIMA (ITA/NIPPO - VINI FANTINI - FAIZANE') holds on to win Stage 18 in Santa Maria di Sala as sprinter Pascal ACKERMANN (GER/BORA - HANSGROHE) fires off a runner-up salute		share this photo
The margin of victory		share this photo
What a way to take your first pro win		share this photo
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1st Damiano CIMA (ITA/NIPPO - VINI FANTINI - FAIZANE') 4:56:04, 2nd Pascal ACKERMANN (GER/BORA - HANSGROHE), 3rd Simone CONSONNI (ITA/UAE TEAM EMIRATES), 4th Florian SENECHAL (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP), 5th Ryan GIBBONS (RSA/DIMENSION DATA), 6th Manuel BELLETTI (ITA/ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI - SIDERMEC)		share this photo
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Head down knowing he and his team let one slip away, Pascal ACKERMANN (GER/BORA - HANSGROHE) has the consolation of regaining the Maglia Ciclamino		share this photo
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First Grand Tour and first professional win; your Stage 18 winner, 25 year-old Damiano CIMA (ITA/NIPPO - VINI FANTINI - FAIZANE')		share this photo
Damiano CIMA (ITA/NIPPO - VINI FANTINI - FAIZANE'): “To give my team visibility throughout breakaways was one of the roles I was assigned by my team. In addition to the visibility, today I delivered the stage victory. It wasn’t easy to make the breakaway today because many riders were playing according to the Maglia Ciclamino. We were three at the front and I thank my breakaway companions for the good cooperation we had. I remained as calm as I could in the last kilometres. I never looked back. I waited as much as possible to give it all in the last few hundred meters.”		share this photo
The race leader Richard CARAPAZ (ECU/MOVISTAR): “I’m serene... I’m in my best shape! Joking, but knowing that I was going well, I asked for a pink bike even before I took the Maglia Rosa and it arrived yesterday for my birthday. I’m confident ahead of the last three stages. I feel a lot of emotions because there are a lot of mountains to come. I hope to deal with it the best possible way. I know that my country is paralysed now because of people watching the Giro.”		share this photo
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Pascal ACKERMANN (GER/BORA - HANSGROHE) has gotten over the narrow miss at the finish		share this photo
Pascal ACKERMANN (GER/BORA - HANSGROHE) regains the Maglia Ciclamino with no more sprint stages left: “We had counted the points beforehand and we knew that it would be tight. When I took second place in the final sprint, I was disappointed because my teammates supported me all day and worked so hard. They all really did an amazing job. But when we realised that we re-gained the points jersey, it was a special moment for me and the whole team. But I definitely haven't won it outright yet, as there are three more difficult stages to come, which I have to survive. However, at the moment we are very happy to have regained the jersey and we will do our best to keep it.”		share this photo
Best young rider, Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team)		share this photo
Giro d'Italia (2019) Photos; Stage 18: Valdaora → Santa Maria di Sala, 222 km
« Stage 17 photos	return to: « Giro d'Italia 2019 Dashboard  |  Giro d'Italia (2019) photo gallery	Stage 19 photos »