Trentin thrills with Giro stage 18 win

The Giro d’Italia afforded more surprises Thursday as a steep, final cobbled climb seemingly set up a two-man sprint, but Matteo Trentin charged from behind to snatch an unexpected victory in Pinerolo, Italy. His Etixx – Quick-Step teammate Gianluca Brambilla sat patiently on Moreno Moser’s wheel in the final kilometer of stage 18. The Cannondale rider wasn’t ready for Trentin to blaze past in the final 200 meters to claim his first career Giro stage win. He settled for second while Brambilla finished third.

The top GC riders finished well behind in the 244km stage, but there was no change in the overall standings.

“It was beautiful because I came into the Giro with an objective to win a stage,” said Trentin. “I was sure that sooner or later, a stage for me would come. … Today was perfect. The breakaway can go, and I found really good legs on the climb. I had to go with my tempo, just a little under my limit, not to explode.”

Stage 18, top 10 1. Matteo TRENTIN, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, in 5:25:34 2. Moreno MOSER, CANNONDALE PRO CYCLING TEAM, at :00 3. Gianluca BRAMBILLA, ETIXX – QUICK STEP, at :00 4. Sacha MODOLO, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :20 5. Nikias ARNDT, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :30 6. Ivan ROVNY, TINKOFF, at :34 7. Matteo BUSATO, WILIER TRIESTINA – SOUTHEAST, at 1:10 8. Christian KNEES, TEAM SKY, at 1:16 9. Axel DOMONT, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:24 10. Davide MALACARNE, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 4:28

Top-10 overall 1. Steven KRUIJSWIJK, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, in 73:50:37 2. Johan Esteban CHAVES RUBIO, ORICA – GreenEDGE, at 3:00 3. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 3:23 4. Vincenzo NIBALI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 4:43 5. Ilnur ZAKARIN, TEAM KATUSHA, at 4:50 …

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