Denz wins Giro stage 18 as Del Toro retains lead

Nico Denz claimed an awesome triumph connected shape 18 of nan Giro d'Italia, while Isaac del Toro retained his wide leader's pinkish jersey.

Denz of Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe was portion of an 11-rider breakaway earlier moving into nan lead pinch 11km remaining.

The 31-year-old continued to widen his advantage successful nan second stages of nan 144km way from Morbegno to Cesano Maderno and crossed nan statement a infinitesimal earlier nan chasing battalion to seal his 3rd Giro shape win.

Victory for nan German was his team's first of this year's arena aft pre-race favourite Primoz Roglic had to wantonness nan title connected Tuesday pursuing his clang connected shape 16.

Team Polti Visit Malta's Italian Mirco Maestri vanished 2nd and Alpecin-Deceuninck's Belgian Edward Planckaert came third.

"This is astir apt nan astir affectional of my victories astatine nan Giro," Denz said.

"Losing Jai Hindley early past nan full team, unit included, was afloat committed to thief Primoz Roglic triumph nan Giro. We spent 2 months successful altitude for that.

"I was 3 months distant from location to hole for nan Giro. A dream was mislaid erstwhile we mislaid Primoz. We've thought each this difficult activity was for nothing. Luckily things turned around."

With 3 stages remaining, Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG retained his 41-second wide lead complete Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost.

Del Toro's team-mate Juan Ayuso, meanwhile, was forced to wantonness nan title aft suffering an allergic guidance to a bee sting connected shape 17.

The Spaniard said he was advised by his expert not to return portion successful Thursday's shape 18 but made nan commencement statement earlier having to retreat aft an hour.

Speaking to TNT Sports earlier nan stage, Ayuso said: "It's been a mates of difficult days. Yesterday, a bee went wrong my helmet and I can't spot retired my correct eye.

"The squad expert said it's champion for maine not to start, but I really want to effort and springiness my champion to beryllium present for nan team."