Daniel Martínez and Einer Rubio shine at the end of an explosive stage 18: Merlier won by millimeters

The Belgian Tim Merlier spoiled the party for the Colombians Juan Sebastián Molano and Fernando Gaviria and took the victory of stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia that was defined by millimeters and the ‘photo finish’.

After two hard days in the mountains, with rest in the middle, a flat and ideal day for packers like the Colombians took place. Fernando Gaviria and Juan Sebastián Molano. In addition, the weather helped the runners after several days of inclement cold on the climbs.

​The break of the day lasted around two minutes, but the main group accelerated the pace and began to close the gaps that varied between 40 seconds and a minute and a half.
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The escapees did not give up, they refused to be hunted and tried to open the gap again, but the peloton had them in sight and was riding with a difference of 10 seconds on the clock for several kilometers, with the Ineos team pulling the lot in various sections of the race.
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​It was more than 10 kilometers with 8 and 10 seconds ahead, but everything ended less than 10,000 meters from the finish line, everything had to be defined in the packaging, as budgeted.

The tension and nerves were felt in the atmosphere, the final meters were heart-stopping. On arrival, the groups developed their strategies and the packers revealed their cards.
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​Fernando Gaviria and Sebastián Molano were very covered in the final sprint and the sprinters in front took advantage of the advantage and the clear terrain. In the end, the Belgian Tim Merlier took the victory of stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia in a ‘photo finish’ finish.