The final day of the Giro 2018. On a first view a flat stage for the sprinters (whoever is still in the race and with limited support).
On the second view though couple of hills towards the end and normally made for Demare, who needs to win today with Schleck not getting any point to also take the sprinter jersey.
Puma still with a lot of support and also Philips should do well to support Saber as other favourite.
Groenewegen as final favourite since he joined the sprint 4 days ago finally won`t have a lot of support as his full train is out of the race. Boom as main support though is nice to have.
Not the kind of break the sprinter teams want to have. 10 riders and on such profile with low team support it might be their chance to win! Walsleben Balloni Ludvigsson Polanc Olsson Oliveira Janse van Rensburg Nareklishvili Hivert Mosca
Behind the 3 expected teams are working. R.Costa Poels Boom Bevin
They successfuly kept the gap down at a decent level and with now 27km to go it`s just 1'20.
The same 3 teams chasing with now Mager and Bongiorno for Puma and still Costa/Boom, which are doing an amazing job today. Pure power horses.
Behind them Dzamastagic already showing up for maybe a late attack? Surely a terrain, he is usually doing good. Also some of his team mates such as Becis or Mansilla could do well on that hilly sprint.
5,3km and it`s just one more hill left with the break being in reach. It says 40s and hence a dangerous gap but Boom still giving it all.
Behind him Cavagna, Per, Poels, Henao Montoya.
Then the sprinters also lining up. Not really big trains here but Puma and Philips try at least:
Felline
Demare
Groenewegen
Docker
Mansilla
Navardauskas
Schleck
Krieger
Tzortzakis
Van Poppel
Silvestre
Saber
Hayakawa
Obviously Demare in a good position and also Philips with a strong train a bit behind them with more or less all remaining top sprinters in the mix.
Though Schleck is not giving up neither on the point competition and is up there as well. As said even if Demare wins, he is only 2 points ahead of the GC winner, which means a decent result might be key for Schleck to take a 2nd jersey home.
4,8km and the peloton is almost up to them. Polanc with a late attack trying to use that speed on the short descent and then celebrating a solo win.
Right now no other can follow.
Cavagna did a great job and after chasing, he actually delivered a perfect leadout for Demare. Felline actually behind his leader now with only Mansilla and Saber being able to follow.
Behind them the other sprinters struggled with that high pace over the last hill with Groenewegen now being in the wind already and in the need to do a long sprint.
And only Polanc in front as well having a 20s gap! 2,2km to go!
Felline passed Demare again and started the sprint. With 1,2km to go also Mansilla couldn`t follow and it`s Polanc vs. the duo Demare/Saber!
Demare needs to win! If Saber beats him or Polanc taking it, the point ranking will be won by Schleck anyway.
Behind them Silvestre the fastest up to Mansilla already and also Groenewegen, Hayakawa being fast.
700m and Polanc can`t go faster. He is passed by Demare storming into the lead!
Neither Saber was able to follow and actually the Philips leader in danger to get passed from behind.
Brilliant win from Demare and what Giro he was having. Dominating the hilly stages but also always up there for the flat sprints and closest was still against Groenewegen on their only real sprint versus each other.
Saber in 3rd only as Wisniowski with a late sprint is passing him. Decent start and end for the Pole, who was rather anonymous for the rest of the Giro but still scoring some nice points.
Felline still in 4th ahead of Polanc. Then Silvestre and Groenewegen ahead of Navardauskas, Hayakawa and Kolesnikov!
And Schleck finishing behind Guldhammer at 12th! 4 points for the Vesuvio rider, who is surely annoying Demare this way. Not only winning the GC but also the point ranking! Then again last 2 mountain stages basically saw Schleck not getting the amount of points, he expected, so Demare was still in the competition due to breakaways anyway.
After the first 120 riders a gap opened with Preidler being the best placed behind and losing a few spots from mid 20 to 31st only. Not the best race for T-Mobile in general and a lot too anonymous. Same could be said about couple teams really, that should have done a bit better really.
