Magnier beats the Italians

Frenchman Paul Magnier sprinted to his third stage win on the 18th stage of the 109th Giro d'Italia. The race started in Trentino.

28 May 2026

From: apa/dpa

After 171 kilometers between Fai della Paganella and Pieve di Soligo, Italian Jonathan Milan of the Lidl team missed out on his coveted stage win once again, finishing third on the uphill finishing straight. Edoardo Zambanini came in second. Magnier had already won the first and third stages.

On the short but steep climb just under ten kilometers from the finish, overall leader Jonas Vingegaard was the first to crest the hill. However, a larger group regrouped for a fast finale.

Vingegaard defies setback

In the overall standings, the Dane defended his pink jersey without difficulty despite a puncture some 60 kilometers from the finish, maintaining his comfortable lead one day before the climbing challenges in the Dolomites. The two-time Tour de France winner is 4:03 minutes ahead of Austrian Felix Gall and 4:27 minutes ahead of Dutchman Thymen Arensman.

Jonas Vingegaard is on course for overall victory in the Giro d'Italia. © APA/afp / LUCA BETTINI

On the undulating section, a group of four riders managed to break away after several attempts. However, the peloton kept the gap manageable and caught them again.

Now the roof of the Giro awaits.

Friday's queen stage for the professional cyclists features a mountain finish in Piani di Pezzè. A total of 5.000 meters of elevation gain awaits them in the Dolomites, including the Passo Giau at 2233 meters, the highest point of the tour. Saturday also includes two category 1 climbs before the race concludes in Rome on Sunday.

Keywords cycling racing bike Tour of Italy