STRADELLA, Italy (AP) — Italian cyclist Alberto Bettiol timed his attack perfectly to win the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia for his first victory in a Grand Tour, and Egan Bernal kept the leader’s pink jersey at the end of the race’s longest leg.
Bettiol, who rides for EF Education-Nippo, had plenty of time to sit up on his bicycle and repeatedly lift up his hands to encourage the home fans that lined the route to cheer louder as he approached the finish line.
The 231-kilometer (144-mile) route from Rovereto to Stradella was mainly flat but ended with a series of short climbs through the rolling Pavia winelands.
Remi Cavagna appeared to be heading for the win after attacking on the approach to the fourth-category Castana climb and crossing with a 28-second advantage, but Bettiol had set off in pursuit and caught and passed the French time-trial champion with about seven kilometers remaining.