"If we had a little bit more collaboration...": Filippo Ganna falls just short of surprising the sprinters after a late charge in Rome

The final stage of the Giro d'Italia concluded in Rome with a bunch sprint won by Jonathan Milan, who beat Giovanni Lonardi and Paul Penhoet to the line. The 131-kilometer stage looked set to be a standard processional day until time trial specialist Filippo Ganna launched a dangerous move late in the race, disrupting the final kilometers before the sprinters' teams brought the peloton back together.

Ganna, who already won stage 10 time trial in Tuscany, launched his attack with 18 kilometers remaining. He was quickly joined by Jasper Stuyven and Matteo Sobrero. However, because their respective teams had top sprinters saving energy in the peloton (triple stage winner Paul Magnier and Jonathan Milan), neither Stuyven nor Sobrero contributed to the pacing.

Ganna did the heavy lifting at the front alone, building a 20-second advantage with 10 kilometers left to go. Behind the trio, Unibet Rose Rockets and Tudor Pro Cycling took control of the chase to ensure a bunch sprint. The breakaway was ultimately caught three kilometers from the finish line, allowing the sprinters' teams to set up their leadouts.

Lidl-Trek, Unibet, and Soudal-QuickStep led the field into the final technical stretch. Milan proved to be the fastest, taking his fifth career victory at the Giro d'Italia ahead of Lonardi and Penhoet. After the finish, Ganna discussed his decision to attack and how the presence of his breakaway companions affected the final outcome of his move.

"I wanted to try, obviously, and then Lidl and QuickStep wanted to follow my wheel. I'm very happy for Johnny," Ganna said.

"Maybe it's not the best final for me. Those two riders followed me, and for sure, if we had a little bit more collaboration or different riders, but this is the way it is."