Nico Denz solos to a 3rd Giro d'Italia stage win of his career as GC contenders enjoy relaxed stage 18

For the third time in his career, Nico Denz is a Giro d'Italia stage winner. The German powerhouse of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe soloed to victory after a perfectly timed attack from the break on stage 18.

After a big fight for the early breakaway, a near 40 rider group forced their way up the road on the opening climb of the day, the Parlasco. Among the notable names in the lead group were the likes of Nico Denz, Kaden Groves, Luca Mozzato, Edoardo Zambanini, Dries De Bondt, Andrea Vendrame, Mads Pedersen, Mathias Vacek, Wout van Aert, Dylan van Baarle, Larry Warbasse, Martin Marcellusi, Christian Scaroni and Diego Ulissi.

Given the amount of quality up the road and the sheer number of teams represented, there was an understandable lack of impetus in the peloton's chase. With Ulissi the best placed on GC at over 40 minutes down, there was no real need for UAE Team Emirates - XRG to keep things close either. As such, by the time the break reached the intermediate sprint in Galbiate with just over 70km to go, they had more than six minutes on the peloton.

Not long after, the first break of the break formed with Remy Rochas, Manuele Tarozzi and Martin Marcellusi firing off up the road. At 50km to go, the trio had built up around a 30-second advantage over the rest of the break, with the peloton now more than 10 minutes down.

By the time the break reached the finishing circuit in Cesano Maderno however, it was an attacking group of Edward Planckaert, Dries De Bondt, Daan Hoole, Dylan van Baarle, Nicola Conci, Davide de Pretto, Mirco Maestri, Larry Warbasse, and Nico Denz that were at the front of the race. It seemed as if this could have been the race winning move to as they stretched their lead to around 1:20 at 25km to go.

That wasn't the end of the fighting though, and just outside the final 15km, Denz attacked again, dropping his rivals and going on solo. As the chase looked at each other, the German powerhouse entered the final lap of the finishing circuit with a lead of 25 seconds.

By the time Denz was into the final 5km, his lead was up to 32 seconds and with no signs of weakness coming from the 31-year-old, his stage win was all but secured, provided he could avoid any late drama. With the finale safely navigated, Denz began to celebrate a third career win at the Giro d'Italia!