"Probably the most emotional win of my career" - Nico Denz saves Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's Giro after Primoz Roglic's abandon

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's 2025 Giro d'Italia has been a race marked by disappointment over the course of the first 17 stages. On stage 18 however, Nico Denz ensured the team would have something tangible to hold onto before they leave with a solo win from the breakaway.

“This is probably the most emotional win of my career,” reflected Denz in his post-stage interview afterwards. “We lost Jai Hindley early in this Giro. And with Primoz, we had invested so much — not just the riders, but the entire staff. We had one big goal: to win the Giro with Primoz Roglic. We spent two months at altitude and we’ve now been away from home for three months. I haven’t seen my wife and kids all this time. And then you lose Primoz — and with him, a dream. It felt like all that hard work was for nothing.”

With this stage win though, that sacrifice has been rewarded for Denz. “Thankfully, we managed to turn things around and find motivation again. Especially with Giulio Pellizzari, who’s been phenomenal in this Giro," he continues. "And now with this win of mine — on Father’s Day, no less. Greetings from dad (waves to the camera). This one’s really special.”

“When Primoz left the Giro, I grabbed the Garibaldi. Between the Mortirolo and the Finestre, there was really only one stage that gave me a shot. I made a plan and was given the freedom to go for it today," he concludes. "I trusted my instincts. In the finale, the group wasn’t working well together. When I got a small gap, I thought: I’m just going to try. I went all in on that one move.”

Stage win secured, Denz is now likely to spend the last three stages of the Giro d'Italia back in a domestique role, looking to help the aforementioned Pellizzari improve his standing in the top 10 of the GC.