“That finish is a real ambush” - Giro d’Italia stage 18 finale warning as David de la Cruz describes "complicated" day

David de la Cruz tackles stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia with the shared sense of fatigue across the peloton, yet convinced the day is once again one for the break. The Spaniard weighed up a demanding route that offers little to sprint teams, especially given the toughness of the finale.

“Tired, yes, I feel tired, but I hope the rest of the peloton does too,” he joked before delving into the features of a stage he believes will be very hard to control in comments to Cycling Pro Net. For De la Cruz, the profile clearly invites long-range moves and a break with a real shot at the win.

“It’s a very complicated day, because it’s a good day for the break,” the Spanish rider explained. “I find it hard to see a team controlling the finish, with that very steep one‑kilometre climb,” he added, referring to the explosive ramp that will decide the stage.

Beyond the finale, De la Cruz underlined the importance of the climb at kilometre 20, a five or six‑kilometre ascent that could force an early selection. “It’s going to be similar to yesterday, so I see a stage for the break,” he said.

The Spaniard also noted the context facing the peloton, after two very demanding days and with two brutal stages still to come. “Today won’t be easy, and I think it’s quite hard to predict what might happen,” he said, hinting that many general classification hopefuls could look to save energy for the decisive mountain days.

With that in mind, De la Cruz believes riders out of the GC fight, or others chasing different goals such as Jhonatan Narváez in the battle for the Maglia Ciclamino, could try to slip into the day’s decisive move.

Asked about the sprinters’ teams’ chances of controlling the race, the Spaniard was unequivocal. “I find it difficult,” he insisted. He explained that the combination of the climb at kilometre 20 and the explosive finale favours a strong, sizeable break, something that would stretch the blocks aiming for a bunch sprint.

“The stage is designed for the break,” he summed up. De la Cruz called the finale “a real trap” and believes the sprinters will focus on survival and saving energy for the finish in Rome, which he considers “the only real opportunity” for them in the final week of the Giro.

The Spaniard also doesn’t expect big moves among the GC favourites. “I’d be surprised if there’s a fight at the end from the GC,” he said, comparing the day to earlier stages where podium contenders looked ahead rather than trying to prise open gaps.

Even so, De la Cruz warned they will need to stay alert whatever unfolds. “I think today people will try to save as much as possible; you can’t make big differences anyway. I don’t expect a major battle, but we’ll still need to be ready for whatever comes,” he concluded.