Thursday’s 18th stage of the 109th Giro d’Italia created the race’s third rider with a hat trick of wins, Paul Magnier joining Jhonathan Narvaez and pink jersey Jonas Vingegaard. Magnier, who wore the race’s first pink jersey after winning the Bulgarian opener, also took back the purple points jersey on Thursday. Derek Gee-West was 33rd.
The Course
The main question that Thursday’s route asked was, could a sprinter survive the kilometer of 11 percent Muro di Ca’ del Poggio 10 km from the finish line in Pieve di Soligo to participate in the final reckoning?
Breakaways failed to stick in the first hour. With two Polti VisitMalta cats–including Maltese birthday boy Andrea Mifsud–up the road, multiple attacks tried to join in. The break doubled in size. This quartet started Cat. 2 Fastro only 1:15 ahead of the peloton.
One time pink jersey, current white jersey and fifth place Afonso Eulálio crashed and needed a teammate to help him chase back on. The last surviving escapee barely make it through the Red Bull Kilometre, and then the peloton galloped towards the foot of the narrow, steep Muro di Ca’ del Poggio.
Muro di Ca’ del Poggio
Gee-West wasn’t well-positioned at the start of the time. Vingegaard was marking all the moves, but, remarkably, Eulálio got away. Sepp Kuss worked to bring back the white jersey. Vingegaard came around him to lead a group of 16 on the plateau and descent. Gee-West was in the leading group. The chase was 30-40 riders. Johannes Kulset went clear with Eulálio. When the two groups came together, Gee-West took his turn at the front.
With 2 km to go Kulset and Eulálio were only six seconds ahead, swept up before the red kite. It was a tricky last 300 metres. Magnier launched off teammate Jasper Stuyven’s lead out before staving off a challenge from Edoardo Zambanini and Jonathan Milan.
Friday the Giro heads back to the mountains for the HC-rated Passo Giau and a 5-km, 9.7 summit finish on Piani di Pezzè.
2026 Giro d’Italia, Stage 18
1) Paul Magnier (France/Soudal-Quick Step) 3:46:50
2) Edoardo Zambanini (Italy/Bahrain-Victorious) s.t.
3) Jonathan Milan (Italy/Lidl-Trek) s.t.
33) Derek Gee West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +5:15
2026 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Visma-Lease a Bike) 70:44:04
2) Felix Gall (Austria/Decathlon-CMA-CGM) +4:03
3) Thymen Arensman (The…
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