It’s a return of the Grand Tour A to Zs with Giro d’Italia 2022. We collect the good, the bad, the pinapple pizzas and the pain faces; stats, shout-outs and so much fun

It’s a return of the Grand Tour A to Zs with Giro d’Italia 2022. We collect the good, the bad, the pinapple pizzas and the pain faces; stats, shout-outs and so much fun
Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix) grabbed a glorious victory on Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia as magnificent collaboration within the four-man break denied the sprinters their last chance for glory. Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) retains pink and BORA-hansgrohe’s Jai Hindey can breathe a huge sigh of relief that his puncture occurred in the final 3KM so one minute deficit doesn’t count. The biggest change on GC came as Joao Almeida (UAE Team-Emirates) was forced to abandon the Giro due to a positive covid test overnight.
It was a five-star stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia and the riders responded. It started with riders all over the road (early breaks trying to get away) and ended with riders all over the road. It was Jan Hirt who kept Intermarche-Wanty’s Giro fires burning with a well-fought solo win, with Thymen Arenseman (DSM) coming in second. But the GC put on a show as well, with Bora’s Jai Hindley in an uphill sprint with Richard Carapaz (Ineos) to take precious bonus seconds for third. Carapaz keeps the maglia rosa, but give Hindley anything over 3sec tomorrow and it’s on his shoulders. None of the other jerseys changed hands either.