Michael Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) won the 2018 Tirreno-Adriatico with a solid showing against the clock in the closing time trial to turn what was a tenuous three second advantage over Damian Caruso (BMC) into a comfortable 23 second win courtesy of a time off 11:34 around the pan flat course of San Benedetto Del Tronto.
The day’s honours went to Australian time trial champion Rohan Dennis (BMC) for the second year running, with a best time of 11:14 enough to take the stage. He had four seconds in hand over Jos Van Emden (Lotto-Jumbo), with Sky’s Jonathan Castroviejo and Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) on the same time, just eight seconds back.
Sky managed to have two riders on the podium after Geraint Thomas rode into third place, a result that could have been so much more had his bike not suffered a mechanical on the crucial Queen stage with just a kilometre to go where he lost the large majority of the 27 seconds he finished behind his teammate.
There was a stellar performance from the Fine young prospect that is Tiesj Benoot (Lotto-Soudal), who climbed from eighth to fifth with his time of 12.01. The Strade Bianche winner put in his best climbing performance yet when sixth on the mountain finish at Sarnano Sassotetto, and marked himself as one to follow for the rest of the season again.
Movistar’s Mikel Landa took the queen stage thanks to find work with power and timing, although his losses against the clock didn’t help his chances of the overall and he would eventually finish eighth overall after a rather flat effort.
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Final Overall:
1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 25:32:56
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:00:24
3 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:32
4 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:01:06
5 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:10
6 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:13
7 Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:15
8 Jaime Roson (Spa) Movistar Team
9 George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:16
10 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:01:22
Stage Top 10:
1 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:11:14
2 Jos van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:04
3 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky 0:00:08
4 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
5 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky 0:00:12
6 Michael Hepburn (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:13
7 Jack Bauer (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
8 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:17
9 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:00:18
10 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 0:00:18
