Cima gets 1st pro win on Stage 18; Carapaz keeps Giro lead
SANTA MARIA DI SALA, Italy (AP) — Damiano Cima of Italy earned his first professional victory by winning the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday, and Ecuadorian cyclist Richard Carapaz remained in the overall lead.
Cima, who rides for Nippo-Vini Fantini-Faizane, had been part of a three-man breakaway which was caught by the peloton in the final meters of the mainly downhill, 222-kilometer (138-mile) route from Valdaora to Santa Maria di Sala.
However, the 25-year-old Cima held on in the bunch sprint to get his team’s first ever Giro victory, in his first Grand Tour.
Pascal Ackermann was second, with Simone Consonni third.
Carapaz remained 1 minute, 54 seconds ahead of Vincenzo Nibali and 2:16 ahead of Primoz Roglic of Slovenia.
The three-week race finishes in Verona on Sunday.
