Giro D'Italia: Denz surges to stage win as Del Toro keeps hold of pink jersey
The German produced a powerful finish to take the win at Cesano Maderno, a much-needed injection of good news following the injury withdrawals of general classification hopefuls Jai Hindley and Primoz Roglic.
'This is probably the most emotional of my victories at the Giro. Losing Jai Hindley early then the whole team, staff included, was fully committed to help Primoz Roglic win the Giro. We spent two months in altitude for that,' Denz said.
'I was three months away from home to prepare for the Giro. A dream was lost when we lost Primoz. We've thought all this hard work was for nothing. Luckily things turned around.'
Denz, now a three-time stage winner at the Giro, moved with a group of 35 in the opening stages and held his spot as the breakaway thinned to 11. With just over 10 kilometres still to go, the 31-year-old made his move and found nobody able to match him.
Mirco Maestri, representing Polti-VisitMalta, won the battle for second around a minute further back and Edward Planckaert came in third for Alpecin-Deceuninck.
The GC riders in the peloton crossed almost 10 minutes after Denz stopped the clock, leaving Isaac Del Toro in possession of the pink jersey on behalf of UAE Team Emirates. Richard Carparaz (EF-Education EasyPost) and Great Britain's Simon Yates remains third (Team Visma).
Del Toro's teammate Juan Ayuso was forced to abandon his own bid after a nasty bee sting around his eye added to existing knee problems, leaving him unable to race on.
The race now moves on to the climbs of the 166km Biella-Champoluc stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Starmer faces mounting calls for a Lionesses Bank Holiday if England women retain their Euros title after dramatic semi-final comeback
English football fans should get a day off to celebrate if the Lionesses bring it home by winning the Euros for the second time in a row, Keir Starmer has been told today. The Prime Minister is facing renewed calls for a Bank Holiday if the women's national team beat either German or Spain in Sunday's final. The Lionesses tested the nation's stress levels again last night with an incredible extra-time win over Italy in a semi-final, after scoring second from the end of normal time and extra time. Last-gasp goals by Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Smith saw them overcome Italy 2-1 in Geneva. No10 has been resisting calls to give millions of workers a day off, despite Sir Keir backing calls for a Bank Holiday when they won the Euros in 2022, when he was opposition leader. Liberal Democrat culture, media and sport spokesman Max Wilkinson said that it was important for the nation to mark 'the talent, success and historic achievement' of the team. 'The Lionesses can make history on Sunday and retain the Euros title they won so memorably three years ago. If they do that, the Prime Minister should give us a public holiday to honour their achievement,' he said. 'Retaining the title would be one of our country's greatest sporting achievements. Fans and patriots across the country deserve the chance to celebrate the talent, success and historic achievement of this amazing team. 'The Prime Minister is a football fan - we've all seen the pictures of him enjoying a kick around with his mates. 'If Wiegman's heroes deliver glory, we'll all be hoping he'll put the ball into an empty net by giving the Lionesses and the rest of us a chance to mark the occasion.' The Lionesses were on the brink of elimination by Italy when 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang forced extra time, drawing the sides level with an equaliser in the sixth minute of stoppage time to cancel out Barbara Bonansea's 33rd-minute opener. Then, with another shootout minutes away, Beth Mead was brought down and Kelly stepped up to the spot, where she was initially denied by Laura Giuliani, but buried the rebound to complete England's second successive stunning comeback. Asked yesterday whether the PM will grant a Bank Holiday if England go on to win the whole tournament on Sunday, Sir Keir's spokesman said: 'I'm not aware of any plans for that.' In 2022, the previous Tory government ruled out granting an extra Bank Holiday if England won the women's Euros. This was despite pressure from Sir Keir, the then Opposition leader, for them to do so. Ahead of that year's final, the Labour leader told the Daily Mirror that a Lionesses' victory should be 'marked with a proper day of celebration'. In 2023, when England reached the World Cup final, Sir Keir posted on social media: 'It's almost 60 years since England won the World Cup. 'I'm never complacent about anything… but there should be a celebratory bank holiday if the Lionesses bring it home.' However, a report in 2022 said that the cost to the public finances of a single day bank holiday due to lost productivity is around £2.4billion.
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
Leah Williamson admits she has been ‘annoyed' by England's Euros performances before comebacks
England captain Leah Williamson admitted that she has been 'annoyed' by aspects of the Lionesses ' recent performances at Euro 2025, though added that the team 'deserve their flowers' for reaching the final. The Lionesses went 1-0 down to Italy in there first half of their Euro 2025 semi-final last night and needed a 96th-minute equaliser from 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang to save their Euros campaign, before Chloe Kelly wrapped up a dramatic comeback in extra time with a rebound after seeing her penalty saved. It marked the second knockout game in a row in which England needed to claw back a deficit, with the Lionesses having been 2-0 down to Sweden in the quarter-finals before winning a remarkable penalty shootout. And speaking after the semi-final victory in Geneva, William said she was 'very proud', though at the same time 'annoyed that we get ourselves into certain situations'. 'Those girls deserve their flowers, and everybody just played their role,' said Williamson. 'We get ourselves into certain situations with miscommunications or not doing exactly what the plan says, but to bounce back like that, you can't take anything away from the team or those girls, it is incredible. 'It has not been smooth sailing and I feel like things haven't necessarily gone to plan,' continued Williamson, before adding that 'the level just keeps rising and there are more and more unknowns and you have to be ready for everything'. The Lionesses will face either Germany or Spain in the final in Basel on Sunday, with that game throwing together either a rematch of the Euros final in 2022 – in which England beat Germany 2-1 – or a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final, which Sarina Wiegman's side lost 1-0 to Spain. That match will likely be the toughest challenge of the tournament so far, with world champions Spain in particular having long been the pre-tournament favourites. But Williamson further explained that she doesn't 'think it has gone smooth sailing for anybody yet, which is the point', and England just need to 'keep rising as well'. 'It makes a great tournament and it shows what is going on. We just have to keep rising as well, this new England has to find their feet quicker,' said Williamson. 'We have one more to go. I promise you we will give it everything we can,' she added. Germany face Spain in the other semi-final in Zurich on Wednesday night, before England take on the winner of that match in the final in Basel on Sunday, 27 July, with kick-off at 5pm BST.
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
Geraint Thomas to be given Welsh farewell at final race as full Tour of Britain route revealed
Geraint Thomas ' final race as a professional cyclist will be on home soil, with the Tour of Britain set to conclude in Wales this September. The former Tour de France champion has previously said he will call time on his 19-year career at his home race, which begins on 2 September. The Tour of Britain is set to begin in Suffolk before taking in Warwickshire, Bedfordshire, and Milton Keynes en route to the final two stages in Thomas' native Wales. Stage five will begin in Pontypool on 6 September, travelling through Monmouthshire with two climbs of The Tumble - a 5km climb averaging 8.2% in gradient - to finish. The final stage, stage six, will start outside the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales in Newport, crossing through south Wales via the Maindy Velodrome, home of Thomas' original club, the Maindy Flyers Cycling Club. The race will finish in Cardiff city centre. Cardiff has previously hosted the Tour of Britain, with the race last finishing there in 2017. 39-year-old Thomas, who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, is currently in action at his final Tour de France as a rider before an expected transition into a management or team leadership role at the squad. He has raced with Ineos - formerly known as Team Sky - since 2010, winning the 2018 Tour de France and three stages at cycling's biggest race, along with a second-place overall at the 2019 edition and the 2023 Giro d'Italia, to go with wins at Paris-Nice, the Tour de Suisse, Criterium du Dauphine, and two Olympic golds and three World Championship titles on the track.
