A likely sprint stage but the last chance for the breakaway among riders who fear the Alps.Try, try again: Giulio Pelllizari won the Cima Coppi ahead of Nairo Quintana at the Passo Sella and their sprint helped a group form over the top which went away on the descent and more come across including Georg Steinhauser. Romain Bardet had been in the mix but was caught and this mattered as DSM Firmenich took up the chase mid-stage on the Passo Rolle and rode down the breakaway.It looked like once again teams were conspiring to serve up the stage on a platter for Tadej Pogaar.But Steinhauser jumped away with Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and the pair started the first ascent of the Passo Brocon together. Ghebreigzabhiers shoulders were rocking and soon Steinhauser was away solo.Behind there was little chase. DSM folded. Bahrain set the tempo but Steinhauser was taking time on them. UAE were passive, theyd wanted the breakaway to go away the previous day and seemed as relaxed this time.This meant Steinhauser started the final climb with a big lead and could finish it with a big smile. Behind the suspense was for the podium race. Ineos set the pace almost out of tradition and this cracked Ben OConnor among others, now Antonio Tiberi closing in on the Australians fourth spot. Dani Martinez made a move but he couldnt get away.Then Pogaar sauntered away. He looked like a boy whod finished school and was pedalling home to get a glass of milk in time for his favourite cartoon on TV. Sure hes a 25 year old man but it was the carefree style, he just floated off to take a nonchalant twenty seconds while the others were using everything they had to take a second between them.The Route: 178km out of the mountains. The climb to Lamon is a real deal, the course turns off the main road to ride up into the town. Then lots of familiar roads from past Giri including Valdobbiadene amid the prosecco vineyards.The course looks featureless from the profile after the last sprint point in Martellago but it does snake left and right a lot. Its no maze, just that if a breakaway isnt brought to heel by this point then it could have more of an advantage that you might first think but only just.The Finish: all flat with a sprint in the city centre amid the baroque architecture. A right turn with 500m leads onto the finishing straight.The Contenders: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is the obvious pick, hes bossing the sprints and his team look the strongest. Even coming off his wheel to go around looks hard. But he has gone long and the risk is he goes too from too far and someone manages to come around. Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) and Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) are the obvious second picks and well see if Caleb Ewan (Jayco) can surprise.Tomorrows stage suits breakaway specialists more making it hard to identify riders who fit the Venn diagram of: not being confident for the semi-mountainous stage tomorrow; having the brute force to stay clear; and being on a team where they can be released for the day because they dont have a sprinter. Filippo Ganna (Ineos) fits the bill but its hard to see.MilanGroves, MilanGaviria, DaineseWeather: sunshine and 22C. Rain is expected after the finish but could arrive early.TV: KM0 is at 1.10pm CEST and the finish is forecast for 5.15pm CEST. Tune in for the sprint finish but keep an eye on things in case theres a breakaway with a chance.Postcard from TrevisoJust north of Treviso is Villorba which will see an intermediate sprint today. Its home to Cicli Pinarello.Giovanni Nani Pinarello trained as an apprentice frame builder before a brief stint as a pro cyclist. Then he started Cicli Pinarello in 1953. For the next 50 years the company grew but remained an artisan effort, hand-built steel fames made in Villorba.Along the way the manufacturing business became a brand and a virtuous effect where as the business grew it could recycle money into sponsoring pro teams which gathered more publicity which sold more frames. Their frames saw grand tour wins in the 1970s but the business took off in the 1980s and in the 1990s it backed the Banesto team during Indurains reign, Telekom with Riis and Ullrich, the 2000s with Valverde and more recently Team Sky and Ineos.Today Pinarello has become a luxury brand. Villorba isnt a workshop where artisans work blowtorches and files but a slick showroom where celebrities pose for an Instagram ad before walking out with their bike. The actual business of making things is outsourced to third parties, the frames are made in Taiwan. Its a big business too, the the Pinarello family sold the business in 2016 to US private equity firm L Catterton linked to the LVMH luxury goods group in 2016 and Catterton it on in 2023 to an unnamed buyer, at least not mentioned by Catteron. But La Gazzetta confirmed the whispers with a report that it was bought by Ivan Glasenberg, the mining mogul who has also invested in the Q36.5 brand of clothing and a convert to road cycling. Sales have been booming with double-digit growth in recent years.Its a business case study where Pinarello has thrived, arguably because of this push into becoming a luxury brand at the very top of the market, a story similar to Colnago too and both are enjoy booming sales, a Made In Italy success story.The post Giro Stage 18 Preview first appeared on The Inner Ring.