Germany’s Nico Denz of the Bora Hansgrohe team won a hilly stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday as Geraint Thomas safely defended the overall leader’s pink jersey.

Denz and a clutch of cohorts covered the route from Bra to Rivoli a good eight minutes faster than the main peloton which was led over the finish line by Ineos rider Pavel Sivakov, showing his fall Wednesday had no profound effect.

“I’m over the moon,” said Denz, who revealed he had long planned to win this stage.

“I prepared that stage actually. I had it in my mind already before, but I also have quite a fast finish and that saved me in the end,” said Denz, racing his sixth Giro d’Italia here.

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