GC duo fourth and eighth

Selva di Val Gardena › Passo Brocon, 159km

Geraint Thomas climbed to fourth place on stage 17 of the Giro, with Thymen Arensman close behind in eighth after another hectic day of racing at the Giro.

The stage started rapidly, with the relocated Cima Coppi proving a great incentive to launch attacks up the road from the gun. Over the first climb and the GC group was small, but with the Grenadiers well represented. 

Moves from other teams ensured a break never got much of an advantage, before Georg Steinhauser (EF Education - EasyPost) launched a solo move some 34 kilometres out.

Into the foot of the final climb and Ben Swift would lead the bunch in, after a huge ride at the head of the peloton for much of the day. He would then leave the pace making to Jhonatan Narvaez, before Thymen Arensman would rip the group to shreds. 

Geraint would then follow an attack from Dani Martínez (BOH) and they would go to the line together. In spite of the huge effort, Arensman would come home eighth, just behind the lead group.