Hoole takes the blame after wrong move in finale: "That was a stupid mistake from me"

Stage 18 was a golden opportunity for breakaway riders—and for most of the peloton, the last realistic chance to win a stage. A group of nearly 40 riders broke away after a fast start. Hoole made the cut, along with teammates Mads Pedersen and Mathias Vacek.

“It was a beautiful stage and I think we rode well,” Hoole told Eurosport afterward. The Dutchman, who earlier in this Giro won the second time trial, was sharp in the finale when a group of eleven riders broke away from the lead pack. “It’s just a shame I was alone,” he said, referring to the absence of Pedersen and Vacek in the final move.

His teammates had a weapon that Hoole himself lacked. “It was always going to be tough for me because I don’t really have a sprint. So I couldn’t count on that,” said Hoole, who watched Nico Denz solo to victory. “Nico attacked from the front, it was very strong.”

Still, Hoole had a small criticism of Denz’s move. “I don’t want to make excuses, but he was riding really close to the motorbike. That’s a bit of a shame, although he is definitely a deserved winner,” he quickly added. “But it just sucks that I couldn’t finish it off. My sprint actually went pretty well. I think I could have even finished third, but two riders almost bumped into each other, and I had to ease up. That’s unfortunate, though by then the win was already out of reach.”

Hoole admitted he could have launched his own attack earlier, but waited too long. “That was a dumb mistake on my part. My sports director also told me I should be the first to go. But I was waiting for a straighter section of road, to launch from the back with speed. I waited too long, and when Denz went, it was over.”