Alex Dowsett read the race very well, executed his attack to perfection, and used his time trial expertise to stay ahead and take the stage win. It was good exciting bike racing to watch. The result causing no change to the top ten GC with the peloton deciding to keep their power dry for tomorrows tough summit finish mountain stage.
Stage 8 results: Giovinazzo to Vieste (200km)
Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel Start-Up Nation, in 4-50-09
Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-15
Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto-Soudal
Joey Rosskopf (USA) CCC Team, all at same time
Matthias Brändle (Aut) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 2-10
Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, at 2-13
Michael Matthews (Aus) Sunweb, at 13-56
Fernando Gaviria (Col) UAE Team Emirates
Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates
Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Ag2r La Mondiale, all at same time
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Stage 9: Sunday October 11, San Salvo to Roccaraso (208km)
The stage 9 GC battle took place within the final summit finish kilometre, with Almeida and Nibali seeming to show some vulnerability, but it may of been the toll of a cold and wet day that lost them a few seconds.
Vanhoecke and Kruijswijk lost the most, each dropping 3 places on GC.
The main winners were Wilco Kelderman up to 2nd, Domenico Pozzovivo up 2 places to 4th (and to overtake Nibali), and with Fuglsang and Konrad also gaining 1 place higher on GC
A new Australian hope has emerged into the top ten GC, Jai Hindley up to 9th. He has the benefit of the dynamic Sunweb team in support, and also at 24 years of age is currently 3rd in the ‘Youth Classification’ or Malia Bianca (white jersey).
Stage winner Ruben Guerreiro has gained enough KOM points to wear the Malia Azzurra
Stage 9 results: San Salvo to Roccaraso (208km)
Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Pro Cycling, in 5-41-20 + combative award
Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, at eight seconds
Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates, at 58s
Kilian Frankiny (Sui) Groupama-FDJ, at 1-16
Larry Warbasse (USA) Ag2r La Mondiale, at same time
Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-19
Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott, at 1-32
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Sunweb, at 1-38
Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana
Jai Hindley (Aus) Sunweb, both at same time
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General classification after stage nine:
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, in 35-35-50
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Sunweb, at 30 seconds
Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain-McLaren, at 39s
Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) NTT, at 53s
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 57s
Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana, at 1-01
Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 1-02
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-11
Jai Hindley (Aus) Sunweb, at 1-15
Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-17
Points classification after stage nine:
Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, 167 points
Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, 110 points
Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb, 87 points
Mountains classification after stage nine:
Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Pro Cycling, 84 points
Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Vini Zabù-KTM, 76 points
Jonathan Castroviejo (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, 45 points
Youth classification after stage nine:
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, in 29-52-34
There’s no major climbs today, but there are some short and steep ramps. The route starts with a ride along the coast before heading inland. At Tortoreto, the peloton hits a 50km circuit featuring punchy 20 per cent “wall” style ascents.
There are two Italians in the top 5, so the show goes on ; )
But on a more serious note, i wonder if by the end of this week there will be an exodus of riders in this Giro, especially sprinters who aren’t doing so well, due to the cunning plan of avoidance of the final week of five torturous mountain stages, three of which are back to back.
Anyone abandoning after the flat stage this coming Friday 16th, or after the ITT the following day, would have four or five days rest and preparation period before enlisting for the Vuelta which starts next week on Tuesday.
Peter Sagan won todays state 10 with style
He also reduced his points deficit to challenge Arnaud Démare for the Maglia Ciclamino.
Will be interesting to see how that develops…
Points Classification after stage 10
Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, 167 points
Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, 147 points
Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, 51 points
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Stage 10 results: Lanciano to Tortoreto (177km)
Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 4-01-56
Brandon McNulty (USA UAE Team Emirates, at 19 seconds
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 23s
Ben Swift (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb
Rafał Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb
Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling
Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain-McLaren, all at same time.
Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ …Maglia Ciclamino
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck …Maglia Rosa
Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Pro Cycling …Maglia Azzurra
Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb …Maglia Bianca
A slight change in the top ten GC yesterday due to Jakob Fuglsang’s wrong place wrong time really bad luck puncture with over a minute lost and to drop 5 places from 6th to 11th.
Also after stage 10 a shake up in the Youth Classification with Jai Hindley rising to 2nd place behind Maglia Rosa wearer Almeida, so Hindley gets to represent the Maglia Bianca on loan.
I thought Peter Sagan did extremely well to finish stage 11 in second place today after his solo ride in win yesterday which must have left him in some need for a nice easy recovery day.
Four stage wins for Démare!
Stage 11 results Porto Sant’Elpidio to Rimini (182km)
Looked as if the GC contenders made a pact to neutralise their ride due to the atrocious cold wet and windy weather, and slippery descent conditions.
Some of the break were able to stay away, and the first three home providing some exciting time trial action on the final 15 km.
Stage 12 results: Cesenatico to Cesenatico (204km)
Jhonatan Narvaez (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers, in 5-31-24
Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-McLaren, at 1-08
Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Pro Cycling, at 6-50
Joey Rosskopf (USA) CCC Team, at 7-30
Simon Pellaud (Sui) Androni Giocattoli-Sidemec, at 7-43 + combative award
Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates, at 8-25
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Pro Cycling
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, all at same time.
A surprise ending result to Stage 13 with a GC contender sprint finish.
A second 2020 Giro stage win for Ulissi, and 2nd place Almeida grabbing 6 bonus seconds to extend his malia rosa lead.
Stage 13 results: Cesenatico to Cesenatico (204km)
Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, in 4-22.18
João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
Tao Geoghegan-Hart (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
Mikkel Honoré (Den) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
Sergio Samitier (Esp) Movistar Team
Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana
Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain-McLaren
Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb, all at same time.
[ No change after Stage 13 to the top 19 GC positions ]
The first rider away in todays time trial is Jon Dibben (LTS) at 13:00 Italia time
That’s 12 noon in BST.
The GC contenders will be on the road after 14:00 BST.
Should be very interesting to watch, and to see the changes in the GC after.
