Stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia is a 40.4-kilometre time trial that could well decide who stands on the podium in Torino at the end of May. Join The Roar for live coverage of this crucial stage from 11:30pm (AEST).
Tom Dumoulin has either admitted defeat or is playing a clever game ahead of the first major time trial of the 2016 Giro.
After shocking the cycling world with a phenomenal 2015 Vuelta a Espana, Dumoulin came to Italy playing down his chances of general classification victory, saying he was simply looking to get a few time trial victories.
But having won the opening stage time trial, and a putting in a dominant performance on the first mountain stage only days ago, the 25-year-old put himself forward as a contender for the Maglia Rosa at the end of the year’s first Grand Tour.
However that all took a turn for the worse yesterday, as Dumoulin tumbled out of the top ten on the race’s second major mountain stage.
“At least 20 or 30 riders were better than me today, so it makes no sense to go for GC,” the Dutchman said after yesterday’s effort.
“Looking at it now, we’re going back to plan A, which was the time trials.”
And so we come to today, a technical, rolling ride, which ultimately has a 300-metre altitude net loss, but also features the climb of the Panzano da bivio Piazza toward the end.
(For a complete breakdown of the stage, check out Brendon Vella’s awesome preview.)
It’s a stage that will have a major say on who is wearing pink come May 29, but as to who is the favourite for the day… Well, it’s wide open.
Legendary time triallist Fabian Cancellara was crook on Day 1 in the Netherlands, so will be eager to get a stage win in his last Italian Grand Tour.
Pre-race favourite Vincenzo Nibali has had a bit of a disappointing Giro thus far, but he’s one of only six cyclists in the sport’s history to have won all three Grand Tours. Bloke can time trial, and he’s due for a good day.
Of course, Dumoulin has a lot to prove and while he’s saying he wants time trial stages, a big showing today would put him back in the conversation for overall victory.
And while he’s not noted for his time trial skills, ‘Our’ Esteban Chaves is a mountain man, so could very well put in the kind of showing to climb a few places from his current sixth.
Regardless, this is a definitive stage and the GC is going to see a serious shake up by the end of the day.
Prediciton
Scott Pryde was brave enough to call Jack Bobridge for a breakaway win on Stage 7, and I gave The Roar‘s most dedicated blogger all kinds of hell for such a wild prediction.
Scott was a ways off, but you gotta respect the courage. So I’ll be a complete coward and say Bobridge too.
Hey, the Aussie can time trial with the best. Why not?
Join us on The Roar for all the action from 11:30pm (AEST). Defining stage of a Grand Tour? It’s gunna be sick!
Joe Frost
Editor
And that'll about do us for another night. Be sure to join us on The Roar tomorrow for Stage 10 of this fascinating Giro d'Italia, where just about anyone of about ten riders could very well win the overall!
Joe Frost
Editor
For the record, our boy Esteban Chaves is sitting in 13th at 2:31 down.
Joe Frost
Editor
General Classification after Stage 9 1 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step 34:33:04 2 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:01 3 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 0:00:32 4 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:51 5 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:53 6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:55 7 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:58 8 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Team Sky 0:01:18 9 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team 0:01:45 10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:01:51
Joe Frost
Editor
Stage Results 1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 00:51:45 2 Mathias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling 00:51:55 3 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM Cycling 00:52:02 4 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo 00:52:13 5 Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Team Katusha 00:52:15 6 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx-Quick-Step 00:52:30 7 Stefan Kung (Swi) BMC Racing 00:52:43 8 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 00:52:53 9 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 00:53:01 10 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 00:53:04
Joe Frost
Editor
Roglic takes the stage overall, having ridden earlier in the day when the roads were dry, and Brambilla keeps the pink jersey by one second over his teammate Jungels!
Joe Frost
Editor
Nope, Brambilla keeps the jersey by one second!
Joe Frost
Editor
Gianluca Brambilla has put in a monster effort, well and truly befitting the Maglia Rosa. He'll be sad to lose the pink jersey, but the pain will be eased by the fact he's lost it to teammate Jungels!
Joe Frost
Editor
Zakarin crosses at 53rd. Could well go from second to out of the top ten tonight.
Joe Frost
Editor
Poor old Ilnur Zakarin has crashsed again. He's just had the worst day. Poor fella.
Joe Frost
Editor
A reassessment of the standings suggests that Bob Jungels will fiinish today as the owner of both the white jersey as best young rider and pink jersey as overall leader!
Joe Frost
Editor
Kruijswijk 54:08 is good for 20th, one seond quicker than Valverde and 10 behind Nibali.
Joe Frost
Editor
Valverde finishes in 20th for the stage at 54:09. That's 11 seconds down on Nibali.
Joe Frost
Editor
While we've still got a few riders still out on the road, it appears as though Amador's 10th place ride could be good enough to get him the Maglia Rosa tonight.
Joe Frost
Editor
Chaves crosses at 5533 - that's good for 47th overall, and well and truly still in the conversation for the podium at the end of the race.
Joe Frost
Editor
Uran finishes 4:12 seconds down. I think we can write him off for another year.
Joe Frost
Editor
Zakarin changes bikes. Gone from being the dark horse to win the whole caboodle to possibly falling out of the top 10 in the space of 15 minutes. Cycling's a cruel sport sometimes.
Joe Frost
Editor
Chaves hits the final intermediate time check at 37th, 1:15 in arrears to Landa, which is his best gauge of the GC riders.
Joe Frost
Editor
Majka finishes 54:41. in 27th place.
Joe Frost
Editor
Zakarin has crashed. He was the virual leader of the race prior to his slip. No word yet on whether the Russian is injured.
Joe Frost
Editor
Dumoulin crosses the finish line 53:43, 15th for the stage. That's the end of his hopes for this race.