Giro d’Italia: Stage 9 ITT

Primoz Roglic gaps his GC rivals with victory in time trial, Simon Yates looses time whilst Conti from UAE continues to hold onto the Pink jersey – Hugh Carthy 8th on stage

Giro d’Italia: Stage 9 ITT

Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) made it two wins as he won the individual time trial to San Marino after the inaugural race against the clock up to the San Luca in Bologna. World hour record holder Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Soudal) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) rounded out the podium. Last on the road, Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates) endured even more rain than the stage favorites but fought hard to retain the Maglia Rosa ahead of the first rest day of the 102nd Giro d’Italia.

Hugh Carthy – Getty Images

The stage winner Primoz Roglic said in the press conference: “It’s not a surprise for me to win because in a time trial, I just focus on myself. I rode as fast as possible to the top and it went well. Some luck is also needed for winning. I feel sorry for Victor Campenaerts who had a mechanical. As for myself, I recce’d the course on the dry and it was rainy when I raced but I took no risk. Regardless of the time gaps today, many things can still happen until we cross the finish line in Verona.”

Roglic began cautiously in the 34.8-kilometer time trial from Riccione to San Marino. “It was a long and tough time trial. It rained very hard. As a result, I took fewer risks in the corners. It was pretty dangerous. On the climb I accelerated and went all out. It turned out to be enough to win the stage. Everything went according to plan today and I am happy with this victory and with the time I gained on my competitors. There are still two weeks to go until the Giro ends in Verona and a lot can still happen, though I prefer to be in front of my competitors. But first I will enjoy the rest day before we’ll work towards the mountain stages.”

Photo: @giroditalia (twitter)

The Maglia Rosa Valerio Conti said in the press conference: “Maybe I made a mistake with taking the visor off my helmet, I thought the rain was over but, it rained more and more. I possibly have lost about one minute on Primoz Roglic because I didn’t take any risk. I just wanted to retain the Maglia Rosa. I want to hold on to it as long as I can. I might not win the Giro this year but I might try to win it in the future.”

Valerio Conti – Photo: @giroditalia (twitter)

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Simon Yates: “I had bit of a stinker. I was going OK on the flat section there but when I tried to step on it once we reached the climb, I just didn’t have anything. It’s one of those things. We’ll have to come up with a new plan now, a new strategy and go from there. We’re still early on in the race. We’ve only done one effort before today, and that was in the prologue, all of the other days have been flat and in the wheels. I’m looking forward to getting more and more into the mountains now to see what we can do.”

Hugh Carthy: “I’m feeling happy after that, it was a good performance, it’s what I’ve wanted to do, you never know how a time trial (TT) is going to go especially nine days into a race. I’ve never really done that well in a TT before but it was sort of a specialist TT with the climb in it. It was suited to a climber to be fair. So I’d hoped to do well, maybe top 15, top 20 I’d have been happy, similar to the first prologue. But to be top 10 and beat some of the riders I beat, yeah, I was pleased with the outcome, I couldn’t really have hoped for much better to be honest.

I’m looking forward to the rest day but at the same time I know I’m physically I’m good at the moment. I keep wanting to going with the racing, keep striding on but you’ve got to rest and it’s going to be crucial to be fresh in the last week so it’s much needed. There’s a lot of racing still to come the hardest part of the Giro hasn’t really begun yet, so today’s result isn’t the be-all and end-all. Whoever wins today doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to win the Giro overall, there’s still a lot of racing still to go. So everyone needs to keep their feet on the ground and keep motivated.”

Bauke Mollema: “For the GC guys, it was more or less similar, but for Victor, he was lucky he started early. The rain makes you slower in the corners, but it also gives you extra resistance – you lose time always riding on wet roads – so for sure he had a big advantage there. But anyway, he would still be faster than me so that would not have made a difference. But yeah, luckily, all the GC guys started close to me”.

“So far I think I am on a good way. I am happy with the feelings I have had this first week. On the other hand, we haven’t really climbed any big climbs; we haven’t gone full with the GC guys on a climb, so it’s hard to say how my level will be in the mountains. We will see in stages 13 and 14, and maybe 12, how everyone is in the mountains,” cautioned Mollema. “Yeah, it’s nice to have a good result in the TT; it gives me confidence for next week,” he finally admitted.

Vincenzo Nibali: “Tomorrow we enjoy a well-deserved rest day – smiles Vincenzo Nibali – after an ITT that has satisfied me very much. From Tuesday, a new Giro d’Italia will start with many climbs and very demanding stages “.

“I tried not to take risks facing the many curves of the initial part in the plain and then uphill I felt very good. My Giro is going as it was thought and today Primoz Roglic, a time trial specialist, has earned something on me as expected. I go on one step at a time and I know that the Giro is still very long and those opponents who lost seconds today will have to attack ”.

“It has been a Giro so far conditioned by bad weather and this has forced many to spend more energy. For my part, I must say that the cold does not affect me that much and therefore it does not seem to me that I have spent that much”.

Bob Jungels: “We knew this was going to be a crucial stage for the GC contenders and I was looking forward to it. The TT was very hard, with the inclement weather and that climb at the end, but I was right up there with the other overall contenders and at the end of the day I am happy with my performance”, Bob said before heading to the hotel. “I paced it well today and I had good feelings, which is very important. My condition is getting better and better and that makes me more confident ahead of the next two weeks.”

JERSEYS
Maglia Rosa Leaders Jersey – Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates)
Maglia Ciclamino (cyclamen), sprinter classification – Pascal Ackermann (Bora – Hansgrohe)
Maglia Azzurra (blue), King of the Mountains – Giulio Ciccone (Trek – Segafredo)
Maglia Bianca (white), young rider – Nans Peters (AG2R La Mondiale)

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Stage
1. Primoz Roglic Team Jumbo – Visma 51:52
2. Victor Campenaerts Lotto – Soudal + 11
3. Bauke Mollema Trek – Segafredo + 01:00
4. Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain – Merida + 01:05
5. Tanel Kangert EF Education First + 01:10
6. Chad Haga Team Sunweb + 01:14
7. Bob Jungels Deceuninck – Quick Step + 01:16
8. Hugh Carthy EF Education First + 01:30
9. Pello Bilbao Astana Pro Team + 01:43 10
10. Mattia Cattaneo 1990 Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec + 01:52 15

19. Scott Davies Team Dimension Data + 02:37 149
25. Tao Geoghegan Hart Team Ineos + 02:49 31
29. Mikel Landa Movistar Team + 03:03 30
31. Simon Yates Mitchelton – Scott + 03:11 24
36. James Knox Deceuninck – Quick Step + 03:30 143
54. Edward Dunbar Team Ineos + 04:29 49
75. Jack Bauer Mitchelton – Scott + 05:34 140
119. Conor Dunne Israel Cycling Academy + 07:05 150

OVERALL
1 Valerio Conti UAE Team Emirates 36:08:32
2 Primoz Roglic Team Jumbo – Visma @ 1.50
3 Nans Peters AG2R La Mondiale @2.21
4 José Joaquin Rojas Movistar Team @2.33
5 Fausto Masnada Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec @ 2.36
6 Andrey Amador Movistar Team @2.39
7 Amaro Antunes CCC Team @3.05
8 Valentin Madouas Groupama – FDJ @ 3.27
9 Giovanni Carboni Bardiani – CSF @3.30
10 Pello Bilbao Astana Pro Team @3.32

11 Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain – Merida @3.34
12 Bauke Mollema Trek – Segafredo @ 3.45
16 Hugh Carthy EF Education First @ 4.36
24 Simon Yates Mitchelton – Scott @5.36
31 Tao Geoghegan Hart Team Ineos @6.58
49 Edward Dunbar Team Ineos @16.01
140 Jack Bauer Mitchelton – Scott + 01:03:34
143 James Knox Deceuninck – Quick Step + 01:05:49
149 Scott Davies Team Dimension Data + 01:16:03
150 Conor Dunne Israel Cycling Academy + 01:16:48

Stage 10 – Ravenna-Modena 145km – total elevation 150m
On Tuesday 21st, a completely flat stage, across the Po Valley, raced mostly on broad and straight roads. Street furniture will be found in urban areas, along with roundabouts, traffic dividers, speed bumps and the like along the entire route. The finish is virtually straight.