Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Stage 9 of the Giro d'Italia! It's going to be a huge day for the GC favourites today, and we're just about to get started.
The riders have a 3.4km neutral zone before they see the flag drop for the race proper.
And we have an official race start! Already it's a fast start on the first climb. Lots of attacks including one from the KOM leader,
It's Davide Villella (COF), Merhawi Kudus (EFE), Luca Covili (BCF), Jaakko Hänninen (ACT), Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA), Diego Rosa (EOK), Filippo Zana (BCF) and Matthew Holmes (LTS) who are the first to attack.
Now three leaders, Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA), Diego Rosa (EOK) and Matthew Holmes (LTS). They have 23 seconds on their chasers - a group that includes the KOM leader, Koen Bouwman (Jumbo-Visma).
So We have Diego Rosa (Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team) as our solo leader, but attacks are coming fast and furious out of the peloton, and we've only gone 15km so far.
Rosa has 20 seconds on a chase group of two - Joe Dombrowski (AST) and Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA).
The peloton is a further 1'07" behind with 177.6km to go.
Crash! Pello Bilbao is involved along with Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious).
176km to go - Callum Scotson (Team BikeExchange - Jayco) and Jorge Arcas (Movistar Team) are the other two names we saw go down. It looked like a touch of wheels.
It looks like the peloton is easing off a bit.
Bilbao is being seen by the medical car.
Here's the current race situation: With 174km to go, Diego Rosa (EOK) is leading solo with Joe Dombrowski (AST) and Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA) at 30 seconds. The second chase group includes Felix Gall (ACT), Jonathan Caicedo (EFE), Nans Peters (ACT), James Knox (QST), Filippo Zana (BCF) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (DRA) and they're at 1 minute. The peloton is 2'30" behind.
Things are happening so fast we haven't updated you on the first KOM results. Here they are:
And here are the results of the second KOM that we just passed at Rionero Sannitico - 17.8km (Cat 3):
Our next KOM point comes in another 13.5km at Roccaraso (Cat.2).
Joe Dombrowski (AST) and Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA) have made contact with Diego Rosa (EOK) with 167km to go.
165km to go
The leaders are inside 5km to the base of Roccaraso. The trio have just a 15 second advantage over a chase group of six.
The bunch has really eased off now. The gap to the leaders is 4'10. Many riders who were dropped earlier have made it back in.
The chasers just made contact with the leaders, so now we have a group of nine with a 4'30" advantage over the peloton.
Breakaway: Felix Gall (ACT), Joe Dombrowski (AST), Jonathan Caicedo (EFE), Nans Peters (ACT), James Knox (QST), Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA), Diego Rosa (EOK), Filippo Zana (BCF) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (DRA).
Felix Gall is the rider who's highest on GC at 6'48" so the peloton will be happy to have this group up the road.
Diego Rosa was the breakaway instigator at the start of today's stage.
We're 35km into the race, and already so much has happened. The break of 9 is currently climbing Roccaraso (Cat. 2) and the peloton is holding a 4'30" gap. It's settling down for the moment.
In the first hour of racing, the average pace is 33.7kph.
The breakaway's advantage is growing to 4'50" with 155km to go
155km to go
The Roccaraso climb is 7.7km long, and averages six percent, topping out at 10 percent.
Rosa attacks the breakaway just before the GPM line. It's obvious what he's after today! Lots of points on offer today in the King of the Mountains classification.
And that's another 18 points to Rosa toward the maglia azzurra competition. That will boost him up to virtual second.
Results of the third KOM at Roccaraso - Cat 2 (37.6km):
150km to go
Trek-Segafredo is really allowing this gap to grow. It's ballooned out to 5'45" with 149km to go.
It's another pleasant day at the Giro, with temperatures at 20 degrees celsius under sunny skies. That could all change when they reach Blockhaus, as we're hearing they're getting some weather on the mountain.
Today's stage is a special one for riders Dario Cataldo and Guilo Ciccone. Read about the unique relationship between the riders here: The Abruzzo connection – Cataldo and Ciccone come full circle at Giro d’Italia by Barry Ryan
Jacopo Mosca (Trek - Segafredo) has been doing a ton of work for the team's maglia rosa this past week. He's back at the front again, pacing the peloton.
The pace has slowed enough to let all of the dropped sprinters back into the bunch.
Remember yesterday's chaotic and action-packed stage? Here's what stage winner Thomas De Gendt had to say about his victory: "I really had a great day and with three teammates in the breakaway we could play a bit" De Gendt said. “We played it out perfectly. Due to illness and bad luck, I wasn't able to perform the way I wanted the last few years and that's why this win feels maybe even more special than the one on the Stelvio."
De Gendt: "I even doubted whether I would come to the start of this Giro in good shape. But this victory proves that I'm back at it. This stage reminded me of the stage in Barcelona during the Volta a Catalunya. The succession of climbs where it is difficult to recover suits me well, so I rode a tight pace up all the time to not really give anyone a rest."
The gap to the Trek-Segafredo led peloton is holding at five minutes.
130km to go
We're at km 60 and they're rolling down a long, gradual descent off of Roccaraso.
The downhill section continues and the situation remains the same. The leaders have about 37km to go before they reach the first intermediate sprint at Filetto.
125km to go
Joe Dombrowski is the oldest rider up the road today. He's 31 years old, which is a little strange to write considering he's been a talent for so long. They grow up so fast!
We have three riders from Trek-Segafredo leading the peloton, with Team DSM following. The gap is still 4'45".
Let's take a look back at yesterday's stage again when Thomas De Gendt won in Naples. Here's more about the 35-year-old's victory, 10 years after he won on the Stelvio. De Gendt delivers breakaway masterclass for second Giro d’Italia stage win
An average speed update coming your way! After two hours of racing, the speed averages out at 36.5kph.
The gap to the leaders: Felix Gall (ACT), Joe Dombrowski (AST), Jonathan Caicedo (EFE), Nans Peters (ACT), James Knox (QST), Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA), Diego Rosa (EOK), Filippo Zana (BCF) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (DRA) is 4'30" with 110km to go.
110km to go
Here's a look at the stage map. The riders are heading north with almost 5,000m of climbing along the way.
There's still about 20km to go until the first intermediate sprint of the day.
It looks like we're in a holding pattern as the riders mentally and physically ready themselves for what's to come. The gap is still 4'30" to the nine up ahead.
100km to go
10km to go until Filetto, where the leaders will see the first intermediate sprint.
The gap is up to 5 minutes again as they ride through the valley. The leaders have travelled 95km and almost at the halfway point.
Jonathan Castroviejo is the first rider from Ineos Grenadiers to move to the front of the peloton. He's helping Trek with the pace setting.
95km to go
Despite what we reported earlier, an updated weather report at Blockhaus indicates it should stay warm and sunny. That's a relief!
The leaders are inside 5km to go to the first intermediate sprint of the day. The gap to the peloton is 4'34" with 93km to go.
"I'm pretty motivated. Obviously we have Carapaz here who is also motivated. I think its going to be the first real GC battle up to Blockhaus. We'll assess the situation when we're there, but we're all in for Richard. He can perhaps do something today. If the foot's on the throat then you go for it." ~ Richie Porte (Ineos)
Eduardo Sepúlveda (Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli) makes a move to nab the 12 points in the ciclamino competition. There's no interest from the rest of the breakaway group.
The peloton rolled though the intermediate sprint point with a gap of 3'30". We still have plenty of climbing to come.
Results of the first intermediate sprint at Filetto (103.5km):
What a beautiful road surface the riders are on! I'm sure the pros have other things on their minds, however. Maybe the summit of Passo Lanciano (Cat. 1) coming up in 33km.
The race has been in progress for three hours, so it's time for that average speed update. It's gone up slightly to 37.4kph after that long downhill section into the valley.
75km to go
The leaders are on the approach to the base of Passo Lanciano (Cat. 1).
The peloton is strung out with a 3 minute deficit as they start to jockey for position.
70km to go
For the first time, we're seeing the gap decrease to inside 3 minutes, which means this breakaway is likely doomed. We'll see! Ineos is doing the damage.
The nerves have started as they start up the penultimate climb.
We see Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) moving up in the peloton. The gap is still waning at 2'45".
The leaders have started the official climb - Passo Lanciano. It's a brutal climb in its own right. 10.3km long with a 7.6 percent average. The maximum is 14 percent.
As the climb starts, the attacks do also. Nans Peters (Ag2r Citroën Team) puts the pressure on, and drops teammates Natnael Tesfatsion and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli).
Tesfatsion and Sepúlveda have managed to come back into the group, but Peters goes again!
This time, Peters gets some daylight and takes Tesfatsion along with him.
Natnael Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli) and Nans Peters (Ag2r Citroën Team) lead the race with a 25 second advantage over their chasers. The peloton is at 2'22".
60km to go
Rüdiger Selig (Lotto Soudal) has called it a day and abandoned the Giro.
Diego Rosa has a go and attacks out of the chase group. He needs to make up 23 seconds to get to the two leaders.
Eduardo Sepúlveda (Drone Hopper - Androni Giocattoli), despite struggling earlier, has found a second wind and has come across to the leaders. He goes straight to the front.
There's another attack from Peters. The climb has officially started now. Tesfatsion sticks to his wheel while his teammate, Sepúlveda, drops back.
Meanwhile Knox has a mechanical which will take him out of the breakaway.
Sepúlveda comes alive once again and joins the two leaders after losing contact. They have extended their lead to 47 seconds over the chasers.
Rosa has attacked the chase group and is in pursuit of the three leaders. He's at 22 seconds and the remainder of the chase is at 40".
50km to go
Here's the updated situation with 50km to go. Nans Peters (ACT), Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA), Diego Rosa (EOK) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (DRA) are our leaders with almost a minute on Felix Gall (ACT), Joe Dombrowski (AST) and Jonathan Caicedo (EFE). The peloton is at 2'30".
Rosa is on the attack!
Natnael Tesfatsion has caught Rosa. They have about 20 seconds on Peters and Sepúlveda.
The average speed, after four hours of racing, is 36.1kph.
The leaders have less than 3km to the top of Passo Lanciano. Rosa is doing all the work in the break.
More Ineos riders have joined Castroviejo at the front of the peloton. They're riding steady, and the gap has increased again to 3'20"
There's 1km left on the penultimate climb, and Dombrowski has done some fine work catching Peters and Sepúlveda.
Rosa has been doing all the work this entire climb, and takes the max points at the summit. He's now the virtual leader of the KOM competition.
Results of the fourth KOM at Passo Lanciano (Cat 1 at 177.5km):
We are over Passo Lanciano and headed toward Blockhaus for the conclusion of stage 9.
40km to go
Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA) has put about 5 seconds into Diego Rosa (EOK) on the descent.
Oh no! Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA) takes the wrong line and tumbles into the brush on the side of the road. He took the corner from the wrong angle and couldn't recover quick enough. Let's hope he's okay.
Natnael Tesfatsion is up and speaking with the race doctors, who were there to assist quite quickly.
Rosa is leading the race, and at the moment is the virtual leader of the KOM competition.
This is a tricky descent with a few blind corners. Rosa is tucking as much as the UCI will allow, going 70+ kph.
30km to go
The chasers may be catching Rosa quite soon. The gap is just 15 seconds now. The field is a further 1'50".
Ineos have put Ben Swift at the front of the main bunch. It's going to all come down to this ascent to Blockhaus. The gap is really coming down now to 1'30".
25km to go
This is what the riders will see in the next few kilometres. It's a brute of a climb at 13.6km averaging 8.4 percent. The steepest section is 14 percent.
Not long now before Rosa is caught by his two chasers. They have him in their sights.
We've just gotten word from the Giro organisation that Natnael Tesfatsion (DRA) plans on finishing the stage. That's good news!
The peloton is eating into the advantage of the three men at the front - Joe Dombrowski (AST), Nans Peters (ACT) and Diego Rosa (EOK). The two chasers just caught on the back of the solo leader but the gap is just 40 seconds.
20km to go
After catching Rosa, Joe Dombrowski makes a move under the 20km to go banner.
Ineos is coming up quickly now. They are all business as the gap continues to drop. Just 35 seconds now with 19km to go.
The peloton is about to make the catch with 15km to go!
The breakaway is caught and it's all together with 15km to go.
15km to go
Ineos and UAE are in control as they approach the second intermediate sprint.
Mauri Vansevenant (QST) has dropped off the pace, meaning his time in the white jersey has come to an end.
We're onto Blockhaus after racing for five hours. The legs are tired, but it all comes down to this.
Tom Dumoulin (TJV) and Giulio Ciccone (TFS) are off the back as they hit the lower slopes.
That's a shame for Ciccone, who was Trek-Segafredo's main hope for a GC placing.
But what is this? Simon Yates (BEX) is also dropped! We weren't expecting this at all. In fact, the experts predicted a showdown between Yates and Carapaz today.
Results of the second intermediate sprint at Roccamorice:
Pavel Sivakov (IGD) leads the bunch at a very high pace. Wilco Kelderman (BOH) has also shot out the back.
10km to go
Yates is 25 seconds behind the peloton. It's possible he could come back.
The pressure is on for Juan Pedro López (TFS) now that his teammate, Giulio Ciccone, has been dropped. He's riding near the front.
The main bunch is starting to split under the pressure of Ineos and Bahrain. Now Porte is setting the pace. Hugh Carthy (EFE) is losing contact.
We haven't even reached the steepest gradients yet and the climb is already taking its toll. Ineos is really crushing this. Yates is 50 seconds back.
Juan Pedro López (TFS) has lost contact! The maglia rosa is struggling to get back into the group of favourites.
Lopez is at 15 seconds, and Yates is really losing time. He's over a minute behind.
For now, the front group contains: Almeida (UAD), Bardet (DSM), Carapaz (IGD), Arensman (DSM), Hindley (BOH), Buchmann (BOH) and Fortunato (EOK). 22 seconds to the pink jersey.
It's Porte still leading Carapaz, who is looking really good.
We haven't had any attacks yet - just an extremely high pace thanks to Ineos - and earlier - UAE and Bahrain.
More dropped riders: Guillaume Martin, Lorenzo Fortunato, Jan Hirt and Lennard Kämna.
Lopez is working hard to cut his losses here. He's 30 seconds behind, while the Yates group is at 1'45".
5km to go
João Almeida is losing contact as they start climbing the steepest gradients of Blockhaus.
Richard Carapaz has attacked after the steepest section of the climb. Bardet is on his wheel quickly.
It's Carapaz, Bardet and Landa off the front.
João Almeida (UAD), Jai Hindley (BOH), Alejandro Valverde (MOV), Domenico Pozzovivo (IWG), Emanuel Buchmann (BOH) and Vincenzo Nibali (AST) are close behind. It may come back together.
Another attack from Carapaz with 3.5km to go. They have 10 seconds on the chasers.
Landa and Bardet hold on after Carapaz makes a move.
Now Landa accelerates.
Almeida, Hindley, and Pozzovivo are in pursuit of the three leaders.
The three chasers have made contact with Landa, Carapaz and Bardet with 2km to go.
Pozzovivo has a go, but doesn't get far. Bardet counters and Landa gets straight on his wheel.
Carapaz is also there. They've broken away again.
Landa, Bardet and Carapaz have 10 seconds on their chasers. We're approaching the flamme rouge!
1km to go
Almeida, Hindley and Pozzovivo are back in the mix as the leaders slow. Carapaz decides to zip up his jersey.
It looks like they're going to sprint for this. 500 metres to go.
Hindley is leading it out and goes from the front.
Hindley is trying to hold off Carapaz and Bardet! It's so close!
Wow what a finish! After more than 5,000m of climbing we still had a close sprint to the line.
Juan Pedro López (TFS) has come across the line and dug deep enough to stay in the pink jersey.
Jai Hindley:
Emanuel Buchmann:
"It's super nice. It is a really good start to win the first mountain stage. I was also close to the front, so it was a really good day. In the beginning I felt good, then Ineos sped up and it was super hard. I had to go my own speed and I came close to the first group. It was not so bad but not super good for me."
Roman Bardet:
"(The result) is hard to accept. I made a big error at the last corner. I didn't want to make the tempo on the climb because I felt I had the sprint. I went too far on the last corner, so it's a shame.
Dominico Pozzovivo:
"I'm not thinking about my age, physically I'm good. The problem has been the crashes - it's changed my position on the bike. I still give everything and I don't think I'm missing anything in that sense, but the position on the bike doesn't help me. It's a beautiful experience to be here.
"The objective is still to finish in the top 10."
Here's our full report from Stage 9: Giro d'Italia: Jai Hindley triumphs on Blockhaus by Peter Stuart
We saw a huge shakeup in the GC after the Blockhaus ascent. Here's how it looks going into tomorrow's rest day: Giro d'Italia: GC standings after stage 9.
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