Stage 9 is a chance to see who's going to try and stamp their authority on the race before the mountains, and with a strong field of time triallers in this year's edition, the rider with the quickest time may set the tone for proceedings throughout the higher country. The sizeable distance along with the Cat. 3 climb of Alto de Tossa should be enough to create significant time gaps.
TOPICS
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Five things we learned amid the chaos of Opening Weekend 2026 – From Van der Poel and Vollering's excellence, to Visma's bounceback and the major role of crashes
Key takeaways as the Classics get underway with a bang at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne -
'I had no idea what I was in for' – Tracey Gaudry looks back on a crucial moment in Melbourne to Warrnambool history in this 'Wheel Life 3' book extract
Inside that 1994 edition when Gaudry added her name to the, at the time very short, Melbourne to Warrnambool women's finishers list -
'Sidequest' - Noah Hobbs saved by local fan after getting lost during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
British rider benefits from the kindness of strangers -
'I was a bit exhausted in the final stages' - Bad luck spoils defending champion Jasper Philipsen's day in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
Alpecin-Premier Tech racer forced to settle for 18th after getting boxed in behind Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
