Giro d’Italia stage 9 LIVE: Decathlon-CMA CGM control the break with focus on GC stage battle to come

The gap continues to sit at 2’34” between the break and the peloton.

2026-05-17T12:37:14.990Z

The peloton is in one long line thanks to Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen (Decathlon-CMA CGM) setting a high tempo.

2026-05-17T12:32:44.670Z

The peloton have really got this breakaway on a tight leash now with just 2’25” splitting the eight out front and the Decathlon-CMA CGM led bunch.

2026-05-17T12:21:40.666Z

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are currently finding it difficult to manage the balance between former Giro winner Hindley and young Italian up-and-comer Pellizzari…

The gap is coming down for the break with 2’42” splitting them and the peloton led by Decathlon-CMA CGM.

2026-05-17T12:12:30.146Z

Tarozzi and Hamilton get caught with the gap to the leaders just under three minutes. This is a stage for the GC riders whether Vingegaard wants it or not. The one bonus for Visma-Lease a Bike is that they will probably take the stage in this scenario and maybe put another big chunk of time into Eulálio as well.

2026-05-17T12:11:16.615Z

And now the race shows it’s true colours. Decathlon-CMA CGM hit the front of the peloton with a high tempo being set. Bahrain Victorious sit behind the sole rider from Decathlon-CMA CGM with Visma-Lease a Bike also following behind them.

2026-05-17T12:10:11.621Z

It looks like Tarozzi and Hamilton have given up on the chase as the gap goes beyond two minutes. They can now drift back to the bunch.

2026-05-17T12:05:08.188Z

The riders out front now have their team cars up with them and are taking the opportunity to take on gels, bars, bidons etc as they settle into the day.

The leaders have 1’22” on the chasing duo and 2’20” on the peloton. There is a very long flat part of this stage with a brutal sting in the tail.

2026-05-17T12:00:36.955Z

The leaders have about a minute on Tarozzi and Hamilton with a further minute back from them to the peloton.

2026-05-17T11:58:34.888Z

After an hour of racing the average speed is said to be 44.7kph.

2026-05-17T11:57:37.119Z

If someone in the break took the maximum 59 points in the KOM standings today they would slot into third place one point behind Sevilla and two points behind Vingegaard.

2026-05-17T11:56:21.843Z

The counter attack is from Tarozzi as well as Chris Hamilton. The frustrating thing for Visma-Lease a Bike is that not one of the riders in the break are dangerous in the KOM classification. If the break is to go the distance they would’ve wanted the blue jersey to be taken from them as well.

2026-05-17T11:55:08.980Z

Picnic-PostNL and Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre go again and, this time, it looks like the peloton has fully sat up and this will be the break of the day. These new attackers have about a minute to bridge, though.

2026-05-17T11:52:45.662Z

Out front, the break are working together well with everyone coming through to take their turns. The gap is just sat under a minute to the peloton, though.

2026-05-17T11:51:22.082Z

The peloton is back to being one long line again as teams are unhappy about missing the break or not getting the right riders up the road.

Milan sees Soudal-QuickStep chasing and decides to pull the pin on his effort with Decathlon-CMA CGM taking over on the point of the pack. Almost a minute to the eight leaders.

2026-05-17T11:49:31.207Z

Milan attacks and gets away without Magnier with him. That sees Soudal-QuickStep hit the front of the peloton to chase down the big Italian sprinter. This isn’t good news for the leaders as they gap drops slightly.

2026-05-17T11:47:53.331Z

The open front of the peloton means that there is still space for new attackers as well with Picnic-PostNL unhappy with just having Naberman out front when riders like Rubio have made it in there as well.

2026-05-17T11:46:55.115Z

Break:

Einer Rubio (MOV)
Lorenzo Milesi (MOV)
Mattia Bais (PTM)
Martin Marcellusi (BCF)
Tim Naberman (TPP)
Davide Ballerini (XAT)
Sakarias Koller Løland (UXM)
Jonas Geens (APT)

Milesi and Ballerini have 22″ on the peloton who are still being peppered by a plethora of attacks.

2026-05-17T11:36:47.913Z

Marcellusi goes again with a teammate on his wheel taking a few others with them but, again, the peloton comes back as Milan and his Magnier shadow come out of the bunch again.

2026-05-17T11:35:27.983Z

The peloton splitting into multiple groups out front but Morgado and co sit up as it comes together again. Maltese rider Andrea Mifsud (Polti-Visit Malta) goes clear with Larry Warbasse (Tudor) trying to follow. Mifsud gets a gap but is quickly closed again.

2026-05-17T11:34:09.724Z

A new attack from Morgado. He has a long line of riders following him but a group of 8 gets a good gap. That move doesn’t last long, though. Groupama-FDJ United are keen to join in which brings the peloton back to them.

2026-05-17T11:33:00.089Z

Interesting that Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre) has made it into this chase group as he is in the fight with Sevilla for the Fuga prize for most kilometres out front of the race. He also leads the intermediate sprint and Red Bull kilometre competitions. However, that is all brought back with Ballerini and Milesi out front by 33″.

2026-05-17T11:29:41.763Z

Planckaert has sat up from the lead group and joins the chasers to make a group of 10 behind the two leaders.

2026-05-17T11:27:56.800Z

Another new move comes from the peloton, though. Yesterday’s runner up, Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) goes clear but has a string of riders following.

2026-05-17T11:27:08.438Z

Lidl-Trek miss the move with Ciccone and can’t bridge the gap as this new counter move appears to be going clear.

2026-05-17T11:26:10.415Z

More moves go clear as that counter was caught. Milan joins with Magnier latched onto his wheel again. Milan’s purple shadow.

2026-05-17T11:24:50.492Z

More riders continue to try and bridge to this new move as Crescioli does make the bridge.

The new activity in the peloton sees the gap to the leaders drop to around 25″ again.

2026-05-17T11:22:23.862Z

More moves go clear with Unibet-Rose-Rockets, Alpecin-Premier Tech, Uno-X Mobility and Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre going clear with Lidl-Trek trying to chase but as Walscheid swings off to encourage Ciccone to kick across, the move pulls away further.

2026-05-17T11:19:24.033Z

Pinarello-Q36.5, EF Edcuation-EasyPost, Uno-X Mobility and Movistar all keen to be up there as well as Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre and Polti-Visit Malta.

2026-05-17T11:18:39.184Z

So many riders have tried to bridge to the trio out front but now the gap goes beyond 40″ as the peloton sits up again.

2026-05-17T11:12:03.162Z

And it is back together with just Ballerini, Milesi and Planckaert still 28″ clear as Picnic-PostNL and Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre start the game again.

2026-05-17T11:11:23.641Z

Walscheid continues the pressure with Ciccone locked onto his wheel. Behind, Unibet-Rose-Rockets try to go clear as Antonio Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) starts to get involved for the first time since Bulgaria.

2026-05-17T11:10:22.094Z

Walscheid tries to take Ciccone clear but as the race splits, Visma-Lease a Bike send Tim Rex across with James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost). And, of course, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are all over that and the game gets another reset.

2026-05-17T11:09:12.540Z

Filippo Turconi (Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre) and Ludovico Crescioli (Polti-Visit Malta) try to move but then Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) tries to lead out Giulio Ciccone. That sees points jersey Paul Magnier and teammate Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-QuickStep) coaxed out of the bunch.

2026-05-17T11:07:19.585Z

Ecuadorian and Colombian champions of Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Egan Bernal (Netcompany-Ineos) sitting at the back as the peloton have really eased on the pace with the leading trio now taking their gap to 24″.

2026-05-17T11:06:05.287Z

The counter moves continue to stall with Milesi, Planckaert, and Ballerini still hodling 14″ on the peloton.

2026-05-17T11:03:42.923Z

Uno-X Mobility starts chasing but Andrea Raccagni (Soudal-Quickstep) launches to try and force a new break.

2026-05-17T11:03:04.714Z

The rider who finished last yesterday, Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Premier Tech) joins Ballerini alongside Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar). They have 11″ gap on the bunch who are looking to have stalled in their pacing for now.

2026-05-17T11:01:14.222Z

Davide Ballerini (XDS-Astana) launches for the second time. They will be very keen to get Christian Scaroni into the days break.

2026-05-17T11:00:44.381Z

Forming a breakaway on a major summit finish day in a Grand Tour is really like a game of chess. The riders close back together again as Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre) hit the front.

2026-05-17T10:59:46.475Z

Max Walscheid is leading out his Lidl-Trek teammate Giulio Ciccone in an attack. Also, Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarche) is in that group. Interesting early tactics with Decathlon-CMA CGM getting Oliver Naesen up the road as well.

Racing begins with Uno-X Mobility sending two riders up the road immediately on the national day of Norway! Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre also kick clear in their home region as well.

2026-05-17T10:54:36.067Z

It is a beautiful roll out for the riders in a very sunny Emilia Romagna. However, the forecast for the final climb says we may have temperatures at around 4 degrees Celsius!

2026-05-17T10:47:57.039Z

Jerseys and other Giro competitions after stage 8:

Pink – Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious)
Purple – Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep)
Blue – Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
White – Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious)*
Int sprint – Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre)
Fuga – Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti-Visit Malta)
Red Bull KM – Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF-7 Sabre)
Team – Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe