Giro d’Italia stage 9 LIVE: Ciccone, Ulissi and Aerts launch counter move and join breakaway as mountains beckon
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2026-05-17T14:47:49.725Z
Into the Red Bull Kilometre now as well.
2026-05-17T14:47:36.675Z
The break lead onto the final climb, the Corno alle Scale with a 1’48” gap.
2026-05-17T14:47:09.425Z
The peloton have taken 20″ off the break in this fight for positioning in the descent.
2026-05-17T14:45:37.007Z
Visma-Lease a Bike, EF Education-EasyPost, Netcompany-Ineos and Tudor lead the peloton over the climb with Vingegaard eases into second wheel as they catch Mattia Bais.
2026-05-17T14:44:49.753Z
If Rubio wins the stage and Vingegaard doesn’t take any points at the finish then Rubio will take the KOM jersey by 11 points.
2026-05-17T14:44:06.689Z
KOM (Querciola)
2026-05-17T14:42:50.779Z
There’s a real amalgamation of teams at the front of the peloton at the moment with the gap stable to the five riders with them holding 2’12” gap.
2026-05-17T14:39:53.324Z
Visma-Lease a Bike weren’t setting the pace for the stage win so Decathlon-CMA CGM return to the front to keep the pace high.
2026-05-17T14:39:26.226Z
Milesi and Aerts off the back but I think that may be more Milesi trying to get the Belgian cyclocrosser to do more work.
2026-05-17T14:38:40.849Z
Visma-Lease a Bike take over the pacing in the peloton after Decathlon-CMA CGM worked all day long. This is a statement of intent by Vingegaard but will they really up the pace for the stage win or will they just allow the break slowly go away?
2026-05-17T14:36:25.804Z
20km to go
2026-05-17T14:35:45.556Z
Pink jersey Eulálio sat right towards the back for some time but is now right up towards the front. Pellizzari also doing the same.
2026-05-17T14:34:55.171Z
Rubio and Ulissi are working very hard as Ciccone forces Aerts and Milesi to come through before then attacking and joining Rubio as he ghosts clear with Ulissi chasing.
2026-05-17T14:31:01.883Z
Interestingly, Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has just lost contact in the peloton. The former white jersey wearer maybe feeling the effort from the break yesterday. Maybe he’s saving his legs for a breakaway on another day.
2026-05-17T14:29:35.600Z
Johannes Staune-Mittet takes over the pacing for Gall at the front of the peloton.
2026-05-17T14:29:06.823Z
The sprinters starting to head out of the back of the peloton. Dylan Groenewegen surrounded by his Unibet Rose Rockets teammates. They should all easily make the time cut.
2026-05-17T14:27:55.893Z
Bais starting to lose touch out front as the gap starts to yawn open.
2026-05-17T14:27:19.908Z
The peloton is absolutely flying now with the gap plummeting to just under 2 minutes.
2026-05-17T14:26:44.939Z
Ballerini, Geens, Naberman, Løland, and Marcellusi all dropped from the breakaway.
2026-05-17T14:25:36.641Z
Ballerini is giving every ounce of energy for Ulissi and swings off as they go onto the Querciola climb with Ulissi leading the way.
2026-05-17T14:24:36.287Z
Ballerini is pushing hard as the breakaway is starting to splinter with Geens starting to be distanced.
2026-05-17T14:23:14.245Z
Uno-X Mobility use a roundabout to momentarily block the peloton but then multiple teams push up to challenge Decathlon-CMA CGM with Netcompany-Ineos and Tudor joining them.
2026-05-17T14:22:17.819Z
The race is about to start properly climbing with the break coming to the base of the Querciola with a max of 9 points available at the top with just over 4km from the top to the start of the final climb up to Corno alle Scale.
2026-05-17T14:20:18.567Z
30km to go
2026-05-17T14:18:23.684Z
Decathlon-CMA CGM are still pushing hard in the peloton. However, Ballerini has almost single-handily taken the time gap back up to 2’25”.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T14:04:21.189Z
The leaders are pushing hard but their gap sits at 1’52” over the peloton led by Decathlon-CMA CGM.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T13:57:50.000Z
The peloton still have control but the gap has gone out to almost two minutes with Ballerini working hard in the break.
2026-05-17T13:57:04.432Z
20km to the base of the Querciola climb.
2026-05-17T13:56:34.102Z
The riders are now slowly gaining elevation from here on with the gradients getting more and more as they go on with the first categorised climb of the day, the Querciola, not too far away.
2026-05-17T13:46:01.835Z
Intermediate sprint (Marzabotto)
2026-05-17T13:43:32.510Z
Ciccone, Ulissi and Aerts make it across just after the intermediate sprint in Marzabotto. The gap back to the peloton now just over a minute.
2026-05-17T13:39:46.376Z
Davide Ballerini takes the max points in Marzabotto with 12 points added to his tally.
2026-05-17T13:38:09.711Z
Ciccone, Ulissi and Aerts look like they are going to make the catch as they are about 10″ down but the peloton are now just 1’20” behind them as the pace ramps up.
2026-05-17T13:36:58.947Z
About 2km to the intermediate sprint in Marzabotto.
2026-05-17T13:35:04.608Z
Aerts is currently not coming through with Ciccone and Ulissi in the chase with Ballerini now sitting on in the break out front as he waits for Ulissi to come across.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T13:32:34.540Z
The chasers now inside 40″ from the front with the peloton about 1’10” behind them.
2026-05-17T13:29:01.525Z
Ciccone, Ulissi and Aerts are now halfway across the gap as Pedersen and his Decathlon-CMA CGM restart their chase after the little climb.
2026-05-17T13:23:11.268Z
70km to go
2026-05-17T13:21:11.894Z
Attack!
The two Italians use this little ascent with cyclocross star Toon Aerts (Lotto-Intermarché) joining.
2026-05-17T13:19:36.516Z
Pedersen continues his pacing for Felix Gall.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T13:17:43.307Z
The riders are on one of the few lumps of the day before the actual mountains start. Both break and peloton are on the ascent with just 1’45” splitting them.
2026-05-17T13:15:27.512Z
A brief lull in pace as both Eulálio and Gall went for a nature break, but they’re back in the bunch now.
2026-05-17T13:05:06.520Z
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2026-05-17T13:01:02.803Z
The breakaway now only have 2’04” on the peloton with the pace being incredibly high.
2026-05-17T12:54:56.533Z
The pace remains high with 90km to go and 2’25” gap between the groups.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T12:43:38.494Z
100km to go
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…
>>> ‘Jai is a bit older, maybe also a bit wiser’ – Red Bull try to maintain balance between former winner Hindley and unrestricted home star Pellizzari at Giro d’Italia
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T12:20:22.167Z
The gap continues to fall. The break now have 2’32” on the bunch.
2026-05-17T12:16:53.720Z
Jonas Vingegaard doesn’t want to be all conquering like Tadej Pogačar was in 2024. He just wants to win the race in an sustainable way with the Tour de France on his calendar as well…
>>> ‘Most important we win GC, it’s not a goal to dominate’ – Emulating Pogačar’s all-conquering Giro d’Italia not a focus for Jonas Vingegaard with pink as priority
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T12:15:14.030Z
120km to go
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.
2026-05-17T12:02:07.590Z
130km to go
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.
2026-05-17T11:50:33.129Z
140km to go
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)
Leemreize and his Unibet Rose Rockets rider partner have been caught by the now Lidl-Trek led peloton with Walscheid trying to chase for Ciccone.
2026-05-17T11:43:13.253Z
The peloton goes round a huge roundabout and Picnic-PostNL with Gijs Leemreize and Unibet-Rose-Rockets going on an attack with the peloton trying to block the road again.
2026-05-17T11:41:55.092Z
A couple more riders break free of the peloton and the bunch looks to have sat up and that appears to be that! The break may be sorted for the day as multiple teams have riders up the road. Lidl-Trek the main team missing the split.
2026-05-17T11:40:21.033Z
Einer Rubio (Movistar) goes clear with a man from Uno-X Mobility and Picnic-PostNL as Alpecin-Premier Tech try to send a rider across. Rubio is the first climber to actually make a gap on the peloton.
2026-05-17T11:37:54.466Z
150km to go
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.
2026-05-17T11:23:25.137Z
160km to go
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.
2026-05-17T10:58:27.730Z
184km to go
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
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T10:38:41.166Z
The riders have started the neutral zone and are roughly 10 minutes away from racing.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-05-17T10:38:20.517Z
We are expecting a chaotic start with multiple riders battling to get into the break of the day. Visma-Lease a Bike will have to be on high alert so riders like Enric Mas (Movistar), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarche), Markel Beloki (EF Education-EasyPost), Egan Bernal (Netcompany-Ineos) and others don’t get in the break of the day. And, if they do, manage the gap sufficiently to let them go all the way but to also not gain massively on their Danish leader as well as dropping pink jersey Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) along the way,
2026-05-17T10:29:56.189Z
The riders will start the neutralised section in about 5 minutes.
2026-05-17T10:29:33.373Z
The riders are due to start racing after the neutral zone at 12:50 local time.
2026-05-17T10:28:03.556Z
It is very likely that we will see a breakaway succeed today for one simple reason. Jonas Vingegaard will not want to ride the ITT on Tuesday in the blue KOM skinsuit. He leads the classification by one point over Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti-Visit Malta) thanks to his win on Blockhaus.
2026-05-17T10:20:43.518Z
Once you’ve read the preview and looked at the profile, don’t forget to vote above on who you think is going to win the stage!
2026-05-17T10:19:38.401Z
The Corno alle Scale is 10.8km long, but with the Quesciola climb coming right before, there’s actually a good 21km of climbing to finish the stage.
2026-05-17T10:17:58.384Z
Here’s what is on the cards today:
(Image credit: RCS)
2026-05-17T10:17:19.450Z
We’ll be here all day with all the updates and actions from what is set to be an exciting day of racing, the last one before the first (proper) rest day.
Good morning and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia!
