Giro d’Italia Chronicle Ninth Stage of Toro Pink Jersey

It was a journey into beauty. The departure from Gubbio, a medieval casket where time stopped for how man managed to keep history, and the arrival in Piazza del Campo in Siena, a symbol of that Renaissance where Italy has taught the world what beauty was. With the low and dark clouds, the Sienese Crete, the cypresses, the green and yellow hills. A head -to -head battle, where the champions also discover are fragile. Just a fall or drilling, see what happened to Roglic, which is the great defeat of today: it goes to rest with a 2’25 burden “from the pink shirt of the Toro. Ninth stage of the Giro, Gubbio-Siena, 181 kilometers. Under the Torre del Mangia, place of the Palio, with the sun to illuminate the historic buildings of the city, Wout Van Aert returns the great champion that we have admired: winner of the streets. White in 2020, four times world champion of cyclocross, the Flemish triumphs in the sprint with two with Isaac del Toro, a new pink jersey and first Mexican at the top of the Giro since 1909. Van Aert absolutely wanted this success, the first seasonal, he had suffered too much in these months and the emotion in Piazza del Campo, when he throws himself on the ground with his hands on the eyes to cover the tears in front of his children. From the unleashed of the Toro, author of a master’s test in the wonderful and very feared stage of Siena’s dirt roads: 29.7 km of white stones in the last 67 of the race, and a completely revolutionized ranking.

time

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Behind Van Aert and Toro, third is Giulio Ciccone at 58 “, which also goes to take the 4” Abbruono on Carapaz at the last corner on the right, when it touches the mattresses in order to overcome the Ecuadorian. At 1 ‘Simon Yates and Tiberi, at 1’06 “Ayuso, at 1’10” Bernal, 2’23 “Roglic and Pidock. In the standings, Del Toro has 1’13” on teammate Ayuso and 1’30 “on Tiberi, Carapaz at 1’40”, Ciccone at 1’41 “, Roglic Decimo at 2’25”. A tour that becomes more and more exciting and uncertain, on the eve of the second day of rest and the time trial of Pisa, Tuesday.

novelty

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His name is Isaac Del Toro, he is 21 years old and in Piazza del Campo in Siena he becomes the first Mexican in the pink jersey. He runs with the brazenness of those who do not look at anyone in the face, in the wonderful and feared stage of the dirt roads of Siena his tactic makes you discuss, and a lot, because his acceleration 50 km from the arrival leaves his captain Ayuso on the stones, forced all day to exhaust the other companions to chase. He is a predestined one too, because in 2023 he won the tour of L’Avenir in front of Pellizzari and Piganzoli, and in 2024 the first professional victory in Australia on the second day of the race in the great ones. Pogacar wanted it with him in the North countryside, on the Roubaix pavé, and his UAE Emirates put it under contract until 2029. Today the 108th Giro d’Italia celebrates, beyond the controversies in the UAE Emirates house, another of the talents of this generation. He attacked in every sector, made the selection on the wall of Colle Pinzuto, 15%, when he put Bernal on his knees and left with Van Aert. There were 16 km left at the finish, and since then he never asked for change to Van Aert, and the Flemish could not even give him, as far as the Mexican was strong. Del Toro is torturing Van Aert, who sway with his shoulders as far as he is at the limit. Until the hypothesis for both in Piazza del Campo: victory for the Belgian, pink jersey for the Mexican.

fifth dirt road

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Colle Pinzuto, 2.4 km, four stars. There are 16 km away on arrival. Forcing of Del Toro still in the hardest stretch at 15%, Bernal in difficulty, only Van Aert resists the wheel of Del Toro. Van Aert struggles enormously to stay at the wheel of Del Toro. Vacek-Bernal at 19 “, Ayuso at 1’02”, Roglic-Pidcock at 2’06 “, Ulysses at 3’53”.

fourth dirt road

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Monteaperti, 600 meters, two stars. There are 20 km away on arrival. Forcing of Del Toro on the dirt road, Van Aert follows him, Bernal struggles, but returns. Del Toro’s action makes you discuss. Ayuso at 1’04 “, Roglic-Pidcock at 1’40”, Pink Ulysses at 3’31 “. Behind them, McNulty exhausts himself to pull for Ayuso and Adam Yates.

third dirt road

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San Martino in Grania, 9.4 km, four stars. There are 43 km away on arrival. Five remain in the lead: Bernal with their companions Arensman and Rivera, Del Toro and Van Aert; At 45 “the Ayuso group. Pidcock tries to return by itself, it is over 1 ‘. Arensman Fora and changes bikes. Ulysses at 3’10”. In the head there are two Colombians (Bernal and Rivera), a Mexican (Del Toro) and a Flemish, Van Airt. Confusion in the UAE house, because Del Toro made the selection but Ayuso remained behind with Adam Yates, Carapaz, Ciccone. Ayuso at 44 “, Rogic at 1’24”. End of sector: Bernal, Van Aert, Del Toro and Rivera; A 46 “Ayuso (with his partner McNulty), Tiberi, Ciccone, Carapaz, Adam Yates, at 1’17” Rogic Group, at 3’15 “Pink Ulysses. In the altitude stretch after the sector, the four in command, Ayuso at 49”, Roglic at 1’24 “. Forcing of the UAE from behind for Ayuso. From behind, Vacek is back on the command. Ayuso-Ciccone-Tiberi at 59 “, rogic at 1’36”.

second dirt road

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Serravalle, 9.3 km, three stars. There are 54 km away on arrival. Groves and Hermans, companions at the Alpecin, enter with 40 “on the group-Big. Cade Storer immediately in the curve and resumes. Pedersen detaches himself. Bernal’s companions make the rhythm. Now Bilbao with Tiberi. At 51 km Roglic and Pidcock fall in a curve on the left, they return and find it hard. Pellizzari, who was behind and pulls for Roglic. Fora Roglic at km 45

first dirt road

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Pieve a jumps, 8 km, four stars. There are 67 km away on arrival. The 6 treads enter with 1’24 “. All the Lidl-Trek in the head with Pedersen to make Ciccone take the first stretch of stones in Ciccone, and then Tarling with Bernal per wheel. Very well Van Aert with Yates on the wheel, and Moscon for Roglic, who makes a detached from MotoGP to enter the second place behind Moscon and Van Aert. Pedersen in the lead.

plan

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On Monday the tour offers the second of the three days of rest. But Tuesday we start again with another key day that closes this group of four stages started with the uphill arrival of Tagliacozzo: there is the tenth stage, individual time trial from Lucca to Pisa, 28.6 very fast kilometers, just 150 meters in altitude, with the finish line in Piazza dei Miracoli in the shade of the tower.