Gianluca Brambilla of Etixx Quick Step has held on to the lead of the 99th Giro d'Italia following a rain soaked individual time trial through Tuscany's Chianti Classico vineyards, won by Primoz Roglic of LottonNL-Jumbo.
Former ski-jumper Roglic benefited from kinder weather than the later starters, with Katusha's Ilnur Zakarin the day's big loser.
The Russian had seemed to be heading into the pink jersey until a mechanical issue and two crashes - one on the final corner - cost him significant time.
Brambilla leads the race by just 1 second from his Etixx-Quick Step team mate Bob Jungels, who remains leader of the young riders's classification.
Following the 40.5km stage, Roglic said: "After approximately ten kilometres, I lost my computer and my bottle. I indicated to my sport director to pick my computer but I'm not sure if he understood what I was telling him. I also lost motivation and I decided to take it easy.
"But I was feeling fantastic uphill so I just pushed and pushed for the fun of it. I was really slow and unlucky at the beginning but very fast and lucky at the end because I only felt a drop or two while the riders after me got the pouring rain. This is strange, very strange".
Brambilla, winner of Saturday's stage 8, said: "Yesterday I expended a lot of of energy in the breakaway. I attacked and I went full gas all day. It was the same today: alone again, full gas again and nothing to lose. Everything went well. I kept the Maglia Rosa. Until now everything has gone well in the Giro. It's an amazing feeling".
Let's hope he doesn't read Road CC, the amount of articles they write putting a downer on him.
Only reading the headline on the homepage, not the rest of the article, but I only ride mountain bikes and I still get close passed...
Fair enough, personal experience may trump (not that one) theory. However, the bonking I have experienced has been due to lack of carbs. Your point...
Agreed, but he was still right to publicise the event. The police, if they're anything like Lancashire, will do nothing at all.
mdavidfrodo?
How can anybody reject the beauty of that? It's a wonderful mix of modern tech yet absolutely functional.
Not unless theVED is made eye wateringly expensive....
in the UK we have policing which to a greater or lesser extent relies on assistance from members of the public......
Just wanted to share a quick thank you to everyone who helped out in this thread....
So...don't cycle on it. Lots of other routes around that area. Source: I used to work there.