Stage 9 of Giro d’Italia 2024 took the riders from Avezzano to Naples on the western coast of Southern Italy. The 214-kilometer route made it the longest stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia. 

The route took the riders down from the mountains and the stage would hopefully offer welcome rest for the General Classification favorites after several hard days in the saddle. The speed was expected to be high, and the roads suited the sprinters well. Stages and races concluding in Naples, or Napoli, are usually decided in mass sprints.

Some anticipated a small breakaway would succeed in today’s stage anyhow. Riders such as Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Matteo Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) were outsiders to launch a late breakaway.

The stage was dominated by an early breakaway featuring Italian teammates Mirco Maestri and Andrea Pietrobon from Team Polti Kometa. The duo escaped early in the stage and fought their way to a lead of approximately 03:30 minutes. The optimists were not allowed a significant time advantage by the sprinter teams who had already been cheated of the stage win in a destined sprint stage earlier in this year’s Giro.

Alpecin-Deceuninck were pulling in the main peloton while the front duo pressed on relentlessly. 

Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) crashed with 58 kilometers left of the stage as did two of his Ineos-Grenadiers teammates and Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). Thomas had warned the roads were tricky and dangerous before the start of the stage. The Welshman rejoined the peloton later.

Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) attacked 28 kilometers from the finish line. He was joined by Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Ewen Costiou (Arkea-B&B Hotels). The new attackers joined the front duo. Nicola Conci (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ), and Kevin Vermaerke (DSM-Firmenich) also made it to the front of the action.

Alaphilippe was very active. Nice to see the experienced Frenchman and former World Champion back in action.

Costiou and Alaphilippe ended up forming the new front duo. It was now them against the sprinters in the main peloton. They had a miniscule lead of fifteen seconds.

The duo was reeled in by the main peloton headed by sprinter teams such as Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Jhonatan Narvaez attacked for Ineos-Grenadiers and got a small gap.

Alexander Kamp attacked for Tudor Pro Cycling Team.

Five kilometers remained. Narvaez fought on solo at the front. Would the sprinter teams prevail despite his initiative?

Narvaez increased his lead in the final kilometers. 1.4 kilometers remained and he had a 12 second lead. Lidl-Trek was leading the peloton.

Narvaez was caught in the final meters thanks to the hard work by the Lidl-Trek team and, surprisingly, Tadej Pogacar who delivered a very strong lead-out for the sprinters in the final meters, which resulted in Ineos-Grenadiers rider Narvaez being caught.

Olav Kooij took the stage victory for Team Visma – Lease a Bike ahead of Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan and Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates).

Tadej Pogacar remains General Classification leader. Daniel Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) is second, 02:40 minites behind the leader. Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) is third, 02:58 minutes after the Slovenian race leader.

Monday (May 13) is a Rest Day in the Giro d’Italia 2024.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete race coverage from Giro d’Italia 2024.

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