Stage 9 of Giro d’Italia 2023 was a 35-kilometer individual time trial from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena (Technogym headquarters). The time trial route was flat and appealed to riders who were experts in the discipline against the clock. The weather was cool and rainy, which increased the risk of accidents and mechanical issues.

Dan Hoole set an early fastest time of 00:44:47 for his Trek-Segafredo team. It did not take long before he was replaced in the hot seat by Charlie Quarterman (Team Corratec-Selle Italia).

Later, Michael Hepburn (Jayco-Alula) defied the rain to set a new fastest time of 00:42:37 – his average speed was 49.276 km/h.

The weather conditions later improved, and the roads started to dry up.

Trek-Segafredo’s Bauke Mollema has recently regained his former strength in the battle against the clock and replaced Hepburn in the hot seat. 

Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), however, showed Mollema he’s still got work to do if he wants to win time trials in Grand Tours. Former Swiss national time trial champion Küng was the new man in the hot seat. Meanwhile, Giro d’Italia general classification favorites such as Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma), Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) were warming up and were set to start later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, it had started raining again – bad luck for the favorites yet to start.

General classification favorites Thomas, Roglic, and Evenepoel started their time trials.

At the first intermediate time check Evenepoel was 11 seconds faster than Thomas, while Roglic disappointingly was tenth, 31 seconds behind the Belgian.

At the second intermediate time check point Evenepoel was still fastest, but with only a two second advantage on Thomas in second place. Thomas’ teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart was in third place. Roglic had moved up to eighth, but still with a very disappointing deficit of 27 seconds.

At the final intermediate time check point Evenepoel had the same time as Geoghegan Hart and Thomas. Roglic was now 23 seconds slower than the Belgian.

In the final results of the stage 9 individual time trial, Evenepoel won the stage in 00:41:24. Thomas finished one second behind the winner, while Geoghegan Hart completed the podium. Roglic finished sixth, 17 seconds behind Evenepoel.

“In the second part with the headwind I wasn’t feeling very good,” stage winner Evenepoel told Roadcycling.com after the stage. “To go into the mountains with my advantage is pretty good. We have a lot of confidence and tomorrow I will need to recover well and enjoy today’s victory.”

In the general classification Evenepoel is the new race leader after today’s time trial. Thomas is in second place, 45 seconds behind the leader. Roglic is in third, two seconds further behind Evenepoel.

Monday is the first rest day of this year’s Giro d’Italia. The racing will resume with stage 10 from Scandiano to Viareggio on Tuesday, May 16.

Visit Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from Giro d’Italia 2023.

Visit Sundried.com to buy ethically produced cycling and fitness clothing.