Sunday’s ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia had a Cat. 1 summit finish, and as with Friday’s Cat. 1 summit finish, Jonas Vingegaard won and Felix Gall came runner-up. Afonso Eulálio kept his pink jersey. Derek Gee-West was top Canadian in sixth, his best placing so far in the 109th edition.
Preliminaries
Vingegaard went into Stage Nine still trailing the pink jersey Afonso Eulálio by 3:15. Behind the Danish blue mountains classification leader sat Gall, Christian Scaroni, Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari.
The Course
Sunday was all about its conclusion: 11.5-km Cat. 3 Querciola followed immediately by Cat. 1 Corno alle Scale. The final 4.5 km of Corno alle Scale were very steep.
An octet shook loose early in the day and lit out for glory. With 74 km to race, Giulio Ciccone, Toon Aerts and Diego Ulissi decided to join it. The road rose gradually from his point to the base of Querciola. It didn’t seem likely that this new unit of 11 would survive. Decathlon-CMA-CGA paced the peloton.
On Querciola, the break split, Ciccone part of the leading group. Einer Rubio earned the maximum KOM points.
Corno alle Scale
Ciccone and Rubio immediately bid ciao to their breakmates.
Ciccone then dispensed with his companion 8 km from the top. With 4 km to go, the Italian’s gap to the peloton was 55 seconds. Sixth place Giulio Pellizzari couldn’t hold the pink jersey group. Gee-West clung on tenaciously.
Felix Gall made his attack, drawing Vingegaard, and they moved through Ciccone with 1.8 km remaining. Ciccone chased with Thymen Arensman.
Gall led under the red kite whereupon Vingegaard made a thrust that dropped the Austrian. Davide Piganzoli surprised many with his third place.
Monday is the second, well-deserved rest day. Tuesday is a long time trial from Viareggio to Massa.
2026 Giro d’Italia, Stage 9
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Visma-Lease a Bike) 4:20:21
2) Felix Gall (Austria/Decathlon-CMA-CGM) +0:12
3) Davide Piganzoli (Italy/Visma-Lease a Bike) +0:34
6) Derek Gee-West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +0:46
2026 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Afonso Eulálio (Portugal/Bahrain-Victorious) 38:49:44
2) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Visma-Lease a Bike) +2:24
3) Felix Gall (Austria/Decathlon-CMA-CGM) +2:59
14) Derek Gee West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +6:15