{"id":120744,"date":"2026-05-16T15:15:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T15:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/16\/narvaez-continues-uae-return-from-disaster\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T15:15:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T15:15:43","slug":"narvaez-continues-uae-return-from-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/16\/narvaez-continues-uae-return-from-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Narv\u00e1ez Continues UAE Return from Disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>Second victory of this year\u2019s Giro for Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez, who aces daunting stage finale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"border-border-light border-t py-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"flex h-4 justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-x-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"\"><button class=\"inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full hover:cursor-pointer bg-bg-surface hover:bg-bg-light focus:bg-bg-dark text-primary border border-solid border-border-light aria-pressed:bg-brand-primary aria-pressed:text-text-surface py-very-tight px-base-tight gap-tight font-semibold font-utility-2 opacity-50\" aria-label=\"Loading audio\" aria-pressed=\"false\" id=\"article-listen-button\" disabled=\"\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\"><title>Listen to this article<\/title><path d=\"M12.5265 16.2C12.2326 16.2 12.0122 16.1265 11.7184 16.053C11.2775 15.9061 10.9102 15.6122 10.6898 15.2449C10.4694 14.8775 10.3959 14.4367 10.5428 13.9959L11.5714 10.3959C11.6449 10.1755 11.7184 9.95509 11.8653 9.80815C12.0122 9.66121 12.1592 9.51427 12.3796 9.36733C12.6 9.29386 12.8204 9.2204 13.0408 9.14693C13.2612 9.14693 13.4816 9.14693 13.702 9.2204H13.7755C14.2163 9.36733 14.5837 9.58774 14.951 9.95509C14.951 9.66121 14.951 9.29386 14.951 8.99999C14.951 7.38366 14.2898 5.8408 13.1877 4.73876C12.0122 3.56325 10.5428 2.9755 8.92652 2.9755C7.31019 2.9755 5.76733 3.63672 4.66529 4.73876C3.48978 5.8408 2.82856 7.38366 2.82856 8.99999C2.82856 9.29386 2.82856 9.66121 2.82856 9.95509C3.12244 9.66121 3.56325 9.36733 4.00407 9.2204H4.07754C4.29795 9.14693 4.51835 9.14693 4.73876 9.14693C4.95917 9.14693 5.17958 9.2204 5.39999 9.36733C5.6204 9.4408 5.76733 9.58774 5.91427 9.80815C6.06121 9.95509 6.13468 10.1755 6.20815 10.3959L7.23672 13.9959C7.38366 14.4367 7.31019 14.8775 7.08978 15.2449C6.86938 15.6122 6.50203 15.9061 6.13468 16.053C5.76733 16.2 5.39999 16.2 5.03264 16.2C4.66529 16.1265 4.29795 16.053 4.00407 15.9061C3.63672 15.6122 3.41631 15.3918 3.12244 15.0979C2.90203 14.8775 2.75509 14.5102 2.68162 14.1428L2.38774 13.0408L2.2408 12.6735C2.2408 12.6 2.16733 12.453 2.16733 12.3796C1.87346 11.2775 1.79999 10.1755 1.79999 8.99999C1.79999 7.08978 2.53468 5.25305 3.9306 3.9306C5.25305 2.60815 7.08978 1.79999 8.99999 1.79999C10.9102 1.79999 12.7469 2.53468 14.0694 3.9306C15.3918 5.25305 16.2 7.08978 16.2 8.99999C16.2 10.102 16.053 11.2775 15.8326 12.3796C15.8326 12.453 15.7592 12.6 15.7592 12.6735L15.6857 12.9673V13.0408L15.1714 14.1428C15.0979 14.5102 14.8775 14.8041 14.6571 15.0979C14.4367 15.3918 14.1428 15.6122 13.849 15.7592C13.5551 15.9061 13.1877 16.053 12.8204 16.053C12.7469 16.1265 12.6735 16.2 12.5265 16.2ZM3.71019 13.849C3.78366 14.0694 3.85713 14.2163 4.00407 14.4367C4.15101 14.6571 4.29795 14.7306 4.51835 14.8775C4.73876 14.951 4.8857 15.0245 5.10611 15.0979C5.32652 15.0979 5.54693 15.0979 5.76733 15.0245C5.98774 14.951 6.06121 14.8775 6.13468 14.7306C6.20815 14.5837 6.20815 14.4367 6.20815 14.2898L5.17958 10.6898C5.17958 10.6163 5.10611 10.5428 5.10611 10.4694C5.03264 10.4694 4.95917 10.3959 4.8857 10.3224C4.81223 10.3224 4.73876 10.249 4.66529 10.249C4.59182 10.249 4.51836 10.249 4.44489 10.249H4.37142C3.9306 10.3959 3.63672 10.6898 3.41631 11.0571C3.26938 11.351 3.19591 11.7184 3.26938 12.0857C3.34285 12.3061 3.34284 12.5265 3.41631 12.6735L3.71019 13.849ZM13.2612 10.3224C13.1877 10.3224 13.1877 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224C13.1143 10.3224 13.0408 10.3224 12.9673 10.3959C12.8939 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694C12.7469 10.5428 12.7469 10.6163 12.7469 10.6898L11.7184 14.2898C11.6449 14.4367 11.7184 14.5837 11.7918 14.7306C11.8653 14.8775 12.0122 14.951 12.0857 15.0245C12.3796 15.0979 12.5265 15.0979 12.7469 15.0979C12.9673 15.0979 13.1877 15.0245 13.3347 14.8775C13.5551 14.8041 13.702 14.6571 13.849 14.4367C13.9959 14.2898 14.0694 14.0694 14.1428 13.849L14.5102 12.6735C14.5837 12.5265 14.5837 12.3061 14.6571 12.1592C14.7306 11.7918 14.6571 11.4245 14.5102 11.1306C14.2898 10.7633 13.9959 10.4694 13.5551 10.3224H13.4816C13.3347 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"hidden sm:inline\">Listen<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\">UAE Team Emirates &#8211; XRG rider Jhonatan Narvaez wins stage 8 of the Giro d&#8217;Italia (Photo: Luca Bettini \/ AFP)<!-- --> (Photo: LUCA BETTINI)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Updated May 16, 2026 10:04AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>UAE Emirates-XRG showed it is turning the page after a catastrophic start to the <a target=\"_self\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/giro-ditalia\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Giro d\u2019Italia<\/a>, with <a target=\"_self\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/jhonatan-narvaez\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez<\/a> picking up the team\u2019s third victory in eight stages on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The Ecuadorian champ slowed off his climbing talents in the tough finale of the stage to Fermo, shedding breakaway companions <a target=\"_self\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/tag\/andreas-leknessund\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Andreas Leknessund<\/a> (Uno-X Mobility) plus his own UAE teammate Mikkel Bjerg inside 11km to go.<\/p>\n<p>Leknessund did what he could to stick the pace but faded on terrain that simply didn\u2019t suit him as well as his rival. The Norwegian eventually trailed in 32 seconds back. His teammate Martin Tj\u00f8tta surged out of the chase group to nab third.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a nice stage for me,\u201d Narv\u00e1ez said. \u201cThe first part was really difficult but I think we played well with my teammate. I think he was the man of the day, Mikkel Bjerg. He is always working for the team. Normally you never see him initiate on television, but he is a guy who does a lot for the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe did an agreement, I can say now, but he was the man of the day for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The move sparked off inside the final 78km and saw the trio fend off a hard-chasing pursuit behind.<\/p>\n<p>Narv\u00e1ez\u2019s victory was another important one for the UAE Emirates-XRG team, who saw GC contender Adam Yates, Jay Vine and Marc Soler leave the race in recent days.<\/p>\n<p>Narv\u00e1ez previously won stage 4, while teammate Igor Arrieta triumphed the following day. The GC challenge has evaporated but the fighting spirit is remains strong.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are just five guys but we play well. We play smart,\u201d Narv\u00e1ez said. \u201cWe have a good atmosphere in team. So I think still [more] victories in the next week.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Two national champions, one stage winner<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_986040\" class=\"pom-image-wrap photo-alignnone\"><img alt=\"The key breakaway forms, with Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) chasing UAE Emirates-XRG duo Mikkel Bjerg and Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1599\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-986040\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2276543534.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover 1x\" src=\"https:\/\/velo-cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2276543534.jpg?width=3840&amp;auto=webp&amp;quality=75&amp;fit=cover\"\/><figcaption class=\"pom-caption\"><span class=\"article__caption\">The key breakaway forms, with Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) chasing UAE Emirates-XRG duo Mikkel Bjerg and Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez (Photo: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Stage 8 of the Giro d\u2019Italia was another summit finish, although it was a less testing finale than Friday\u2019s showdown on Blockhaus. It was mostly flat for the first 100km, with the race being peppered with category three and four climbs after that.<\/p>\n<p>Bjerg and Narv\u00e1ez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) went clear with Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) with 76km remaining. The latter wasn\u2019t optimistic at first that he could do anything on the stage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was active in the start to get in the break and then at some point I said to the guys \u2018I think I will give up, there is no one going to get away with this headwind. it is so easy to follow,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut somehow I got away with Bjerg and Narv\u00e1ez. It was so hard to get the gap and get up to one minute or something, then we cooperated well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pulling strongly together, the trio were three and a half minutes ahead of the peloton heading for 20km to go. With a big chase group unable to make any inroads it was increasingly clear that one of the those out front would win.<\/p>\n<p>Narv\u00e1ez was the most recognized climber and began turning the screw inside 12km to go. This dropped Bjerg and then Leknessund. While the latter did take some time back on the descent, a 12 second gap with 3.5km to go started to go in the other direction on the wall-like climb towards the finish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the end it was about the legs,\u201d Narv\u00e1ez said.<\/p>\n<p>Leknessund saw it the same way. \u201cHe was stronger in the end. Kind of as expected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Behind, <em>maglia rosa<\/em> Alfonso Eul\u00e1lio attacked on the final climb in a bid to pad his advantage over Jonas Vingegaard. The Dane contained the Bahrain-Victorious rider and also did the same when former Giro champion Jai Hindley launched a move inside the tough final kilometer.<\/p>\n<p>Eul\u00e1lio conceded two seconds but is still 3:15 ahead of Vingegaard before Sunday\u2019s summit finish at Corno alle Scale. Given the severity of the final climb, though, his ongoing race leadership is far from certain.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"width:100%;border:none;display:block\" title=\"Script Content\" async=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"fp-remove fp-remove\" type=\"iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/www.procyclingstats.com\/clients\/velo\/results.php?id=324078&amp;key=b09f5sd65sdf23jas33gs8a6e\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/giro-ditalia-stage-8-results-narvaez\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Second victory of this year\u2019s Giro for Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez, who aces daunting stage finale. Listen to this articleListen UAE Team Emirates &#8211; XRG rider Jhonatan Narvaez wins stage 8 of the Giro d&#8217;Italia (Photo: Luca Bettini \/ AFP) (Photo: LUCA BETTINI) Updated May 16, 2026 10:04AM UAE Emirates-XRG showed it is turning the page after [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":120745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120744"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120744"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120744\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}