Primoz Roglic Claims Surprise Time-Trial Triumph
Gianluca Brambilla still has the overall lead, but it was Primoz Roglic who was victorious on stage nine of the Giro d'Italia.
OMNISPORT
Primoz Roglic was the unexpected victor of a rain-affected stage nine time trial at the Giro d'Italia as many of the leading contenders struggled with the conditions.
The Team LottoNI-Jumbo rider posted a time of 51 minutes and 45 seconds on the 40-kilometre course, following up his second-placed finish in the opening time trial.
"I didn't expect it, I was just trying to do my best," he said. "In the end, I had some luck with the weather and that was it.
"It was the first time that I had done a time trial of more than 10 kilometres and it was fun."
General classification leader Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx-Quick-Step), winner of stage eight, was impressive once again, but saw his overall lead slashed to a second by team-mate Bob Jungels.
Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha), who was second overall heading into stage nine, saw his challenge hampered by a crash midway through, before he fell once again after changing bikes to deal a severe blow to his GC aspirations.
Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale Pro Cycling) finished four minutes off the lead, while early pacesetter Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Alpecin) managed to haul himself back into the overall top 10.
Matthias Brandle and Vegard Stake Laengen, both of IAM Cycling, rounded off the top three on Sunday, finishing 10 and 17 seconds adrift of Roglic respectively.