Vingegaard conquers Gall in Corno alle Scale battle on Giro stage 9

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) conquered the second mountain-top finish of the Giro d’Italia atop Corno alle Scale to win stage 9.

The Dane was locked in a battle with Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) on the steep gradients to the finish. Gall made the first acceleration with 2.5km remaining, after his Decathlon teammates had worked all day, one which only Vingegaard could match. 

However, Vingegaard landed a right hook on Gall shortly after the flamme rouge, springing from the wheel of the Austrian who could only watch the Dane solo to his second stage victory. 

In the end, the Dane soloed to his second stage 0:12 ahead of Gall while Vingegaard's teammate Davide Piganzoli (Visma | Lease a Bike) took third at 0:34.

Race leader Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain-Victorious) battled superbly to take fifth on the stage, defending his maglia rosa into the second rest day. 

This victory also marks a milestone 50th professional win for Vingegaard. 

Jonas Geens (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF 7 Sabre), Tim Naberman (Picnic PostNL), Sakarias Koller Løland (Uno-X Mobility), Mattia Bais (Polti VisitMalta), Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana), Lorenzo Milesi and Einer Rubio (Movistar) formed the initial breakaway. 

Decathlon CMA CGM took control of setting the tempo in the peloton, with Visma | Lease a Bike also always towards the front. 

With 74km to go, Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) couldn’t resist an attack, and the Italian drew out his compatriot Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana) and cyclocross star Toon Aerts (Lotto-Intermarché). 

At the point of attack, the gap to the breakaway was around the two-minute mark.

The trio quickly bridged the gap and joined the front group with 60km to go. Over the next 30km, there were clear signs that cooperation between the breakaway riders was not optimal.

With 25km to go, the break split with Ciccone, Aerts, Milesi, Rubio, Bais and Ulissi going clear on the lower slopes of the category three Querciola, before Bais was distanced, leaving a quartet at the front. 

Ciccone struck out with 11.6km remaining with the Red Bull KM in the distance. Rubio jumped across to the Italian and took the Red Bull KM. 

From here, the pace in the peloton increased significantly, eating into the advantage of the front duo. Ciccone distanced Rubio with 7.5km to go, with the gap to the peloton almost at the minute mark as the Visma train took shape at the front of the bunch.

Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) found himself at the back of the peloton with 3.5km remaining, and was distanced with 3.3km to go. This led to Decathlon ramping up the pace ahead of the steepest gradients.

Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) launched his attack with 2.4km remaining, with only Vingegaard able to respond, with Thymen Arensman (Netcompany-Ineos) trying to bridge across. 

Ciccone was caught with 1.8km remaining and quickly dropped by the front duo. Vingegaard landed the killer blow on Gall with 0.9km to go and soloed to his second stage win.