Giro d’Italia 2024

Stage 9 – Avezzano > Naples (214km)

Sun 12th May | Scheduled start: 12:00 CET

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Stage 8 Result

1st Tadej Pogačar (7/2F)

2nd Dani Martínez (25/1)

3rd Ben O’Connor (40/1)

4th Antonio Tiberi (100/1)

Stage 8 Bets

Dani Martínez 1pt each way (4 places) @25/1 – 2nd

Antonio Tiberi 0.5pts each way (4 places) @100/1 – 4th

Giulio Pellizzari 1pt each way (4 places) @16/1

Georg Steinhauser 1pt each way (4 places) @25/1

Max Schachmann 0.5pts each way (4 places) @40/1

Jan Tratnik 0.5pts each way (4 places) @80/1

Steinhauser made the break but the presence of GC threats Bardet and Storer doomed it. A limited amount of time was going to be forged on the relatively shallow gradients, so UAE set up the sprint for Pogačar who took his third stage win of the Giro. I thought Martínez could push Pogačar a bit closer but still, a good second and an excellent fourth for Tiberi at a big price made it a good day overall.

Stage 9 Preview

A long stage of 214km on the way to Napoli with a challenging final 40km that includes plenty of lumps and bumps. The first 60km are largely downhill which isn’t ideal terrain for a breakaway to form but, with the right constituents, it does have a chance of going all the way.

There’s a final kicker (2.8km at 4.8%) that tops out about 7km from home, followed by a descent and then a flat 3km run to the line which includes a U-turn under the flamme rouge. Breakaway, late attack or reduced sprint … mmm?

Stage 9 Contenders

Will some sprint teams look to control all day given the difficult final? Alpecin-Deceuninck are the prime candidates, though they didn’t make many friends with their tactics on stage 5 so may have to do it alone.

Many of the sprint teams may hedge their bets by trying to get someone in the break at which point there may not be enough teams to control behind. It’s a difficult one to call and it depends on the make-up of the breakaway, so playing both scenarios is probably a good idea.

Jonathan Milan (3/1; 4.0) looks short given how complicated it could get. He can climb and sprint of course but Lidl-Trek could be vulnerable to a late attack. How about sneaking Jasper Stuyven (80/1; 81.0) in the break just in case?

Kaden Groves (11/2; 6.5) showed on the gravel stage how well he’s going uphill. He’s definitely the best climber out of the fast men. Alpecin-Deceuninck may back him here and look to control.

Quinten Hermans (33/1; 34.0) may be put to work for Groves but getting him up the road wouldn’t be a bad idea either. He’s a punchy climber with a fast finish – perfect.

Filippo Ganna (12/1; 13.0) rolled in dead last on stage 8 - saving his legs to try something here after his near miss in the time trial? Ganna has options to try for the break, contest a reduced sprint, or try a late attack. If it got really selective then fellow Ineos Grenadier Jhonatan Narvaez (25/1; 26.0) may end up being one of the fastest, or he could try something late on.

Olav Kooij (20/1; 21.0) will be fully recovered after his crash on stage 2 and can get over a climb though doesn’t have Christophe Laporte to help him after his DNS on stage 8. His price looks big though.

Caleb Ewan (33/1; 34.0) still seems to be going pretty well, particularly on the climbs, despite not having any results to show for it. Jayco-AlUla also have the option of Luka Mezgec (50/1; 51.0) who finished between Narváez and Hermans in the reduced sprint for the minor places on stage 6.

Laurence Pithie (66/1; 67.0) must’ve come into the Giro with high expectations given his start to the year but hasn’t quite caught fire yet. This is a big chance for him or his Groupama-FDJ teammate Lewis Askey (66/1; 67.0) to get a result.

Andrea Vendrame (40/1; 41.0) made the breakaway on stage 6 but couldn’t stay with the purer climbers. A breakaway is the Italian’s best shot of winning.

Danny van Poppel (70/1; 71.0) is here for Bora-hansgrohe and as a non-pure sprinter would surely have earmarked this stage.

Simon Clarke (80/1; 81.0) needs a Giro win to complete his Grand Tour set and is sure to try something here.

It’s best to have options for this one as a reduced sprint, breakaway or late attack could win out.

Stage 9 Bets

Filippo Ganna 1pt win @12/1

Olav Kooij 1pt each way (3 places) @20/1

Quinten Hermans 0.5pts each way (4 places) @40/1

Danny van Poppel 0.5pts each way (4 places) @66/1

Posted 22:12 BST Sat 11th May 2024

Prices to win the stage are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change - find the best prices available on the Giro d’Italia at Oddschecker

[Giro d’Italia stage profiles reproduced by kind permission of Ben Lowe at Veloviewer.com]

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