Jonas Vingegaard takes a second mountain top victory at stage 9 of the Giro d'Italia

Jonas Vingegaard secured his second mountain top victory of the 2026 Giro d’Italia by winning stage 9, a demanding route featuring two significant climbs culminating at Corno alle Scala. The decisive moment came in the final kilometre when Vingegaard launched a powerful attack to drop Felix Gall, who had earlier surged ahead with the Dane in tow. Vingegaard’s teammate Davide Piganzoli also impressed, finishing third, while the race leader Afonso Eulálio retained the maglia rosa, albeit with a reduced lead of 2 minutes and 24 seconds. The stage unfolded with an early breakaway of multiple riders, but the peloton, led by Decathlon CMA CGM, kept the gap manageable in pursuit of a stage win. Giulio Ciccone appeared poised for victory after bridging to the breakaway and leading into the final 2.5 kilometres, but the dynamics shifted when Giulio Pelizzari, a key GC contender from Red Bull-Bora hansgrohe, was dropped. This prompted a reaction from both Visma-Lease a Bike and Decathlon CMA CGM, ultimately setting the stage for Gall’s attack and Vingegaard’s decisive counter. Vingegaard credited his team’s tactical efforts and the strength of his rival’s move for setting up his winning attack. He acknowledged that while his team initially did not plan to contest the stage win, they adapted quickly when Decathlon showed intent. “My teammates did a super good job,” Vingegaard said, reflecting on the final climb where he seized the opportunity to break clear and claim the victory. The outcome of stage 9 highlights the ongoing battle for the general classification, with Eulálio’s lead narrowing and several contenders demonstrating their climbing prowess. With Monday scheduled as a rest day, teams will have time to regroup and reassess strategies ahead of the next stages, where mountain terrain is expected to continue shaping the race. Vingegaard’s performance reinforces his status as a key favourite and adds further intrigue to the unfolding Giro d’Italia.