Wout van Aert, having gone through a tough season of near misses and doubts about his ability to win big races, came out on top by claiming the ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia in Siena. The Belgian cyclist beat Isaac del Toro in a thrilling two-up sprint after the final climb into the Piazza del Campo. The duo had broken away from the leading group with 15km to go, tackling the challenging roads reminiscent of the Strade Bianche classic.
Del Toro, representing UAE Team Emirates, was visibly disappointed at missing out on the stage win. However, he can take solace in becoming the first Mexican rider to wear the coveted leader’s pink jersey. Van Aert, acknowledging del Toro’s strong performance, shared in his post-race interview, “I felt a bit bad not pulling too much with him, but hey, he’s also a competitor for my teammate, Simon Yates, so I let him do the work. Still, it was a close call to beat him.”
The 181-kilometre stage proved to be a disaster for most riders, with the iconic white-dirt sterrato roads of Tuscany wreaking havoc at the Giro. The race was blown apart as several top contenders lost significant time due to crashes and punctures. Kaden Groves initiated the action by joining a breakaway, establishing a lead of around 90 seconds. However, chaos ensued as the peloton hit the gravel with 68km left, setting off a chain of events that reshaped the standings. Michael Storer’s slide-out on a gravel sector was just the beginning, with pre-race favorite Primož Roglič involved in a heavy crash alongside other riders, resulting in a disastrous day for the Slovenian.
Van Aert’s victory holds special significance for him after a period of setbacks following a knee injury in 2024. The Belgian had faced mounting pressure from the media, enduring narrow defeats in previous races before triumphing in the Giro. Del Toro now leads the overall standings, followed closely by his teammate Juan Ayuso and Antonio Tiberi from Bahrain Victorious. The race will take a break on Monday before the riders tackle a 28.6km individual time trial between Lucca and Pisa on Tuesday, setting the stage for further drama and surprises in the competition.