Giro 2023 Favourites stage 9: ITT specialists on the flat

fotobureau Cor VosTime trialists are indulged by this Giro. After the ITT on day one, the riders face a long and flat race against the clock just ahead of the first rest day, while the last ITT - stage 20 - is played out in the high mountains. So, something for everone, as long as you like to ride your time trial machine. (Slideshow route/profile)

The route is flat and to get from to A to B - in this case, from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena – bike handling is not an extremely important skill. The lion's share of the route goes straight ahead, so effectually, it's just a matter of pushing those big gears.

The 9th stage is the second of three individual time trials on the Giro. The total amount of racing against the clock adds up to 73.2 kilometres, which is fairly unheard-of in recent Grand Tours. Yet, it inspired the best time trialists in the world to head down to Italy - two time World Champions Filippo Ganna and Rohan Dennis, Olympic Champion Primoz Roglic, vice World Champion Stefan Küng, and Remco Evenepoel (third in last year's ITT at the Worlds).

Unluckily, Ganna is out of contention after testing positive on Covid-19 before the start of stage 8.

Remco Evenepoel was in a class of his own in the first ITT.