But if he ever gathers the courage, the town of Savignano sul Rubicone in Italy where the river is reckoned to pass – there are doubts about which river is the historical Rubicon – would give him a warm reception "We do get tourist groups and had some British tourists a year ago but more would be welcome," said a town hall official on Friday Crowds are thinner on the ground today than in 49BC when Julius Caesar showed up with 50,000 soldiers and famously crossed the river on his way to seize power in Rome served as a boundary between the Roman Republic and its provinces further north and law dictated that any general crossing the river back into the Republic gave up his command he was guilty of treason and faced the death penalty keeping his troops by his side and knowing he would either conquer Rome or be killed Caesar said: "The die has been cast." Because local rivers changed courses over the centuries doubts lingered over which one was the Rubicon until that latter day emperor Benito Mussolini decided it was the river flowing through Savignano by /// February 2 you happened to be confronted with the world of Latin Rubicone is nothing more than the name of a river a short torrential watercourse of about 35/40 km that originates and dies out in Romagna flowing from its spring in the backcountry of Sogliano to its mouth in the Adriatic Sea The Rubicone river is not a particularly relevant geographic element in Romagna To follow its course means seeing first-hand some of the most characteristic aspects of this territory the passion for sports and cycling; and finally nature with its magnificent hilly landscapes overlooking the Adriatic Sea The journey to the discovery of this territory develops in plain The landscape changes as you move towards the backcountry The wide valley of the river perfectly integrates with the plain creating a landscape punctuated by orchards; on the surrounding hills small medieval towns dominating the territory and enriching it with colours and traditions You can easily cover this itinerary by car or motorbike, but it is also very beautiful on a bike. Part of this area is indeed crossed by the famous cycling race Nove Colli and it is not difficult to find many sportspeople climbing and descending from the slopes of these marvellous hills at weekends Our tour starts from the Adriatic Sea. Here is the mouth of the Rubicone river, thus separating the towns of Gatteo and San Mauro Mare these two small beach towns stand out for their hospitality and services The best time to visit them is undoubtedly summertime but wintertime can offer interesting views and relaxing strolls by the sea Bike lovers can enjoy a loop trail along this stretch of coastline starting from the skyscraper of Cesenatico to the mouth of the Rubicone river Lost among plain fields of the Romagna backcountry, the town of San Mauro Pascoli is not far from the mouth of the Rubicone river After a long sequence of events throughout history, this town owes the fortune of its recent history on the one hand to poet Giovanni Pascoli who was born here between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th; on the other to a flourishing footwear industry that was able to attract some of the most important labels of Italian high fashion Worth a visit are: Casa Pascoli, which contains Giovanni Pascoli’s memory, life and poetics; and Villa Torlonia – integral part of Parco Poesia Pascoli – today home to conferences temporary exhibitions and to Museo Multimediale Pascolino According to the tradition, it was right near Savignano sul Rubicone that Julius Caesar exclaimed his well-known “alea iacta est” in 49 BC (traditionally translated with “the die is cast”) going beyond the course of the river with his troops Today, Savignano is a small town characterised by a tiny historical centre located along the path of Via Emilia The Roman bridge is undoubtedly the city’s most famous monument, along with the Abbey of San Giovanni in Compìto and Museo archeologico del Compìto with many artefacts found in the area around the town Since 1992, Savignano has also been the capital of international photography thanks to SI-Fest one of the most important festivals at national level offering every year a rich programme of exhibitions all around the historical centre and much more Suspended between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines, Sogliano al Rubicone is a nice town in the heart of Romagna Among the many reasons to visit it, his excellent food and wine tradition particularly stands out. Sogliano is famous for its delicious Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano PDO that is prepared and aged every year in ancient cavities around the historical centre it is possible to sense the smell of fresh cheese as well as the one of other specialties that fully draw from the typical Romagna tradition Sogliano is a very active centre from a cultural point of view fairs and festivals rich in fragrances and taste all year round Among the places that are surely worth a visit, we recommend Palazzo della Cultura “Marcosanti-Ripa” with its five interesting permanent exhibitions: Collezione Veggiani Starting from Sogliano, you can get up to the spring of the Rubicone river. Thanks to a loop trail that can be covered on food mountain bike or on horseback (about 4,5 hours) from which you can enjoy a view from the Apennines to the Romagna coastline Small, actually very small. Montetiffi is a hamlet of Sogliano Apart from its characteristic medieval historical centre, this hamlet preserves an ancient art, the production of terracotta trays for the cooking of piadina romagnola Borghi is a small town on the hills surrounding Sogliano al Rubicone It offers stunning views on the whole territory which is rich in castles and strongholds located within a short distance of each other Don’t miss the centre of San Giovanni in Galilea with its Museo Renzi and Sagra del Bustrengh in May a fair dedicated to a traditional Romagna pie Roncofreddo is a small hill town guarding the northern part the valley of the Rubicone river, located just 17 km away from Cesena. We recommend a stroll in its particular historical centre and a stop in the nearby towns of Sorrivoli and Monteleone Overlooking the valley of the Rubicone river and surrounded by vines, olive and fruit trees, the town of Longiano (which has been awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club) is characterised by nice alleys panoramic points and a majestic medieval castle giving anyone deciding to visit it interesting cultural and cooking surprises Montiano is a small town on the hills around Cesena olive and fruit trees just as the nearby Longiano overlooking and filling up the whole town with its peculiar heart shape Davide Marino was born archaeologist but ended up doing other things by /// November 6 by /// September 7 by /// November 11 an email (in Italian) with selected contents and upcoming events by /// June 29 by /// August 6 by /// September 28 For information, contact us: inemiliaromagna@aptservizi.com A man carries an inflatable dingy past flood-damaged debris after flooding in Faenza in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy Photo: © Francesca Volpi/Bloomberg via Getty Images A true apocalypse of slime, death, homelessness and billions of euros' worth of damage: this is the situation in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, which is facing its worst flooding in a century. At least 13 people have died so far and more than 10,000 have been displaced. Currently, 42 municipalities in the region are affected by the flooding. Twenty-three rivers and streams have been flooded and large sections of the A14 motorway between Faenza and Forlì are under water, as are towns and cities including Cesena, Bagnacavallo, Savignano sul Rubicone, Santarcangelo di Romagna, Lugo and Ravenna. In the coastal cities of Rimini and Riccione the lidos that were ready for the start of the summer season have been completely devastated. For now, it is difficult to ascertain the damage to historical monuments. In Forlì, where homes and shops have been destroyed, the exhibition The Art of Fashion at the San Domenico Museums has been closed for three days, although the venue avoided any damage from the floods and heavy rain. All the museums in Faenza have been closed, including the Museum of Ceramics and Palazzo Milzetti. Elena Rossoni, the director of the Palazzo Milzetti, says the museum was “barely touched” by the water that reached Faenza’s historic centre. “We are monitoring the situation, but the water did not quite reach the museum,” she says. In Faenza, the heavy rain at the beginning of May had already caused extensive damage to the historic Bottega d'arte ceramica Gatti. In Bologna, a river of water was running along Via dell'Archiginnasio in front of the historic library and Palazzo Re Enzo yesterday. The Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna was closed on 17 and 18 May but due to reopen today. “This was decided by the head of the municipality's culture department to allow restoration activities after the emergency situations that had arisen in various parts of the city. Many employees worked from home,” says its director. Also in Bologna, the Genus Bononiae museums remained open but events were cancelled, including a presentation of a newly acquired painting, Ludovico Carracci's Holy Family with Saints John, Ursula and Matthias, which was planned for 18 May at the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna. Also in the capital, libraries and some roads along the hills were closed due to the risk of landslides. news24 February 2020Mass museum shutdown in northern Italy—including Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Fondazione Prada—as coronavirus spreadsPublic and private institutions in Venice Milan and Turin will stay closed for at least a week as more than 200 cases of Covid-2019 are confirmed news24 May 2024Italy seizes Giuseppe Verdi's villa and plans to turn it into a museumThe 19th-century property where the Italian composer wrote 'La Traviata' Remco Evenepoel wears the pink jersey of the race overall leader as he celebrates on podium after winning the 9th stage of the Giro D'Italia an individual time trial from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena Pre-race favorite Remco Evenepoel won another time trial to move back into the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday Italy — Pre-race favorite Remco Evenepoel won another time trial to move back into the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday but he later had to withdraw after testing positive for the coronavirus Evenepoel won by the slightest of margins on stage nine — the longest of the race’s three individual time trials “I am really sorry to be leaving the race,” Evenepoel said The rest of the team and staff were tested and were all negative beat Geraint Thomas by just one second on the almost entirely flat 35-kilometer (22-mile) route from Savignano Sul Rubicone to Cesena near the Adriatic coast photos and videos about your favorite New York teams in your inbox every morning By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy That was enough for Evenepoel to win the stage and take back the leader’s pink jersey The world champion was 45 seconds ahead of Thomas who was considered Evenepoel’s strongest challenger “I don’t think I paced it very well," Evenepoel said "I started too fast and my second part wasn’t that great I found some better legs in the technical part because I could recover a bit wife of Belgium's cyclist Remco Evenepoel celebrates with Evenepoel's mother Agna Van Eeckhout after the 9th stage of the Giro D'Italia “I wasn’t feeling too well in the second part with the head wind It’s another stage win but it wasn’t my best time trial.” Thomas moved into the overall lead after Evenepoel withdrew Tao Geoghegan Hart was third in the time trial Just eight seconds separated the top five finishers in a strong performance from the general classification contenders Monday is the Giro’s first rest day before Tuesday’s 10th stage There are two categorized climbs in the rolling 196-kilometer route through the Tuscan Apennines from Scandiano to Viareggio on the Mediterranean coast Belgium's Remco Evenepoel starts the 9th stage of the Giro D'Italia The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Stage 9: Savignano sul Rubicone - Cesena (Technogym Village) Tudor ITT Stage 9 profile(Image credit: RCS Sport)Stage 9 map(Image credit: RCS Sport)The Giro d'Italia opening week concludes with a potentially race-defining 35km from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena This lengthy individual time trial of the Giro was one of the factors that persuaded Remco Evenepoel to return to the corsa rosa this year and the world champion will look to replicate the performance he delivered in Alicante at a similar juncture on last year’s Vuelta a España In putting almost a minute into Primož Roglič there Evenepoel put himself in pole position to carry the maillot rojo to Madrid A similar performance here would be a crucial step on the path to donning the maglia rosa in Rome The route is perfectly flat and the course is far from technical Sheer power and smart aerodynamics will be the key factors in a stage where there is no hiding place whatsoever it will certainly be the most critical stage so far in the general classification Evenepoel came to Italy to reconnoitre the time trial in November and he declared himself encouraged by what he had seen The 35km run from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena is almost entirely flat and devoid of any particularly demanding corners though the expected wet weather adds an unwelcome layer of complication to the parcours.  it’s going to be more difficult,”  Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) warned who enters the stage as a potential favourite However, in the absence of time trial specialist Filippo Ganna, who left the race with COVID-19 on Saturday it's hard to see anyone other than an in-form Evenepoel as the most serious contender Given his spills on the road over the last week and his struggles in the mountain yesterday We have compiled the full set of Giro d'Italia stage 9 time trial start times and will be covering the stage on our live blog Evenepoel had led Thomas by 45 seconds in the general classification I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Geraint Thomas assumed the race lead at the Giro d’Italia as Remco Evenepoel was forced to withdraw from the competition after testing positive for Covid-19 hours after reclaiming the pink jersey. Evenepoel dramatically edged out Thomas by a single second in the stage nine time trial on Sunday, but the 23-year-old world champion’s hopes were then dashed by a routine Covid test. “I am really sorry to be leaving the race,” the Soudal Quick-Step rider told his team’s website. “As part of the team’s protocol, I took a routine test, which unfortunately was positive. My experience here has been really special and I was looking forward to competing over the next two weeks. “I can’t thank enough the staff and the riders who sacrificed so much in preparation for the Giro. I will be cheering them on over the next two weeks.” Rigoberto Uran of the EF Education-EasyPost team has also withdrawn due to a positive Covid test. Thomas looked to have done enough to win the time trial when he beat fellow Briton and Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart by one second in the 35-kilometre race from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena on Sunday afternoon. But Evenepoel flew out of the traps and, despite appreciably slowing after the first time check, the Belgian had enough in the tank to pip Thomas by crossing the line in 41 minutes and 24 seconds. Victory had put Evenepoel, who had led the general classification for the first three stages, 45 seconds ahead of Thomas. “I don’t think I paced it very well,” Evenepoel said after the race race. “I started too fast and my second part wasn’t that great. “I found some better legs in the technical part because I could recover a bit. I wasn’t feeling too well in the second part with the head wind. It’s another stage win, but it wasn’t my best time trial.” Thomas reflected ruefully on his fourth runner-up finish in the event’s time trial, having come second twice in 2012 and once in 2017. “It’s nice to be getting better, but to be so close to the win kind of hurts,” he said. “A few too many seconds for my liking, but it’s good to be in it anyway. Myself and Teo right up there looks good for the next part of the race.” Team Jumbo–Visma rider Primoz Roglic sits behind Thomas in the general classification, with Geoghegan Hart in third. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"SEI155919750.jpg","description":"Cycling - Giro d'Italia - Stage 9 - Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena Tudor ITT - Italy - May 14, 2023 INEOS Grenadiers' Geraint Thomas in action during the individual time trial REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini","caption":"Geraint Thomas now leads the Giro Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks The company specialized in the cultivation and marketing of fennel is located in Savignano sul Rubicone (Forlì-Cesena) and represents an important step on the entrepreneurial path of Marco Babbi and Vittorio Caligari "We started this adventure more than 14 years ago and over time we have become more and more specialized sometimes even growing in a very tumultuous way The new processing and packaging center is exactly what we needed." The new complex is almost 4000 meters2 in size a greater efficiency in processing and yield and and a commitment to respect the environment through energy and water savings The capacity of the cold store is 14,000 cubic meters The processed product per year is about 7,000 tons Approximately 70 employees are employed at the new location Everything has been built with the company's own financial resources The area where the fennel is processed and packed the internal logistics organization and the new processing line we have a processing potential that is 50% higher than before," said Babbi "The entire refrigerated supply chain is respected and each individual package can be traced from the field to the point of sale Our company has all the necessary certificates to export abroad and our partner growers are all certified as well we export more than 60% of our production" The new processing and packaging center was designed with an emphasis on sustainability thanks to the lighting and the materials utilized to the generation of energy by means of 150 kw photovoltaic panels Rainwater is reused for sustainable irrigation and non-food purposes while vegetable washing water is recycled several times All vegetable waste is sent to a biogas plant.  "The sorting machine was built to a prototype designed to meet our needs," said Caligari "Some solutions have been pioneered in the processing and selection of fennel We were well aware of our needs and made a decisive contribution to the final design." The company Caligari & Babbi also takes care of the production In addition to 25 hectares of fennel grown by the company itself there are about 500 hectares of fennel available from the affiliated partner growers who are located in the most suitable areas of Italy research and knowledge represent the key elements for the cultivation of fennel The same variety can give extremely different results depending on its location and agronomic techniques We work with growers who have been our suppliers for many years now and who are all certified according to our standards." where process optimization is possible thanks to the processing of traffic flows and collected digital data Everything is under analytical control and that would not have been possible in the old building in which the two partners laid Finò's first foundations in 2006 "We are very grateful to all our employees and all our customers from the large-scale distribution (Italian and foreign) to the wholesalers on the markets for the trust they have placed in us over the years We will continue to invest to not only keep up with the times but also to look ahead to innovations," concluded Caligari and Babbi Contact:Caligari & Babbi srlVia Pietà, 77Savignano su Rubicone (FC)Phone.: +39 0541 942599Email: [email protected]Website: www.finocchioitaliano.com FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 HortiDaily.com Join us for news headlines and live updates from the Giro d'Italia Hello and welcome to another Cycling Weekly live blog. It's Sunday, but there's no rest for the Giro d'Italia peloton as they take on the second of the three individual time trials at this year's race.  I'll be providing live updates from stage nine's 35km race against the clock The top 10 on GC start rolling out from 3pm make sure you're back and showered by then.  If you want to get in touch with me, don't hesitate to reach out through Twitter - my handle is @t_davidson.  09:57 - Important ITT start times for stage nine of the Giro d'Italia 10:37 - Why Filippo Ganna isn't in today's time trial 11:05 - Primož Roglič Covid rumours 11:34 - Tour de Hongrie final stage neutralised due to weather conditions 11:57 - Giro d'Italia ITT course in detail 12:15 - Live updates from stage nine of the Giro d'Italia 16:07 - Remco Evenepoel wins Giro d'Italia stage nine Today's ninth stage at the Giro d'Italia offers a 35km time trial between Savignano sul Rubicone and Cesena there are a lot of tricky corners to deal with which will no doubt be made more difficult by the rain that's currently falling over the region.  Here are some of the key start times (BST) to look out for when the stage gets underway this afternoon The riders will roll out in order of where they stand in the general classification with pink-jersey-wearer Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) off last.  For a complete list of the start times, visit this page collated by our sister site Cyclingnews.  we won't see the Italian tricolour in today's individual time trial as Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) had to withdraw from the race ahead of yesterday's stage.  The two-time world champion returned a positive Covid test said: "Filippo will now rest and recover fully before resuming his remaining 2023 race programme."  Since 2020, Ganna has won five individual time trials at the Giro d'Italia, a record bettered by nobody in recent years. He came second on stage one 22 seconds down on Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) Primož Roglič has been planting seeds of doubt about his condition at the Giro d'Italia jokingly telling his rivals that he has Covid.  when the Slovenian attacked the GC group and gained 14 seconds on Evenepoel Geraint Thomas told the press: "Not bad for a guy with Covid I go home.' And then he goes and wins by ten minutes Asked by Cyclingnews if there is any truth in Roglič's Covid whispers Jumbo-Visma sports director Addy Engels said: "To be honest because I don't know anything about this rumour."  Another member of staff was more frank with Cyclingnews The fifth and final stage of the Tour de Hongrie has been neutralised due to adverse weather conditions.  with Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) declared the winner and 21-year-old Brit Ben Tulett (Ineos Grenadiers) the runner-up.  The riders will complete eight laps of a rain-drenched circuit in Budapest "for the fans".  A statement from the race organisers read: "After ongoing discussions with the teams due to the weather conditions and the slippery track that comes with it the 5th Stage of Tour de Hongrie is neutralized The riders will do 8 laps around the circuit for the fans The neutralized stage 5 started. 8 laps (75 km) to go. #TourdeHongrie pic.twitter.com/zNEyFwKojbMay 14, 2023 With less than 20 minutes to go until the stage starts let's take a closer look at today's individual time trial course.  the route will see the riders climb just 50m as they power between Savignano sul Rubicone and Cesena in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region with more than one corner per kilometre.  Aero expert Xavier Disley has written up a handy thread on Twitter detailing that the wet weather conditions and long headwind sections are likely to play a key role.  and the ability to deal with the different conditions will affect the results significantly," Disley predicts and we may see a couple of upsets here and there."  Something else I've spotted on Twitter is a head-to-head guide of ITT results between Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel According to the data gathered by Eurosport/GCN commentator Dan Lloyd Roglič has come out on top more often Today's stage should make for an exciting contest.  Roglič and Evenepoel have ridden a total of 173.05km of the same professional ITTs. Total time Roglič: 3h29m07s Total time Evenepoel: 3h28m45sRoglič has beaten Evenepoel 4 of the 6 times.One of them has been the winner of all but 1 (World's 2019).#Giro pic.twitter.com/ES5kGMQUQ7May 14, 2023 The second time trial of this year's Giro d'Italia is underway Serbian rider Veljko Stojnić (Corratec-Selle Italia) is the first rider out on the course by virtue of being last in the general classification.  The big guns will start their assaults from 3pm BST The feeling is that Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) will need a small miracle if he is to hold onto the race lead this afternoon.  "I hope [my pink jersey] will give me some extra watts," he said before the stage Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: The rain is pouring in Savignano sul Rubicone Weather forecasts suggest it might clear up later on but it's unlikely any rider will enjoy a dry run today.  Nice weather for ducks 🦆 #Giro pic.twitter.com/jDjRsQ44GHMay 14, 2023 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: The riders are currently setting off at one-minute intervals but there will be three-minute gaps between the top 15.  The fastest riders should stop the clock around the 40-minute mark Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Stojnić averaged just under 46km/h to the first time check It goes without saying that we won't be seeing the same speeds today as we did in the opening day ITT in which Evenepoel rode at over 55km/h.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Dan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo) is the first rider across the line in Cesena having tagged both his minute man and his two-minute man.  He clocks 44-47 and will now enjoy a stint in the hot seat.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: The pictures aren't really doing it justice Here's Davide Ballerini (Soudal Quick-Step) trying to get back to the bus as quickly as possible.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) is home safe and sound After crashing three times already at this year's Giro d'Italia tomorrow's rest day couldn't come sooner for the British national champion.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: There's a Brit in the hot seat! Quarterman sets a new fastest time of 44-15 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: The times are getting faster Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo) and Edoardo Affini (Jumbo-Visma) look on pace to topple Quarterman Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Affini goes into the stage lead with a 42-41 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) has dropped his chain It won't be a huge concern for the Australian but it's a warning sign to the GC favourites There are some bumpy cobbled sections on the route.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Michael Hepburn (Jayco AlUla) knocks four seconds off Affini's best time Expect a game of musical chairs in the hot seat over the next hour and a half.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: This flat course favours the most powerful riders in the peloton Could it bring a stage win for Groupama-FDJ's Stefan Küng The former European champion rolls out in 20 minutes.  F O C U S pic.twitter.com/thmSkUzWKfMay 14, 2023 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: From what I can make out, the rain has stopped falling in Cesena. Just in time for yesterday's stage winner Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Jasha Sütterlin (Bahrain Victorious) comes close to dethroning Hepburn Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Hepburn leads no longer Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) edges the benchmark closer to 42 minutes Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Küng means business The Swiss rider has thundered to the first time check clocking an average speed of 52km/h.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Just 20 riders still to roll down the ramp in Savignano sul Rubicone They'll soon start to go at three-minute intervals.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Turns out it's less of a hot seat Hot seat 🔥 @BaukeMollema 🇳🇱#Giro #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/G19rNOzA3oMay 14, 2023 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Here's your top three as things stand There's less than 10 minutes until the top 10 start coming.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) becomes the first rider to go sub-42 minutes his team-mate Küng knocks another four seconds off the best time A very strong performance from the Swiss powerhouse.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: In nine years racing at WorldTour level Küng has never won a Grand Tour stage.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Ineos Grenadiers duo Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas have both set off The Brits bunnyhopped their way up the GC yesterday Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Despite the wet conditions and slippery cobbled sections there have been no crashes on today's stage (as far as I'm aware).  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) rolls out Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Here's Primož Roglič Can he claw back some seconds on Remco Evenepoel Or will it be damage limitation for the Jumbo-Visma rider?  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) rolls down the ramp The world champion could be swapping his rainbow bands for the pink jersey in under an hour's time.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: And here's the final rider Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Geoghegan Hart beats Küng's time to the first time check An average speed of 52km/h for the 2020 race winner.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Now Thomas goes faster than Geoghegan Hart This next 40 minutes is going to be wild.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Here's the moment Evenepoel set off 🔥 @EvenepoelRemco - @soudalquickstep #Giro #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/LjBS2cT9eVMay 14, 2023 Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Roglič is 20 seconds down on Thomas at the first time check Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Evenepoel has thundered to the first time check Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: A very impressive ride from Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) The Italian clocks a 42-06 for a provisional fourth place but the big guns are still to reach Cesena Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Tao Geoghegan Hart continues his blistering pace to the third time check Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Thomas and Geoghegan Hart are on almost identical times and are riding themselves further and further up the general classification Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Almeida's losing time here He's 35 seconds off the Thomas-Geoghan Hart pace.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Geoghegan Hart crosses the line with a 41-26 His stint in the hot seat might only last a few minutes Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Roglič is coming back He's managed to regain four seconds on Evenepoel Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Thomas topples Geoghegan Hart by one second! 41-25 is the new time to beat.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Leknessund will almost certainly be losing the maglia rosa today Let's take a moment to admire the pink jersey in action this afternoon.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Hold the front page Evenepoel is down on Thomas at the final time check by a fraction of a second.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Roglič clocks 41-41 over the line An admirable comeback from the Slovenian who crossed the first time check 31 seconds in arrears.  Giro d'Italia 2023 stage nine: Evenepoel does it The pink jersey will be going home with the Belgian for tomorrow's rest day.  That's all for today's live blog. Here's my report from stage nine of the Giro d'Italia including what Evenepoel had to say after his victory.  slips to sixth in the general classification.  Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Evenepoel beats Geraint Thomas by a single second Evenepoel could hardly celebrate what was to be his biggest chance of putting a large chunk of time into his rivals, although he managed to gain a more respectable 17 seconds on Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) He won the stage and as expected, moved back into the maglia rosa as Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) came through in 19th "Today was maybe not my best TT but still I gave it all," Leknessund said after the race finish "It was super cool to be the last guy to start in the Giro I lost the jersey but I'm super proud of the time I've had in the pink I'm not disappointed about losing it today Leknessund saw an opportunity amid the loss of the race lead "So far it's been a good Giro for the breakaways," he said "It's something I prefer for the next two weeks There's still more to come and I look forward to the last stages." while Lekneussund remained in a respectable sixth at 1:07 on the same time as the Portuguese rider "I think I didn't pace it very well," Evenepoel admitted "I started way too fast and my second part was a really bad part I found some better legs because I could recover a bit But in the second part with the headwind I wasn't feeling too well It's another stage win so that's very nice but it was not the best time trial that I ever did I think we should just be happy that we took the stage win again and that we have the pink jersey Monday's rest day couldn't come soon enough for the Soudal-Quickstep leader who will have three stages before his next major mountain test at Crans-Montana.  "It's pretty good to go into the mountains with that advantage," Evenepoel said "For sure Ineos will have some plans to attack me but we have a strong team Tomorrow I need to recover really well because I think the last two days weren't my best days We should try to recover well and try to enjoy today's victory." A nervous peloton lined up to traverse the rain-soaked and technical 35-kilometre time trial from Savignano sul Rubicone to nearby Cesena a flat course but one sodden with standing water Hepburn's average speed of 49.28kph would not prove to be quick enough with the Giro d'Italia general classification on the line The Australian seemed to have found the sweet spot in terms of pacing as Jasha Sütterlin (Bahrain Victorious) was quicker in the first and second intermediate check but faded in the last stretch falling just shy of landing in the hot seat Armirail beat Mollema's time by 51 seconds but was rapidly surpassed by Küng who was 4 seconds quicker the general classification contenders took to the course and soon began to eclipse the Swiss rider's effort Geraint Thomas (Ineos) enhanced his status as a GC contender with a stunning fastest first split Thomas' teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart was also on a respectable pace when Evenepoel came through the check it was clear that he would soon be back in the maglia rosa on the back of his superior time-trialing skills He passed the first check 11 seconds faster than Thomas,  despite looking solid he conceded a massive 31 seconds in the first check alone lost 47 seconds in the same section and it became clear his time in pink would end The sun began to peak through the clouds as Evenepoel passed the halfway point but the wind seemed to pick up and the Belgian champion came through the second check only two seconds faster than Thomas.  Geoghegan Hart came through the finish two seconds faster than Küng to take the hot seat as more drama unfolded behind Thomas went one second quicker at the finish to unseat his teammate while Roglič appeared to be picking up steam and Evenepoel showed signs that he may have gone out to hard João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) gave up 34 seconds to Thomas and slipped down the overall standings Roglič picked up four seconds slower than Evenepoel by the second check It only remained to see how Evenepoel managed the last section of the course His lead at the third check was down to only two seconds quicker than Thomas' time and there was a tense wait to see what the Belgian would do Results powered by FirstCycling she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track Laura has a passion for all three disciplines When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads UCI governance and performing data analysis.