Ireland's Ben Healy and his Trinity Racing team put Baby Giro race leader, Juan Ayuso, under pressure on the penultimate stage yesterday, though the Spanish teenager weathered the storm.
The 167.1km stage 9 from Cavalese to Nevegal included two passages of the 11.7km climb of Nevegal, with an average gradient of 4.5 per cent. In total, there were over 3,000 metres of climbing on the day.
While the main action unfold on the Nevegal climb, race leader Ayuso (Colpack Ballan) came down in a crash before then. His fall, just after the halfway point of the stage, also claimed Healy's team mate Thomas Gloag, though both riders were able to continue.
Ultima Tappa di montagna. La sfida per la vittoria e quella per la Maglia Rosa. Guarda il Best Of della tappa 9.
Last mountain Stage. The struggle for the stage win and the Maglia Rosa. Watch now Stage 9 Best Of.#girogiovani2021 pic.twitter.com/PO0aqP4FNv— Giro d'Italia Giovani Under 23 (@giroditaliau23) June 11, 2021
Team DSM Development were on the front at the time but knocked off the pace to allow the injured riders get back into the group, before the field raced on towards the final climbs.
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On the first passage of the Nevegal climb Irish champion Healy took up the pace-setting in a bid to put maglia rosa Ayuso under pressure. Healy was riding for team mate Gloag who was 4th overall starting this morning.
And while the peloton had already long been significantly whittled down, the pace on the Nevegal saw the front group reduced further to little more than 20 riders.
Healy stuck to the front as the group passed through the finish line for the first time before the riders raced on for a final 30km loop, down the descent and back up the climb again.
The second ascent was where all the action took place, with attacks being thrown in and Gloag putting in a dig late in the stage. However, it was Yannis Voisard (Swiss Racing Academy) who timed his effort to perfection; jumping clear and getting a gap to win.
The front group had split to pieces on the climb and race leader Ayuso took 2nd place just two seconds down on the winner. Gloag was 6th at 10 seconds and Healy placed 25th at 1:56 after working for his team mate.
Heading into the final day of racing today, which is a mainly flat stage, Ayuso has a tight grip on the race lead and he leads all of the classifications. His nearest challenger on the GC, Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Dare Development), is 2:55 down.
Trinity Racing's Gloag retained his 4th overall yesterday, at 4:01, with Ireland's Healy now in 15th at 11:37 but with one more chance today to try for a stage win having already been 2nd and 3rd on stages.
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