News | Giro d'Italia • October 11, 2020
Bjerg 3rd with confident performance to Roccaraso
McNulty also puts in strong ride for 13th spot
The excellent Giro d’Italia performance of rookie Mikkel Bjerg continues with the Dane claiming 3rd place on stage 9. After storming to 3rd place in the inaugural time trial, 9th position in Vieste and having put in a lot of work for the team in the other stages, the 21-year-old Dane underlined his good condition on the tough uphill finish from San Salvo to Roccaraso (208 km).
The UAE Team Emirates rider set off in pursuit of 7 riders who had escaped from the peloton and put in a huge effort to make up several minutes between himself and the other breakaway riders. In the finish Bjerg showed excellent condition, taking 3rd place at 58 “ from the winner , the Portuguese climber Ruben Guerrero (Ef) and 50 ”from 2nd place of Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos-Grenadier).
A convincing performance also for Brandon McNulty, who reached the finish line with the best climbers from the group of general classification favourites: on the ramp up to the finish line, the group of big names was fragmented and McNulty was able to find his rhythm to come home in 13th place.
The general classification is still led by Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick Step), while McNulty still holds 18th place (+ 2’45 ”).
Bjerg: “I’m really proud of my performance today. The plan was to get ahead of the peloton so that Brandon could jump across in the final. I managed to bridge across to the breakaway and in the end we had a decent gap and I got the green light from Matxin in the team car to go for a result. I’m super happy I got the chance today and I think I made the most of it.”
Tomorrow the Giro d’Italia 2020 will have its first rest day before resuming on Tuesday.
Stage 9 results
1. Ruben Guerrero (EF) 5:41:20
2. Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos-Grenadier) +8 ”
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) +58 ”
General classification after the 9th stage
1. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick Step) 35:35:50
2. Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) +30 ”
3. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-McLaren) +39 ”
18. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) + 2’45 “
