2026 Giro d’Italia Stage 5–9 Recap

S5: Multiple Crashes in the Rain as Arrieta Snatches Victory at the Line

On May 13, Stage 5 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia 2026 (Praia a Mare–Potenza) came to an end. The 203km stage featured two climbs and one intermediate sprint, with heavy rain and cold temperatures becoming the defining factors of the race.

A 12-rider breakaway formed early in the stage. As the rain intensified and the roads became increasingly slippery, the peloton eased its chase, allowing the breakaway group to gain a huge advantage.

On the second major climb, UAE Team Emirates rider Arrieta and Bahrain rider Eulalio dropped the rest of the breakaway, setting up a two-man battle for victory.

The final 15km were filled with drama. Arrieta crashed on a downhill corner and later went the wrong way with 2km remaining, while Eulalio also crashed inside the final 5km and had to change bikes. Despite being bruised and exhausted in the storm, both riders fought on.

In the end, Arrieta produced a stunning comeback in the final 50 meters to take the stage win. Although Eulalio missed out on victory, his large time advantage earned him both the pink and white jerseys. Magnier retained the purple jersey, while Sevilla kept the blue jersey.

S6: Chaos in Naples Sprint as Ballerini Takes Advantage

On May 14, Stage 6 (Paestum–Naples) covered 141.8km with one climb and one sprint point. After several rainy stages, riders finally raced under sunny skies, setting the stage for a bunch sprint.

A 12-rider breakaway was controlled throughout the day and caught with 36km remaining before the peloton entered Naples for the finale.

The technical finishing circuit and 500-meter cobbled uphill drag created chaos in the closing kilometers. Inside the final kilometer, Lidl–Trek and the Rocket team collided while fighting for position, causing a major crash involving Groenewegen, Milan, Magnier, and several other sprint favorites.

Amid the confusion, Davide Ballerini launched his sprint at the perfect moment. Originally riding in support of his team leader, Ballerini used his ideal positioning to secure the stage win for XDS-Astana.

Eulalio retained both the pink and white jerseys, Magnier kept the purple jersey, and Sevilla continued in blue.

S7: Vingegaard Wins on Blockhaus and Takes the Blue Jersey

On May 15, Stage 7 (Formia–Blockhaus) finished after a brutal 245km route, making it the longest Giro stage in nearly a decade. The stage featured two major climbs and a summit finish atop Blockhaus.

Five riders formed the early breakaway and built a six-minute advantage before the peloton gradually increased the pace on the final climb.

Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe and Team Visma | Lease a Bike then launched powerful mountain train attacks, shattering the peloton and dropping major GC contenders, including race leader Eulalio and Bernal.

In the decisive moments, Jonas Vingegaard attacked solo. Pellizzari briefly followed before cracking under the pace. Vingegaard rode alone to victory, while Gall finished second with a measured climbing effort.

The win not only reduced Vingegaard’s deficit in the general classification but also moved him into the blue mountains jersey ahead of Sevilla.

S8: Narváez Wins Again as UAE Team Emirates Is Reduced to Four Riders

On May 16, Stage 8 (Chieti–Fermo) covered 157km with four climbs and one sprint point, offering an ideal terrain for aggressive racing.

The peloton tightly controlled attacks for much of the stage before a three-man breakaway finally formed after 80km, featuring UAE Team Emirates riders Narváez and Bjerg alongside Leknessund of Uno-X.

UAE suffered another setback when Christen crashed out, leaving the team with only four riders remaining in the race.

As the race entered the final hilly section, the peloton allowed the breakaway more freedom. With 11km remaining, Jhonatan Narváez attacked on the climbs and gradually dropped Leknessund on the steep gradients.

Narváez eventually soloed to victory with a 30-second advantage, earning his second stage win of this year’s Giro.

Eulalio kept the pink and white jerseys, Magnier retained purple, and Jonas Vingegaard continued to wear the blue jersey.

S9: Vingegaard Attacks Late to Win on Stair Peak

On May 17, Stage 9 (Cervia–Stair Peak) featured 184km of racing with two major climbs packed into the final 24km, creating a major GC showdown.

After a long battle for the breakaway, an 11-rider escape group finally formed. Later in the stage, Giulio Ciccone attacked solo and stayed clear until just 2km from the finish.

Meanwhile, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team and Team Visma | Lease a Bike drove the pace hard on the climbs, dropping several GC contenders, including pink jersey holder Eulalio, Pellizzari, and Bernal.

Inside the final kilometer, Jonas Vingegaard launched a decisive attack after being led out by Gall. He quickly distanced everyone else to claim his second consecutive mountain stage victory and further reduce his deficit to Eulalio in the overall standings.

After Stage 9, Eulalio remained in pink and white, Magnier kept the purple jersey, and Vingegaard continued in blue.

(Photo source: Giro d’Italia organizers)