STA, 19 May 2019 - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič won stage nine of the Giro d'Italia by finishing first in today's 34.8-kilometre time trial that ended in San Marino. His second victory in time trial earned Roglič second place overall. "My goal is to have the (pink) jersey in Verona," Roglič told the press.
Roglič, who already won the opening time trial, finished today's race on wet roads that ended with a 12-kilometre ascent to San Marino, in 51 minutes and 52 seconds.
Belgian Victor Campenaerts, the European champion who broke the hour record last month, came 11 seconds behind him, followed by Dutch Bauke Mollema, who was a minute behind.
Italian Valerio Conti has retained his pink jersey, but Roglič is now only a minute and 50 seconds behind in second place.
"Everything worked out for me today. It was a shame that the rain started just before the start and it stayed rainy until the end. I tried to minimise the risks in the turn, and make up for the difference in the difficult parts," Roglič told the press.
The third and decisive time trial will be held on the last day of the race in Verona. "My goal is to have the (pink) jersey in Verona. I'm not sorry that I don't have it now," said Roglič, smiling.
He was hinting to the media obligations that the pink jersey brings. Cyclists will have a day off on Monday, and since the Tuesday and Wednesday races will be more or less flat, he is planning on saving his strength.
After wearing the pink jersey for the first five days of the legendary race, Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) lost the overall lead to Conti (UAE Emirates) on Thursday and dropped to 11th place.
