Veteran Belgian rider Thomas De Gendt rolled back the years with victory in the Giro d’Italia eighth stage around Naples on Saturday with Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez holding the race leader’s pink jersey. The 35-year-old Lotto rider won a sprint finish ten years after his first Giro stage win on the Stelvio when he finished third overall in the race through Italy. On Saturday, De Gendt pipped three break-away rivals Italian Davide Gabburo, Spaniard Jorge Arcas and compatriot Harm Vanhoucke after the 95 mile ride around the southern city of Naples.

Trek rider Lopez retains the lead he grabbed last Tuesday on Mount Etna. Sunday’s 118 mile ninth stage ends with a summit finish at 5400 foot altitude on Blockhaus, in the Abruzzo region. De Gendt also counts stage wins in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

A breakaway group of 20 riders formed 8.6 miles into the race with Mathieu van der Poel accelerating, heading into the last 30 miles he split the group. But the Dutchman, closely watched by Eritrean Biniam Girmay and the Swiss Mauro Schmid, had to let a counter-attack of Gabburo, De Gendt, Vanhoucke and Arcas develop a few moments later. Under the impetus of De Gendt, the leading quartet maintained their lead until the final push on the finish line on the seafront in Naples.

GIRO D’ITALIA 2022 STAGE 8 RESULTS

1	Thomas DE GENDT	Lotto Soudal	3:32:53
2	Davide GABBURO	Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè	0:00
3	Jorge ARCAS	Movistar Team	0:00
4	Harm VANHOUCKE	Lotto Soudal	0:04
5	Biniam GIRMAY	Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux	0:15
6	Mauro SCHMID	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	0:15
7	Mathieu VAN DER POEL	Alpecin-Fenix	0:15
8	Wout POELS	Bahrain – Victorious	0:33
9	Guillaume MARTIN	Cofidis	0:33
10	Fabio FELLINE	Astana Qazaqstan Team	2:56

GIRO D’ITALIA 2022 STANDINGS

1	Juan Pedro LÓPEZ	Trek – Segafredo	32:15:31
2	Lennard KÄMNA	BORA – hansgrohe	0:38
3	Rein TAARAMÄE	Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux	0:58
4	Guillaume MARTIN	Cofidis	1:06
5	Simon YATES	Team BikeExchange – Jayco	1:42
6	Mauri VANSEVENANT	Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team	1:47
7	Wilco KELDERMAN	BORA – hansgrohe	1:55
8	Joao ALMEIDA	UAE Team Emirates	1:58
9	Pello BILBAO	Bahrain – Victorious	2:00
10	Richie PORTE	INEOS Grenadiers	2:04

 

RBA/AFP Photos: Sprint Cycling Agency