The day after Davide Bais' solo victory at Campo Imperatore, the Giro d'Italia celebrates the feat of the young Irishman Ben Healy, who dominates the eighth stage arriving at the finish line in Fossombrone with an advantage of almost two minutes over everyone. Unlike yesterday's fraction, however, the big names of the race do not remain to watch, battling in the excited final. Norwegian Andreas Leknessund struggled to retain the pink jersey but now his advantage over Remco Evenepoel is reduced to just eight seconds while the Belgian world champion in turn loses a dozen on his most formidable opponents, from Primoz Roglic to Geraint Thomas.
The time trial in Romagna, which closes the first week of the race, puts the leadership up for grabs but can also give a clearer physiognomy to the classification. Opened with the news of the withdrawal of Filippo Ganna, who tested positive for Covid (the same reason had stopped Nicola Conci and Giovanni Aleotti), and with the UCI's pull of ears to those cyclists, including Evenepoel, who used the helicopter to leave the arrival area at Campo Imperatore, the Terni-Fossombrone stage immediately appears very different from the previous one, with all the teams immediately very active.
Between attacks and counterattacks, someone takes the opportunity to set up a breakaway and after a first third of the race, when the most eventful stretch of the Marche region begins, there are 13 in front to dictate the pace. Among them is Healy, one of the young-revelations of the beginning of the season, able to take a brilliant second place at the Amstel Gold Race behind Tadej Pogacar. And almost inspired by the Slovenian champion, the Irishman tries the lunge more than 50 kilometers from the finish line, just after the short and very hard climb of the Capuchins that marks the start of the Marche circuit around Fossombrone. Two Italians remain on his trail, Bais and Filippo Zana, but the heavyweight teams are also moving, especially Ineos and Jumbo Visma, as the gap begins to be felt. Healy doesn't care and continues towards the finish line, which he overcomes with his arms raised.
"Today could have been a good opportunity to win and I managed not to miss it - comments the 22-year-old -. I managed to hit the breakaway and then I was fine I decided to attack. I'm actually having a good spring and I hope before the end of the Giro to put myself in the spotlight again." Behind him, the sprint for second place goes to the Canadian Derek Gee, who beats Filippo Zana and Warren Barguil, with the Italian champion who despite the regret for not having kept the wheel of Healy is satisfied for a new good placement. Meanwhile, in the pink jersey group ignites the fray Roglic, who tries to trouble Evenepoel on the last pass to the Capuchins backed by Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas. The Slovenian and the two Englishmen accumulated a certain advantage over the Belgian, losing even more Leknessund but managed to defend the rose, despite arriving at the finish line five minutes from the winner. The Norwegian felt Evenepoel's breath on his neck, but Roglic also went under, 38 seconds behind, Almeida had to recover 40, Thomas 52 and Geoghegan Hart 58. Numbers that before the Monday of rest could be revolutionized.
