SAN MARINO: Primoz Roglic of Slovenia won the ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday, while Italian cyclist Valerio Conti extended his overall lead after the individual time trial.

Roglic, who also won the opening individual time trial, was quickest on the rain-soaked 35km route from Riccione that had an uphill finish in the republic of San Marino the only time this year that the Giro crosses into another country.

The 29-year-old Roglic was 11 seconds faster than Belgium cyclist Victor Campenaerts and one minute ahead of Bauke Mollema of the Netherlands.

Conti, who has worn the leader’s pink jersey since finishing second on Thursday’s sixth stage, remained in the overall lead but Roglic the previous leader moved second, 1:50 behind.

Nans Peters of France moved third overall, 2:21 behind Conti. The Giro finishes in Verona on June 2.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2019