1.1. 6Remco Evenepoel won the stage nine individual time trial by one second over Geraint Thomas, retaking the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia.

The Belgian finished the 35km circuit in 41 minutes and 24 seconds, narrowly beating Britain’s Thomas to the finish line in Cesena.

Tao Geoghegan Hart, Thomas’ Ineos Grenadiers teammate and previous winner, finished third, two seconds behind Evenepoel.

Evenepoel’s second time trial victory of the race saw him reclaim the pink jersey from Andreas Leknessund.

Welshman Thomas has passed Slovenian Primoz Roglic to claim second place in the general classification, 45 seconds behind pre-race favorite Evenepoel and two seconds ahead of Roglic, who finished sixth on stage.

“That was very close. It was fantastic to be in the same room as Tao. “It appears promising,” Thomas added.

Geoghegan Hart, the winner in 2020, is fourth overall, three seconds behind Roglic.

Norway’s Leknessund finished 19th on the stage and is now sixth overall.

Despite winning the world road race, Evenepoel, 23, admitted he suffered in the wind and rain.

“I started too fast and suffered a little midway, but I got my legs back in the end,” the Soudal Quick-Step rider remarked after winning the time trial on stage one but losing the leader’s jersey on stage four.

“It’s not the best result, but I won regardless of my performance.”

On Monday, there is a rest day before the race starts on Tuesday with a difficult 196km route from Scandiano to Viareggio.

The outcomes of Stage 9

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) No. 1 41 minutes and 24 seconds
Geraint Thomas (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +1 second
Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +2 seconds
+4 seconds for Stefan Kung (Sui/Groupama-FDJ).
+8secs Bruno Armirail (Fra/Groupama-FDJ)
Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +17 seconds
Thymen Arensman (Ned/Ineos Grenadiers) +24 seconds
+30 seconds for Aleksandr Vlasov (Neutral/Bora-Hansgrohe).
9. Joao Almeida (Portugal/UAE Team Emirates) +35 seconds
10. Damiano Caruso (Victory Italy/Bahrain) +42secs

General classification following stage nine

Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) No. 1 34 hours 33 minutes 42 seconds
+45secs Geraint Thomas (GB/Ineos Grenadiers)
3. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +47 seconds
+50 seconds Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB/Ineos Grenadiers)
5. Joao Almeida (Portugal/UAE Team Emirates) +1 minute and 7 seconds
6. Andreas Leknessund (Nor/Team DSM) Simultaneous time
7. Aleksandr Vlasov (Neutral/Bora-Hansgrohe) +48 seconds
Damiano Caruso (Victory Italy/Bahrain) +2 minutes and 13 seconds
+2mins 37secs Lennard Kämna (Ger/Bora-Hansgrohe)
10. Pavel Sivakov (Fra/Ineos Grenadiers) + 2:58