On the eve of the second time trial, Evenepoel showed the first signs of weakness in this Giro. Unable to keep up with the acceleration of his great Slovenian rival in the last climb of the Cappuccini, the world champion tried to get back to the train but never managed to close the gap.

Worse, he ended up being dropped also by Ineos' two British riders, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas, who joined Roglic on the descent to Fossombrone where the trio crossed the line 14 seconds ahead of the small group of Evenepoel and Joao Almeida.

Primoz Roglic (left) and Geraint Thomas on 13 May 2023 at the finish of the 8th stage of the Giro d'Italia in Fossombrone. On the eve of a new time trial, the two riders have made up part of their delay in the general on Remco Evenepoel © Luca Bettini / AFP / Archives

In the end the damage remains limited to the general classification, still led by the Norwegian Andreas Leknessund who managed to keep, probably for the last time, the pink jersey, 8 seconds ahead of Evenepoel and 38 over Roglic.

"There is no reason to panic," Evenepoel commented. "I wasn't in a great day, otherwise I would have managed to follow Roglic. Fortunately I keep thirty seconds ahead of him and I hope to be able to widen the gap tomorrow (Sunday)."

Remco Evenepoel at the finish of the 8th stage of the Giro d'Italia in Fossombrone on May 13, 2023. The Belgian world champion conceded 14 seconds to Primoz Roglic but said: "There is no reason to panic." © Luca Bettini / AFP/Archives

After his demonstration in the prologue last Saturday, the Belgian remains the favorite of the 35km time to Cesena. Especially since the track is flat as a flounder and the Italian Filippo Ganna, potential competitor, left the Giro on Saturday, positive for Covid-19.

But a slight doubt still settled as the 23-year-old Flemish, despite his double fall on Wednesday, had impressed with his mastery until then.

The helicopter of discord

His day was also marked by a controversy around the use of a helicopter by his Soudal-Quick Step team the day before to return to the hotel from the top of the Gran Sasso d'Italia, while most of the formations went down by gondola.

In a statement, the International Cycling Union (UCI) deplored "a total lack of sporting fairness" and a breach "of the principle of minimizing the carbon footprint recalled in the specifications of the organizers" and threatened to take sanctions.

Ben Healy's day was much brighter.

Revelation of spring, the young Irishman of 22 years, looking like a student of fine arts, made an impressive number in the manner of a Tadej Pogacar to carry out a solo raid of more than 50 kilometers.

True to his great striker temperament, the EF Education rider planted his twelve breakaway companions in the first ascent of the Cappuccini. Unleashed in the rugged final, he widened the gap to win by 1 min 49 sec ahead of Canadian Derek Gee, Italian Filippo Zana and Frenchman Warren Barguil.

"When I accelerated, I wanted to make a first selection but nobody followed me. I knew I could do it on my own. So I left," Healy commented.

Ben Healy flies to victory in the 8th stage of the Giro d'Italia on May 13, 2023 between Terni and Fossombrone. "When I accelerated, I wanted to make a first selection but nobody followed me. I knew I could do it on my own. So I left," said Ireland's © Luca Bettini / AFP/Archives

He scored the best victory of his career, after an already remarkable classics campaign with second places in the Brabant Fleche and the Amstel Gold Race and a fourth place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

"I surprise myself," laughed the goatee and semi-long haired Irishman who continues to impress for his first participation in a Grand Tour.

On the French side, Warren Barguil enters the Top 20 (20th at 3:20 of the pink jersey) thanks to this new place of honor. Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Thibaut Pinot, who did not manage to follow the best in the final, fell several places in the overall and are now 7th (at 58 sec) and 18th (at 3:01), unlike Pavel Sivakov (12th at 2:03), who arrived in the same group as Remco Evenepoel.

© 2023 AFP