'That was all I could do', Leknessund left chasing as Narváez wins punishing Giro d'Italia stage 8

'That was all I could do', Leknessund left chasing as Narváez wins punishing Giro d'Italia stage 8

Andreas Leknessund finished 32 seconds behind Jhonatan Narváez on the steep uphill finish to Fermo after a breakaway that took half the stage to form. Mikkel Bjerg played a key tactical role before being dropped on the final climbs.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 5 min read

Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) soloed to victory on stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday, attacking from a three-rider breakaway on the Muro di Capodarco with 10km remaining and holding off Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) on the steep final climb to Fermo. Leknessund crossed the line 32 seconds down and said he was disappointed to miss the win but pleased with his level.

The route was classically Italian and something we often see at Tirreno-Adriatico with the muri style stages. It was a 156km route from Chieti to Fermo with the final part of the day packed with four categorised climbs. It took the first half of the day for the breakaway to finally form thanks to a headwind. Despite this, the average speed for the first hour was up at 50kph. The intensity will have really burnt the riders' legs, especially after the summit finish on Blockhaus the day before.

"It was really hard today. It was such a hard headwind at the start. I was active at the start to get into the breakaway but at one point I said to the guys 'I think I give up, there's no-one who's getting away with this headwind.' But somehow I got away with (Mikkel) Bjerg and some others." Leknessund said to Cycling Pro Net at the finish. "We worked so hard and worked well together but yeah, Narváez was the strongest. Kind of as expected." added the Norwegian champion.

Results

Chieti - Fermo • May 16 • 156km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Jhonatan Narvaez Prado
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG3:27:26
🥈
Andreas Leknessund
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:32
🥉
Martin Tjøtta
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:42
4
Guillermo Thomas Silva Coussan
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:44
5
Lorenzo Milesi
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:44
6
Christian Scaroni
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:48
7
Corbin John Strong
NSN CYCLING TEAM+0:55
8
Juan Pedro Lopez Perez
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:55
9
Wouter Poels
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+0:58
10
Markel Beloki Fernandez
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:00
11
Brieuc Rolland
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+1:02
12
Jan Christen
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:02
13
Simone Gualdi
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:02
14
Gianmarco Garofoli
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:08
15
Filippo Zana
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:12
16
Mikkel Norsgaard Bjerg
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:12
17
Thomas Pesenti
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:27
18
Mattia Bais
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:29
19
Andréa Mifsud
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:35
20
Igor Arrieta Lizarraga
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:36
21
Mark Jamie Donovan
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:38
22
Jefferson Cepeda Ortiz
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:43
23
Jai Hindley
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:51
24
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:51
25
Egan Arley Bernal Gomez
NETCOMPANY INEOS+1:53
26
Afonso Eulálio
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+1:53
27
Thymen Arensman
NETCOMPANY INEOS+1:53
28
Enric Mas Nicolau
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:53
29
Michael Storer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
30
Giulio Pellizzari
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:53
31
Mathys Rondel
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
32
Gregor Mühlberger
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+1:53
33
Felix Gall
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+1:53
34
Davide Piganzoli
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:53
35
Lennert van Eetvelt
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:53
36
Ben Alexander O'Connor
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+1:53
37
Harold Martin Lopez Granizo
XDS ASTANA TEAM+1:53
38
David de la Cruz Melgarejo
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
39
Christopher Harper
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
40
Derek Gee
LIDL-TREK+1:53
41
Jan Hirt
NSN CYCLING TEAM+1:53
42
Aleksandr Vlasov
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:53
43
Damiano Caruso
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+2:01
44
Alan Hatherly
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+2:15
45
Joshua Kench
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+2:21
46
Johannes Kulset
UNO-X MOBILITY+2:21
47
Embret Svestad-Bårdseng
NETCOMPANY INEOS+2:21
48
Callum Scotson
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+2:39
49
Sepp Kuss
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:47
50
Vicente Rojas Naranjo
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+2:58
51
Ben Turner
NETCOMPANY INEOS+3:04
52
Filippo Turconi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+3:24
53
Koen Bouwman
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+3:31
54
Gijs Leemreize
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:58
55
Alessandro Tonelli
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+4:27
56
Johannes Staune-Mittet
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+4:27
57
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
LIDL-TREK+4:35
58
Rémy Rochas
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+4:37
59
Ludovico Crescioli
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+4:46
60
Magnus Sheffield
NETCOMPANY INEOS+4:51
61
Giovanni Aleotti
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:10
62
Ben Zwiehoff
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:10
63
William Barta
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:10
64
Nicholas Schultz
NSN CYCLING TEAM+5:22
65
David Gonzalez Lopez
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:34
66
Martin Marcellusi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+5:47
67
Nickolas Zukowsky
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+6:05
68
Giulio Ciccone
LIDL-TREK+6:38
69
Diego Ulissi
XDS ASTANA TEAM+6:38
70
Bart Lemmen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+7:20
71
Victor Campenaerts
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+7:20
72
Jack Leonard Haig
NETCOMPANY INEOS+7:20
73
Fabio van den Bossche
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+7:28
74
Gianni Moscon
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+7:30
75
Einer Augusto Rubio Reyes
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:30
76
Niklas Larsen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+7:45
77
Christopher Jensen
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+7:45
78
Johan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+7:51
79
Lawrence Warbasse
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:50
80
Warren Barguil
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:50
81
Matteo Sobrero
LIDL-TREK+8:59
82
Javier Romo Oliver
MOVISTAR TEAM+8:59
83
Mirco Maestri
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+9:08
84
Alessandro Pinarello
NSN CYCLING TEAM+9:13
85
Francesco Busatto
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+9:13
86
Edoardo Zambanini
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+9:13
87
Fredrik Dversnes
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:13
88
Markus Hoelgaard
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:13
89
Nelson Oliveira
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:41
90
Alec Segaert
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+9:57
91
Tobias Lund Andresen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:03
92
Oliver Naesen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:03
93
Connor Swift
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:03
94
Toon Aerts
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:03
95
Tobias Bayer
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:31
96
Jonas Rutsch
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:31
97
Nikita Tsvetkov
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+12:31
98
Madis Mihkels
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:31
99
Rasmus Pedersen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:39
100
Dion Allan Smith
NSN CYCLING TEAM+12:39
101
Mick van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:41
102
António Tomas Morgado
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:41
103
Tim Rex
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:41
104
Mathijs Paasschens
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:41
105
Orluis Alberto Aular Sanabria
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:44
106
Fran Miholjević
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:38
107
Ivan Garcia Cortina
MOVISTAR TEAM+14:41
108
Filippo Magli
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
109
Luca Paletti
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
110
Ethan Kane Vernon
NSN CYCLING TEAM+14:41
111
Ryan William Mullen
NSN CYCLING TEAM+14:41
112
Jensen Plowright
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
113
Christopher Hamilton
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:41
114
Paul Penhoet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
115
Cyril Barthe
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
116
Rémi Cavagna
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
117
Florian Stork
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:41
118
Darren Rafferty
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
119
Timo Kielich
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+14:41
120
Jonas Geens
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
121
Michael Valgren
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
122
Pascal Ackermann
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+14:41
123
Nico Denz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+14:41
124
Diego Pablo Sevilla Lopez
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+14:41
125
Manuele Tarozzi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
126
Jasper Stuyven
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
127
Dries van Gestel
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
128
Ayco Bastiaens
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
129
James Shaw
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
130
Johan Price Pejtersen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
131
Tord Gudmestad
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+14:41
132
Casper Cornelis van Uden
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:41
133
Andrea Raccagni Noviero
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:52
134
Paul Magnier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:52
135
Robin Froidevaux
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:52
136
Hartthijs de Vries
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+14:52
137
Axel Huens
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:52
138
Robert Stannard
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:52
139
Sjoerd Bax
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:52
140
Lorenzo Rota
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+14:52
141
Matyáš Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+14:52
142
Luca Vergallito
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+15:07
143
Robert Donaldson
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+15:07
144
Sakarias Koller Løland
UNO-X MOBILITY+15:07
145
Dylan Groenewegen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
146
Tomas Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
147
Lukáš Kubiš
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
148
Alberto Bettiol
XDS ASTANA TEAM+15:32
149
Frank van den Broek
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+15:32
150
Jonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+17:03
151
Filippo Ganna
NETCOMPANY INEOS+17:57
152
Davide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
153
Matteo Malucelli
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
154
Enrico Zanoncello
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+17:57
155
Sean Flynn
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:57
156
Simone Consonni
LIDL-TREK+17:57
157
Maximilian Richard Walscheid
LIDL-TREK+17:57
158
Luca Mozzato
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+17:57
159
Elmar Reinders
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+17:57
160
Tim Naberman
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:57
161
Arjen Livyns
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
162
Fabian Lienhard
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+17:57
163
Giovanni Lonardi
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+17:57
164
Tim Torn Teutenberg
LIDL-TREK+17:57
165
Erlend Blikra
UNO-X MOBILITY+17:57
166
Jardi Christiaan van der Lee
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+17:57
167
Edward Planckaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+17:57

Leknessund had matched the moves to get into the decisive breakaway alongside Narváez and his UAE teammate Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and was outnumbered in the finale. Narváez used that advantage on the Muro di Capodarco, attacking with 10km to go.

When asked if he was disappointed, Leknessund said; "No, I can't be disappointed. Second place is... (He grimaced and shook his head)… I can't say I was close to the win, but yeah, that was all I could do."

Leknessund's teammate Martin Tjøtta finished third just 10 seconds down. Leknessund added that he thought the gap was bigger to the chase group but he saw Tjøtta behind finishing fast.

How the winning move finally formed

It was always known that stage 8 would be a tough one on the legs with an explosive finale suiting the puncheurs in the race with a breakaway victory most likely.

Having Blockhaus the day before as well meant that the GC riders would likely try to save themselves. This was largely true aside from a couple of late attacks, one by the pink jersey of Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) and the other coming at the finish by Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). All followed by the race favourite, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).

The main issue was that the GC riders didn't get their relaxed day as there were so many riders wanting to be in the break and a headwind most of the way, it wasn't until the second half of the day that a group eventually formed with Narváez, Bjerg and Leknessund being some of the riders getting clear.

Bjerg said his role in the break was to protect Narváez and help ensure the Ecuadorian rider arrived at the final climbs with as little work done as possible.

"My job was to be there for Jhonny," Bjerg said. "We knew the finale was hard, and if we could get into the break together, we could control it. I tried to keep the pace high and make it difficult for Leknessund to attack before the final."

The plan worked. On the Muro di Capodarco, which rises at around 5.9% for 3.6km with a steep section near its summit, Bjerg was dropped. That left Narváez and Leknessund alone at the front. Narváez attacked and opened the gap that Leknessund could not close.

The final climb to Fermo, 3.7km at an average of 5.7% with steep gradients through the old town, was where Narváez sealed it. Before that point, Leknessund used the lesser gradients and descent to close right down on Narváez but the final ascent proved too much and the UAE Team Emirates-XRG star pushed further clear into the finish at Fermo.

Narváez crossed the line in 3:27:26 for his second stage victory of the 2026 Giro, adding to his win on stage 4 in Cosenza. The Ecuadorian now has four career Giro stage wins. Leknessund finished 32 seconds with with Tjøtta finishing third at 42 seconds, with Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS-Astana) and Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar) rounding out the top five at 44 seconds.

Bjerg said UAE's plan had come off in a Grand Tour breakaway. "It's not easy to get into the right move at the Giro," he said. "When it works out like this, with a stage win for Jhonatan, it makes the hard days worth it."

The GC remained unchanged, with Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) still in the maglia rosa after a day decided by the breakaway. Leknessund left with second place and evidence of good form.

Cover image credit: Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

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