Manuel Jhonatan Narvaez sprints forward on his bike during Stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia

'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
🥇
EC flagJhonatan Narvaez Prado
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG3:27:26
🥈
NO flagAndreas Leknessund
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:32
🥉
NO flagMartin Tjøtta
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:42
4
UY flagGuillermo Thomas Silva Coussan
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:44
5
IT flagLorenzo Milesi
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:44
6
IT flagChristian Scaroni
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:48
7
NZ flagCorbin John Strong
NSN CYCLING TEAM+0:55
8
ES flagJuan Pedro Lopez Perez
MOVISTAR TEAM+0:55
9
NL flagWouter Poels
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+0:58
10
ES flagMarkel Beloki Fernandez
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:00
11
FR flagBrieuc Rolland
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+1:02
12
CH flagJan Christen
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:02
13
IT flagSimone Gualdi
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:02
14
IT flagGianmarco Garofoli
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:08
15
IT flagFilippo Zana
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:12
16
DK flagMikkel Norsgaard Bjerg
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:12
17
IT flagThomas Pesenti
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:27
18
IT flagMattia Bais
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:29
19
MT flagAndréa Mifsud
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+1:35
20
ES flagIgor Arrieta Lizarraga
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:36
21
GB flagMark Jamie Donovan
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:38
22
EC flagJefferson Cepeda Ortiz
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:43
23
AU flagJai Hindley
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:51
24
DK flagJonas Vingegaard Hansen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:51
25
CO flagEgan Arley Bernal Gomez
NETCOMPANY INEOS+1:53
26
PT flagAfonso Eulálio
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+1:53
27
NL flagThymen Arensman
NETCOMPANY INEOS+1:53
28
ES flagEnric Mas Nicolau
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:53
29
AU flagMichael Storer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
30
IT flagGiulio Pellizzari
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:53
31
FR flagMathys Rondel
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
32
AT flagGregor Mühlberger
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+1:53
33
AT flagFelix Gall
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+1:53
34
IT flagDavide Piganzoli
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:53
35
BE flagLennert van Eetvelt
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+1:53
36
AU flagBen Alexander O'Connor
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+1:53
37
EC flagHarold Martin Lopez Granizo
XDS ASTANA TEAM+1:53
38
ES flagDavid de la Cruz Melgarejo
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
39
AU flagChristopher Harper
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+1:53
40
CA flagDerek Gee
LIDL-TREK+1:53
41
CZ flagJan Hirt
NSN CYCLING TEAM+1:53
42
RU flagAleksandr Vlasov
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+1:53
43
IT flagDamiano Caruso
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+2:01
44
ZA flagAlan Hatherly
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+2:15
45
NZ flagJoshua Kench
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+2:21
46
NO flagJohannes Kulset
UNO-X MOBILITY+2:21
47
NO flagEmbret Svestad-Bårdseng
NETCOMPANY INEOS+2:21
48
AU flagCallum Scotson
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+2:39
49
US flagSepp Kuss
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:47
50
CL flagVicente Rojas Naranjo
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+2:58
51
GB flagBen Turner
NETCOMPANY INEOS+3:04
52
IT flagFilippo Turconi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+3:24
53
NL flagKoen Bouwman
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+3:31
54
NL flagGijs Leemreize
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+3:58
55
IT flagAlessandro Tonelli
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+4:27
56
NO flagJohannes Staune-Mittet
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+4:27
57
ER flagAmanuel Ghebreigzabhier
LIDL-TREK+4:35
58
FR flagRémy Rochas
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+4:37
59
IT flagLudovico Crescioli
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+4:46
60
US flagMagnus Sheffield
NETCOMPANY INEOS+4:51
61
IT flagGiovanni Aleotti
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:10
62
DE flagBen Zwiehoff
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+5:10
63
US flagWilliam Barta
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:10
64
AU flagNicholas Schultz
NSN CYCLING TEAM+5:22
65
ES flagDavid Gonzalez Lopez
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:34
66
IT flagMartin Marcellusi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+5:47
67
CA flagNickolas Zukowsky
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+6:05
68
IT flagGiulio Ciccone
LIDL-TREK+6:38
69
IT flagDiego Ulissi
XDS ASTANA TEAM+6:38
70
NL flagBart Lemmen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+7:20
71
BE flagVictor Campenaerts
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+7:20
72
AU flagJack Leonard Haig
NETCOMPANY INEOS+7:20
73
BE flagFabio van den Bossche
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+7:28
74
IT flagGianni Moscon
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+7:30
75
CO flagEiner Augusto Rubio Reyes
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:30
76
DK flagNiklas Larsen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+7:45
77
DK flagChristopher Jensen
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+7:45
78
CH flagJohan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+7:51
79
US flagLawrence Warbasse
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+8:50
80
FR flagWarren Barguil
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+8:50
81
IT flagMatteo Sobrero
LIDL-TREK+8:59
82
ES flagJavier Romo Oliver
MOVISTAR TEAM+8:59
83
IT flagMirco Maestri
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+9:08
84
IT flagAlessandro Pinarello
NSN CYCLING TEAM+9:13
85
IT flagFrancesco Busatto
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+9:13
86
IT flagEdoardo Zambanini
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+9:13
87
NO flagFredrik Dversnes
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:13
88
NO flagMarkus Hoelgaard
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:13
89
PT flagNelson Oliveira
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:41
90
BE flagAlec Segaert
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+9:57
91
DK flagTobias Lund Andresen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:03
92
BE flagOliver Naesen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:03
93
GB flagConnor Swift
NETCOMPANY INEOS+12:03
94
BE flagToon Aerts
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:03
95
AT flagTobias Bayer
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+12:31
96
DE flagJonas Rutsch
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+12:31
97
UZ flagNikita Tsvetkov
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+12:31
98
EE flagMadis Mihkels
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+12:31
99
DK flagRasmus Pedersen
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+12:39
100
NZ flagDion Allan Smith
NSN CYCLING TEAM+12:39
101
NL flagMick van Dijke
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+12:41
102
PT flagAntónio Tomas Morgado
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+12:41
103
BE flagTim Rex
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12:41
104
NL flagMathijs Paasschens
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+12:41
105
VE flagOrluis Alberto Aular Sanabria
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:44
106
HR flagFran Miholjević
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:38
107
ES flagIvan Garcia Cortina
MOVISTAR TEAM+14:41
108
IT flagFilippo Magli
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
109
IT flagLuca Paletti
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
110
GB flagEthan Kane Vernon
NSN CYCLING TEAM+14:41
111
IE flagRyan William Mullen
NSN CYCLING TEAM+14:41
112
AU flagJensen Plowright
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
113
AU flagChristopher Hamilton
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:41
114
FR flagPaul Penhoet
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
115
FR flagCyril Barthe
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
116
FR flagRémi Cavagna
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:41
117
DE flagFlorian Stork
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:41
118
IE flagDarren Rafferty
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
119
BE flagTimo Kielich
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+14:41
120
BE flagJonas Geens
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
121
DK flagMichael Valgren
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
122
DE flagPascal Ackermann
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+14:41
123
DE flagNico Denz
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+14:41
124
ES flagDiego Pablo Sevilla Lopez
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+14:41
125
IT flagManuele Tarozzi
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+14:41
126
BE flagJasper Stuyven
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
127
BE flagDries van Gestel
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
128
BE flagAyco Bastiaens
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:41
129
GB flagJames Shaw
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+14:41
130
DK flagJohan Price Pejtersen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+14:41
131
NO flagTord Gudmestad
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+14:41
132
NL flagCasper Cornelis van Uden
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+14:41
133
IT flagAndrea Raccagni Noviero
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:52
134
FR flagPaul Magnier
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+14:52
135
CH flagRobin Froidevaux
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:52
136
NL flagHartthijs de Vries
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+14:52
137
FR flagAxel Huens
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+14:52
138
AU flagRobert Stannard
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:52
139
NL flagSjoerd Bax
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+14:52
140
IT flagLorenzo Rota
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+14:52
141
CZ flagMatyáš Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+14:52
142
IT flagLuca Vergallito
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+15:07
143
GB flagRobert Donaldson
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+15:07
144
NO flagSakarias Koller Løland
UNO-X MOBILITY+15:07
145
NL flagDylan Groenewegen
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
146
CZ flagTomas Kopecký
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
147
SK flagLukáš Kubiš
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+15:32
148
IT flagAlberto Bettiol
XDS ASTANA TEAM+15:32
149
NL flagFrank van den Broek
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+15:32
150
IT flagJonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+17:03
151
IT flagFilippo Ganna
NETCOMPANY INEOS+17:57
152
IT flagDavide Ballerini
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
153
IT flagMatteo Malucelli
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
154
IT flagEnrico Zanoncello
BARDIANI CSF 7 SABER+17:57
155
GB flagSean Flynn
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:57
156
IT flagSimone Consonni
LIDL-TREK+17:57
157
DE flagMaximilian Richard Walscheid
LIDL-TREK+17:57
158
IT flagLuca Mozzato
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+17:57
159
NL flagElmar Reinders
UNIBET ROSE ROCKETS+17:57
160
NL flagTim Naberman
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:57
161
BE flagArjen Livyns
XDS ASTANA TEAM+17:57
162
CH flagFabian Lienhard
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+17:57
163
IT flagGiovanni Lonardi
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA+17:57
164
DE flagTim Torn Teutenberg
LIDL-TREK+17:57
165
NO flagErlend Blikra
UNO-X MOBILITY+17:57
166
NL flagJardi Christiaan van der Lee
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+17:57
167
BE flagEdward 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.

Tim Bonville-Ginn headshot

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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