Stage 8

The road

At the start

Naples, and Cavendish loses Mørkøv

Eight riders are already out, four of them on yesterday's Apennine stage, and Michael Mørkøv did not even start it — Mark Cavendish has lost the best lead-out man in the world with two weeks left to ride. Juan Pedro López is untroubled in pink, 38 seconds up on Lennard Kämna. Today is a criterium around Naples: four laps over Monte di Procida, a five-kilometre ramp ten from home, then the seafront.

How it was won

1. 146 km to go

   Van der Poel sets fire to the day

   On the 14% ramps of the Lago Lucrino, with 46 kilometres left, Van der Poel launches his most aggressive move of the Giro so far. The lead group takes off in pursuit and hauls him back, but the stage is now completely open.

2. 238 km to go

   A counter of five slips clear

   Out of the chaos come Gabburo, Arcas, De Gendt, Ravanelli and Vanhoucke — and it is Vanhoucke who takes the intermediate points while the peloton drifts to 3:40 back.

3. 335 km to go

   Thirty seconds on the last ascent

   The five stretch their advantage over the final climb of Monte di Procida. Behind them the chasing group is trimmed to Van der Poel, Martin, Poels, Schmid and Girmay, the Eritrean throwing punch after unsuccessful punch.

4. 45 km to go

   Van der Poel and Girmay fly down

   The leaders come into sight with five kilometres left and the two best bike handlers in the race take matters into their own hands, pulling clear of their chase group on the descent. But the fifteen seconds will not come down.

5. 5At the line

   De Gendt outfoxes them in Naples

   In the break from kilometre zero and still the strongest at the end of it, Thomas De Gendt attacks from the front. Gabburo clings on briefly, Arcas settles for third, and the classic breakaway artist takes it in the city centre.

The result