Pre-stage favourite Filippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos) pulled out a storming time trial to win at a canter on stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia 2026.
Despite the 42km distance – the longest Giro d'Italia time trial in more than 10 years – the Italian rider put in an ultra-fast 54.9kph ride, to record 45.53 – a full 1.54 ahead of runner-up Thymen Arensman (Netcompany-Ineos).
The stage was also billed as a big one for the GC, and it did not disappoint. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) put in a rather average shift by his own high standards, and maglia rosa Alfonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) managed to hold on to the GC lead by 27 seconds over the Dane with a tenacious ride.
Further down the top-10 saw multiple GC shuffles with various riders gaining – or losing – unexpected chunks of time.
Afterwards a jovial Ganna – who was no doubt pleased to have finished a two-hour-plus stint in the hot seat – praised his team, and said he was not done yet.
"I think we did an amazing job this winter, especially with the GC riders like Thymen [Arensman], who rode really well for the second place – like at Tirreno-Adriatico [where the pair also finished one-two in the ITT]," he said.
"It's a good victory for us here. We'll enjoy tonight and then we'll stay focused for the last 14 days."
Of the course, which suited him to a tee, he said: "It's really nice, with a long TT like this, I really like it. I'm really happy to finally find a good TT for me, without a climb," he joked.
With Friday's stage finishing in his home town of Verbania, his stage-hunting intentions did not stop today, he said: "From today starts another Giro for Filippo. Now we want another victory in a [road stage]. Why not try Friday for me – as well as another stage, obviously if it's less than 4,000 metres," he quipped.
The coastal course between Viareggio and Massa was characterised by long, straight and wide roads that dialled up the mental challenge and seemed to suit some more than others. GC hopefuls going away pleased tonight will include Arensman with his impressive second on the stage that boosted him to third overall at 1.57.
Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) declared himself "super-happy" with a fifth place on the stage that saw him jump six places to eighth on GC, although he described the long, straight parcours as "brutal – nothing to focus on but how much it hurts."
Those who will be hoping for better luck in the coming stages include Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM), who has looked like Vingegaard's biggest rival so far but who lost 1.22 to the Dane today and drops to fourth on GC.
Battling rides from Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe pair Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley saw them lose 18 and 31 seconds respectively to Vingegaard, with Pellizzari static at ninth on GC and Hindley dropping two places to sixth.
The race continues tomorrow with a long, hilly stage to Chiavari which the GC contenders may be tempted to call 'truce' on, at least just for a day, and let the breakaways roam free.
Results
Giro d'Italia 2026 stage 10 ITT: Viareggio > Massa, 42km
1. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Netcompany-Ineos, in 45:53
2. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Netcompany-Ineos, +1:54
3. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United, +1:59
4. Sjoerd Bax (Ned) Pinarello Q36.5, +2:04
5. Derek Gee-West (Can) Lidl-Trek, +2:16
6. Max Walscheid (Ger) Lidl-Trek, +2:17
7. Johan Price-Pejtersen (Den) Alpecin-Premier Tech, +2:29
8. Mikkel Bjerg, (Den) UAE Team Emirates-XRG, +2:33
9. Lorenzo Milesi (Ita) Movistar, +2:42
10. Niklas Larsen (Den) Unibet Rose Rockets, +2:42
General Classification after stage 10
1. Afonso Eulálio (Por) Bahrain Victorious, in 39:40:34
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Visma-Lease a Bike, +27s
3. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Netcompany-Ineos, +1:57
4. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM, +2:24
5. Ben O'Connor (Aus) Jayco AlUla, +2:48
6. Jai Hindley (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +3:06
7. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling, +3:28
8. Derek Gee-West (Can) Lidl-Trek, +3:34
9. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, +3:36
10. Markel Beloki (Esp) EF Education-EasyPost, + 4:16
