The breakaway was expected, and the breakaway arrived. Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla) won the Giulianova - Castelraimondo, the eighth stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia, crowning an absolutely valuable solo action started 45 kilometers from the finish, after rejoining Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team). The 24-year-old Australian thus obtains his first victory in a grand tour. In second place, 38" behind, Wilco Kelderman crossed the finish line, followed by Diego Ulissi. For the Tuscan, today's third place also coincides with winning the pink jersey: a true career award!

THE RACE. About a dozen kilometers after the start, Maglia Ciclamino Mads Pedersen (Lidl Trek), Mattia Cattaneo (Soudal Quick-Step), and Davide De Pretto (Team Jayco AlUla) escaped from the group. Pursued by the peloton, which pedaled at a sustained speed for forty kilometers with attacks and counterattacks, the breakaway riders resisted until the Roccafluvione Intermediate Sprint, where Pedersen conquered the points intended for the winner, anticipating his companions, then the three waited for the group that returned compact.

The race had a second surge after the GPM of Croce di Casale (won by Pinganzoli of Team Polti VisitMalta, ed.) when downhill Louis Meintjes (Intermarchè - Wanty), Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL), Davide Piganzoli (Team Polti VisitMalta), Alessandro Tonelli (Team Polti VisitMalta), and Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) gained an advantage. No dice, this attempt was also nullified by the peloton.

To see the most substantial action of the day, one had to wait until the ninety-fourth kilometer of the race when Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis), Jonathan Lastra (Cofidis), Stefano Oldani (Cofidis), Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Mikkel Frølich Honoré (EF Education - EasyPost), Georg Steinhauser (EF Education - EasyPost), Rémy Rochas (Groupama - FDJ), Marco Frigo (Israel - Premier Tech), Davide Formolo (Movistar Team), Damien Howson (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Koen Bouwman (Team Jayco AlUla), Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla), Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL), Mattia Bais (Team Polti VisitMalta), Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Dylan van Baarle (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates - XRG), Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè), Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team), and the Maglia Azzurra Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team) moved to the front. A few kilometers later, the Bologna rider from Astana was the first to crest Sassotetto, with Romain Bardet (Team Picnic PostNL), Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè), and Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team) passing behind him.

Among climbs and descents, the group of escapees selected itself, and the Pink Jersey peloton sailed far away. Near the -50 kilometers to the finish sign, Wilco Kelderman (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team) changed pace, moving to the front and then being joined by Plapp and the young Spanish rider from UAE Team Emirates - XRG Igor Arieta.

The 24-year-old from Melbourne, Australian national time trial champion, takes courage, attacks, wins the GPM of Montelago, and on the descent increases his advantage over his immediate pursuers. With perhaps a slightly reckless move, Arieta tries to launch himself in pursuit of the breakaway, but with experience, Ulissi and Kelderman first recover and then pass the young rider in the black and white jersey.

Now Plapp is launched towards success: he takes the Red Bull KM and the GPM of Gagliole; he passes the -2 KM to the finish sign with 50" advantage over the pair of immediate pursuers and just under six minutes over Roglic's peloton leader.

For Plapp, there is time to rejoice. Joy, the same emotion experienced by Diego Ulissi when he realizes he has conquered the Pink Jersey, which he will wear in Gubbio, the starting point of tomorrow's stage, the ninth of the 2025 Giro d'Italia.

in update

FINISH ORDER

1 PLAPP Luke Team Jayco AlUla 04:44:20

2 KELDERMAN Wilco Team Visma | Lease a Bike 00:38

3 ULISSI Diego XDS Astana Team ,,

4 ARRIETA Igor UAE Team Emirates - XRG 01:22

5 PRODHOMME Nicolas Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 01:35

6 VENDRAME Andrea Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 01:48

7 FORTUNATO Lorenzo XDS Astana Team ,,

8 STEINHAUSER Georg EF Education - EasyPost 02:59

9 BARDET Romain Team Picnic PostNL 03:02

10 MARTINELLI Alessio VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè 04:37

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1 ULISSI Diego XDS Astana Team 20 6" 29:21:23

2 FORTUNATO Lorenzo XDS Astana Team 00:12

3 ROGLIČ Primož Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe 2" 00:17

4 AYUSO Juan UAE Team Emirates - XRG 10" 00:20

5 DEL TORO Isaac UAE Team Emirates - XRG 10" 00:26

6 TIBERI Antonio Bahrain - Victorious 00:44

7 POOLE Max Team Picnic PostNL 00:47

8 STORER Michael Tudor Pro Cycling Team 00:50

9 MCNULTY Brandon UAE Team Emirates - XRG 00:51

10 YATES Simon Team Visma | Lease a Bike 00:56

11 CARAPAZ Richard EF Education - EasyPost ,,

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