Olav Kooij pips Jonathan Milan to stage nine win at Giro d'Italia

Olav Kooij won stage nine of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday, pipping Jonathan Milan by half a wheel right at the finish line in the sprint at the end of a 214-km ride from Avezzano to Naples.

Ineos Grenadiers' Jhonatan Narvaez looked set to win his second stage when he attacked early and sowed panic in the peloton on the final climb through the streets of Naples.

He was leading with some 150 metres to go before Maglia Rosa holder Tadej Pogacar got involved in the lead-up to help his UAE Team Emirates colleague Juan Sebastian Molano and Narvaez was caught.

Milan was set up well by his Lidl-Trek team mate Simone Consonni but just as he was about to clinch his second stage victory, Team Visma-Lease a Bike's Kooij took the opportunity to steal the win from him, while Molano was third.

Bora-Hansgrohe's Ryan Mullen was 109th on the stage, with the time trial specialist finishing in a time of 4:56:26.