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  "description": "Grand Tour debutant Toon Aerts (Lotto-Intermarché) hitched a ride with Giulio Ciccone and Diego Ulissi when the Italians launched a bridging effort from the Giro peloton in the second half of stage 9. He then spent about 50 km as part of the 13-rider lead group, but found himself subject to a great deal of handwringing as he refused to take a pull on the front. Aerts survived up and over the first major climb, but was dropped when Ciccone made his move 12 km from the line.\n\n\"It was actually quit",
  "path": "/they-swore-at-me-a-lot-toon-aerts-on-his-stage-9-breakaway-at-debut-giro/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-17T19:08:40.000Z",
  "site": "https://escapecollective.com",
  "tags": [
    "stage 9"
  ],
  "textContent": "Grand Tour debutant Toon Aerts (Lotto-Intermarché) hitched a ride with Giulio Ciccone and Diego Ulissi when the Italians launched a bridging effort from the Giro peloton in the second half of stage 9. He then spent about 50 km as part of the 13-rider lead group, but found himself subject to a great deal of handwringing as he refused to take a pull on the front. Aerts survived up and over the first major climb, but was dropped when Ciccone made his move 12 km from the line.\n\n\"It was actually quite a nice day,” Aerts told _Eurosport_. “It was my goal in this Giro to test what I could do uphill. I was able to jump along with Ciccone when he attacked, but I couldn't take turns rotating after that, because we were racing 100 percent for Lennert van Eetvelt here today. I was able to drift along quietly in the group.\n\n\"They did swear at me a lot. How do I deal with that? I don’t understand Italian, so I don’t hear what they’re saying,\" he continued, in good spirits. \"Let's hope they don't hold that against me. They need to understand that we are racing tactically here as well, and I am not a climber, so I would have had to drop back anyway. The plan was to stay along for as long as possible and then support Lennert.\"\n\nLotto-Intermarché young GC leader Lennert van Eetvelt finished 13th on the Corno alle Scale, 1 minute 6 seconds after Jonas Vingegaard, outclimbing a number of big names including Egan Bernal, Ben O'Connor and white jersey-wearer Giulio Pellizzari.",
  "title": "'They swore at me a lot' – Toon Aerts on his stage 9 breakaway at debut Giro",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-18T03:48:25.385Z"
}