Gallery: The best of the Giro d'Italia 2017 Stages 1-9

The peloton rolls out of Alghero on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia as the 100th Giro d'Italia officially gets underway on Friday 5th May. Vincenzo Nibali starts the race in the leader's maglia rosa as defending champion.

Austrian Lukas Postlberger was the surprise winner of the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia into Olbia. The Bora-Hansgrohe leadout man hit the front inside the final two kilometres, and with the peloton behind jostling for position on a twisty and technical run-in, Postlberger found himself clear with the finish line in sight. His reward was a debut Grand Tour stage victory, and the leader's pink jersey.

Lukas Postlberger of Bora-Hansgrohe decked out in full pink as he passes under the Italian flag on Stage 2 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Olbia to Tortoli. Postlberger would hand over the race lead to Andre Greipel at the end of the stage.

Italian Vincenzo Nibali (centre) is well protected by his Bahrain-Merida teammates on the second stage of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Olbia to Tortoli on Saturday 6th May. After spending the opening three stages on the island of Sardinia, the race moved to Sicily for a couple of stages, with Stage 5 finishing in Nibali's home town of Messina.

Giro d'Italia 2017 favourite Nairo Quintana of Movistar makes his presence felt near the front of the peloton on Stage 2 of this year's race, a testing 221km ride between Olbia and Tortoli. Just behind is Australian Caleb Ewan of Orica-Scott, wearing the maglia ciclamino as leader of the points competition after finishing runner-up behind Lukas Postlberger on the opening stage.

Daniel Teklehaimanot of Dimension Data leading the breakaway on Stage 2 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Olbia and Tortoli. Breakaway groups formed early on all three of the Sardinian stages that opened the Giro, and Teklehaimanot was present in the first two.

Having been denied by Lukas Postlberger on Stage 1 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, the sprinters weren't going to miss out two days running, and sure enough Andre Greipel of Lotto Soudal was first to the line as the fast men reimposed their authority at the end of Stage 2 from Olbia and Tortoli. Greipel beat Roberto Ferrari (UAE Team Emirates) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) to the line.

Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) celebrates after his time bonus for winning Stage 2 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Olbia and Tortoli is enough to put him in the race leader's maglia rosa.

A quartet of Quick-Step Floors riders push the pace near the end of Stage 3 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Tortoli and Cagliari on Sunday 7th May. With crosswinds causing chaos in the peloton, Quick-Step caught the others napping to set up Fernando Gaviria for the stage win, the Colombian leading in a group of seven 13 seconds clear of a much-reduced peloton.

Quick-Step Floors sprinter Fernando Gaviria celebrates as he crosses the line to win Stage 3 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Tortoli to Cagliari. Gaviria was the fastest man from a small group of riders that split off the front of the peloton in the crosswinds near the end of the stage, a move instigated initially by five Quick-Step riders.

The peloton rolls along the early part of Stage 4 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Cefalu to Etna. The first 57km wound its way eastward along the Sicilian before turning south for the twin climbs of the Portella Femmina Morta and the ascent of Mount Etna itself.

A temporary archway marks the start of the 17.5km ascent of Mount Etna at the end of Stage 4 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Hanging from the archway is a banner commemorating Italian Michele Scarponi, who was killed in an accident on a training ride in April.

Slovakia's Jan Polanc raises his arms as he wins Stage 4 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia on the slopes of Mount Etna on 9th May. The UAE Team Emirates rider was part of the stage's main breakaway group of four that went clear after just 2km, then shed his erstwhile companions and managed to hold off the chasing field on the slopes of the volcano to take his second ever Giro stage win.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas outsprints Francais des Jeux's Thibaut Pinot for third place on Stage 4 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia on the slopes of Mount Etna. Thomas led home the main field behind solo stage winner Jan Polanc and second placed Ilnur Zakarin, who gained 10 seconds on Thomas and the rest of his rivals for the general classification.

Luxembourger Bob Jungels of Quick-Step Floors celebrates after taking over the lead of the 2017 Giro d'Italia after Stage 4 from Cefalu to Mount Etna on the island of Sicily. Jungels finished with the other main favourites behind stage winner Jan Polanc to take over the maglia rosa from teammate Fernando Gaviria.

Bob Jungels rides in the pink jersey surrounded by his Quick-Step Floors teammates on Stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia from Pedara to Messina. Jungels would hold on to the race lead all the way to the end of Stage 9, where Nairo Quintana's decisive move to the summit finish of Blockhaus would prove to much for Jungels – and everyone else.

The peloton winds its way across Sicily on Stage 5 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Pedara and Messina. The stage was won by Colombia's Fernando Gaviria, his second success of this year's Giro.

A helicopter follows the Giro convoy on Stage 5 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Pedara and Messina, the second of two days on the island of Sicily before the race made its way to the Italian mainland for the first time.

Fernando Gaviria takes his second win of the 2017 Giro d'Italia on Stage 5 between Pedara to Messina. The stage finished on a circuit around Messina, catching out Bahrain-Merida's Luca Pibernik, who crossed the line on what was the start of the circuit with his hands in the air, thinking he had won the stage.

The day's main breakaway of five riders on Stage 6 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia – Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jasper Stuyven and Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Silvan Dillier (BMC) and Simone Andreetta (Bardiani-CSF). Dillier outsprinted Stuyven for the stage win at the finish in Terme Luigiane.

From left to right: Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Simone Andreetta (Bardiani-CSF), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and Silvan Dillier (BMC) – the five-man breakaway that held sway on Stage 6 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Calabria to Terme Luigiane. Dillier won the stage, outsprinting Stuyvens to the line.

Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin during Stage 6 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Calabria to Terme Luigiane. Dumoulin lies third overall after nine stages of the Giro, just 30 seconds down on race leader Nairo Quintana, and is expected to challenge for the overall lead when the race resumes with a 39.8km time-trial, a discipline Dumoulin excels in.

Italian Simone Ponzi in the distinctive colours of CCC-Sprandi on Stage 6 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Calabria to Terme Luigiane. One of four non-WorldTour teams in this year's Giro, CCC-Sprandi riders have featured regularly in the breakaways over the Giro's early stages, securing valuable time in front of the TV cameras for the team's sponsors.

BMC's Silvan Dillier outsprints more fancied Trek-Segafredo rival Jasper Stuyven to win Stage 6 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, despite Stuyven also having had the help of teammate Mads Pedersen in the breakaway.

Team Sky's Kenny Elissonde and FdJ's Thibaut Pinot share a joke before the start of Stage 7 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Castrovillari to Alberobello.

Bahrain-Merida's Vincenzo Nibali on the road during Stage 7 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Defending Giro champion Nibali faded at the end of Stage 9 to Blockhaus to sit 5th overall, 1:10 behind maglia rosa Nairo Quintana.

Orica-Scott's Caleb Ewan sprints for the line at the end of Stage 7 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Ewan narrowly held off Fernando Gaviria and Sam Bennett to take his maiden Giro stage victory.

A delighted Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) celebrates after winning Stage 7 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Castrovillari to Alberobello.

The peloton negotiates a tight hairpin at Monte Sant'Angelo during Stage 8 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Molfetta and Peschici.

Stage winner Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) pushes the pace at the front of the breakaway during Stage 8 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Molfetta and Peschici.

Gorka Izagirre celebrates winning Stage 8 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Molfetta and Peschici. Izagirre crossed the line first after UAE Team Emirates rider Valerio Conte crashed in the final kilometre while in the lead.

Movistar set the pace for team leader Nairo Quintana on the Blockhaus climb at the end of Stage 9 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Quintana went on to win the stage, claiming the leader's pink jersey in the process.

Colombia's Nairo Quintana wins Stage 9 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Montenero di Bisaccia and Blockhaus after riding away from his rivals on the final climb. Quintana finished 24 seconds clear of FdJ's Thibaut Pinot and Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin, with the same trio heading the overall standings after the stage.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas finishes Stage 9 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia to Blockhaus after being caught up in an accident with a stationary motorbike further down the climb that saw him finish 4:39 down on stage winner Nairo Quintana.

A bloodied and bruised Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) at the finish of Stage 9 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia at Blockhaus. Thomas was one of six Team Sky riders to went down in a crash caused by a stationary motorbike at the side of the road at the start of the final climb. Thomas finished more than five minutes behind stage winner Nairo Quintana after starting the day second just six seconds off the pink jersey, his hopes of overall victory effectively finished.

Nairo Quintana celebrates in the pink jersey after winning Stage 9 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia atop Blockhaus. Quintana won the stage by 24 seconds from Thibaut Pinot and Tom Dumoulin, with British hopes dashed when both Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) and Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) lost minutes after going down in a crash with a stationary motorbike further down the climb.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas during Stage 10 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 39.8km individual time trial from Foligno to Montefalco. Thomas posted the second fastest time, 50 seconds down on stage winner Tom Dumoulin, but remained outside the top 10 overall after crashing on the previous stage. Thomas would abandon the Giro before the start of Stage 13.

Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali during Stage 10 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 39.8km individual time trial from Foligno to Montefalco. The Bahrain-Merida rider finished the time-trial in 6th place, 2:07 behind stage winner Tom Dumoulin, to remain 5th overall.

Team Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin on his way to winning Stage 10 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 39.8km individual time trial from Foligno to Montefalco. Dumoulin's time of 50:37 was enough to put him firmly into the race leader's pink jersey, with a healthy 2:23 advantage over closest rival Nairo Quintana.

The pink jersey of race leader Nairo Quintana during Stage 10 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 39.8km individual time trial from Foligno to Montefalco. The Movistar rider only managed 23rd place on the stage to lose his race lead to stage winner Tom Dumoulin.

The peloton rides between two tunnels during Stage 12 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 229km ride between Forli and Reggio Emilia. The stage was won by Quick-Step Floors' Fernando Gaviria.

The peloton rides through the Italian countryside on the 229km Stage 12 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Forli to Reggio Emilia.

The peloton rides through the town of Faenza during Stage 12 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Forli to Reggio Emilia. The stage was won by Fernando Gaviria, his third success of this year's race.

Fernando Gaviria in the maglia ciclamino heads for his third stage win of the 2017 Giro d'Italia at the end of the 229km Stage 12 between Forli and Reggio Emilia.

Quick Step's Fernando Gaviria celebrates his third stage win of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Gaviria outsprinted Jakub Mareczko and Sam Bennett to win Stage 12, a 229km ride between Forli and Reggio Emilia.

Veteran Italian Pippo Pozzato of Wilier-Triestina smiles for the crowds at the start of Stage 13 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia.

Cannondale-Drapac's Pierre Rolland heads back to the team car to load up with bottles for his teammates during Stage 13 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 167km ride from Reggio Emilia and Tortona.

Fernando Gaviria of Quick Step-Floors in the maglia ciclamino wins his second straight stage in the 2017 Giro d'Italia, the 167km Stage 13 between Reggio Emilia and Tortona. Gaviria outsprinted Sam Bennett and Jasper Stuyven for his fourth stage win of this year's Giro.

Fernando Gaviria reminds us all of how many stage wins he's now taken in the 2017 Giro d'Italia after finishing first on Stage 13, a 167km ride between Reggio Emilia and Tortona.

The exterior of the house where Italian cycling legend Fausto Coppi was born in the tiny Italian village of Castellania, which hosted the start of Stage 14 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. The 131km stage to Oropa was won by Tom Dumoulin to consolodate his overall lead.

The peloton rides away from a mural celebrating the achievements of Italian cycling legend Fausto Coppi at the start of Stage 14 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Coppi's birthplace of Castellania to the mountaintop finish at Oropa.

Movistar's Nairo Quintana goes on the attack on the slopes of the climb to Oropa at the end of Stage 14 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia. Quintana's move off the front of the lead group was countered by pink jersey Tom Dumoulin, who went on to win the stage.

A delighted Tom Dumoulin crosses the line to win Stage 14 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia, a 131km ride from Castellania that finished at the top of the climb to Oropa. Race leader Dumoulin was initially distanced by an attack from Giro favourite Nairo Quintana, but kept his cool to close the gap then distance his rivals in the run for the line.

An early breakaway races across a bridge in the initial stages of the 199km Stage 15 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia from Valdengo to Bergamo.

A group of five - Jeremy Roy (Francaise des Jeux), Dries Devenyns (Quick Step Floors), Jan Barta (Bora-Hansgrohe), Eugert Zhupa (Wilier-Triestina) and Moreno Hofland (Lotto Soudal) - work together in an attempt to extend the gap to the chasing peloton during Stage 15 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Valdengo and Bergamo. The group never managed a gap of much more than a minute as the main field set a fierce pace during the first half of a rapid stage.

Luxembourg's Bob Jungels in the white jersey of best young rider wins Stage 15 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Valdengo and Bergamo. Jungels set the pace up much of the final climb in the streets of Bergamo, then a turn of speed on the run to the line was enough to take him to victory.

Overall leader Tom Dumoulin warms down after a frantically contested end to Stage 15 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia between Valdengo and Bergamo. Dumoulin kept pace with his chief rivals on the testing final climb on the streets of Bergamo to finish eighth on the stage, but saw his overall lead reduced as Nairo Quintana and Thibaut Pinot, 2nd and 3rd overall, finished in the same positions on the stage behind winner Bob Jungels to claim small time bonuses on the line.

Snow lines the hillside between the switchbacks on the ascent of the Passo dello Stelvio during Stage 16 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia. The Stelvio marked the high point of this year’s Giro at 2,758m above sea level.

The characteristic hairpin bends that make the Passo dello Stelvio one of the most iconic climbs in cycling. The 2,758m Stelvio was the Cima Coppi of this year’s Giro d’Italia (the high point in altitude), and Team Sky’s Mikel Landa was first over the top on his way to taking over the climber’s jersey by the end of Stage 16, a ride of 222km between Rovetta and Bormio.

Pink jersey Tom Dumoulin fights to make up time on the Umbrailpass near the end of Stage 16 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Rovetta and Bormio. Dumoulin was forced to take a ‘natural break’ at the base of the climb, and was unable to rejoin the main group of favourites as his rivals pushed the pace on the climb to put Dumoulin under pressure.

Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali puts in an attack near the top of the Umbrailpass, the final climb of Stage 16 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, the queen stage of this year’s race. Nibali went on to win the stage.

Vincenzo Nibali outsprints Team Sky’s Mikel Landa to win Stage 16 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Rovetta and Bormio, a stage that saw the riders take on the Mortirolo, Stelvio and Umbrailpass climbs. Nibali’s win saw the defending Giro champion close to 1:12 behind pink jersey Tom Dumoulin, who lost time after being forced to take a ‘natural break’ at the bottom of the final climb.

The peloton pass through an Italian village during Stage 17 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Tirano and Canazei. The stage was won by Cannondale-Drapac’s Pierre Rolland.

Cannondale-Drapac rider Pierre Rolland chats to directeur sportif Charly Wegelius during Stage 17 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Tirano and Canazei. Rolland won the stage, the team’s first Grand Tour win for two years.

Cannondale-Drapac’s Pierre Rolland crosses the line to win Stage 17 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Tirano and Canazei. The victory ended a two-year Grand Tour victory drought for both the team and Rolland himself, who joined Cannondale-Drapac in 2016.

Tom Dumoulin rides in the leader’s pink jersey ahead of 2^nd placed Nairo Quintana and 3^rd overall Vincenzo Nibali during Stage 18 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia. After losing time on Stage 16 to all his closest GC rivals, Dumoulin finished alongside them two days later in Ortisei to maintain his diminished overall lead.

Giro d’Italia leader Tom Dumoulin looks to Movistar’s Nairo Quintana and Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali, second and third overall, to help set the pace during Stage 18 of this year’s race between Moena to Ortisei. Dumoulin said afterwards he was frustrated by the pair’s unwillingness to work, leading to all three of them losing time at the finish to other leading GC contenders such as Thibaut Pinot and Ilnur Zakarin.

BMC’s Tejay van Garderen wins Stage 18 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia after outsprinting Team Sky’s Mikel Landa in Ortisei. It was the 28-year-old’s ever Grand Tour win in a stop-start career that has been dominated more by bad luck and injury than success in the saddle.

Giro d’Italia maglia rosa Tom Dumoulin takes a bidon from the Team Sunweb team car during Stage 19 of this year’s race between San Candido and Piancavello. Dumoulin struggled on the stage’s climbs, and was dropped on the final ascent to give up the race lead to Movistar’s Nairo Quintana.

Francaise des Jeux’s Thibaut Pinot attacks his GC rivals on the final climb of Piancavello at the end of Stage 19 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia. The stage was won by Team Sky’s Mikel Landa, but Pinot’s attack saw him close to within 53 seconds of pink jersey Nairo Quintana with two stages remaining.

Team Sky’s Mikel Landa finally gets a stage win in the 2017 Giro d’Italia after distancing his breakaway companions on the final climb of Stage 19 between San Candido and Piancavello. Landa had been runner-up on two of the previous three stages, and his win cemented his lead in the mountains competition.

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford congratulates Mikel Landa after the Spaniard’s solo win on Stage 19 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, which finished on the climb to Piancavello. The win was a rare high point in what was a dismal Giro for Team Sky, who saw main GC hope Geraint Thomas abandon earlier in the race after being involved in a crash with a stationary motorbike while running second overall.

Movistar’s Nairo Quintana is all smiles after taking over the 2017 Giro d’Italia pink jersey from Tom Dumoulin with a strong ride on the final climb of Stage 19 to Piancavello. Quintana gained two seconds on Vincenzo Nibali and more than a minute over Dumoulin, though the Dutchman remained the favourite for overall GC honours with the 27.6km final day time-trial in Milan to come.

The 2017 Giro d’Italia peloton rolls out at the start of Stage 20 between Pordenone and Asiago. The 190km stage included the last major climbs of this year’s Giro, and was won by Frenchman Thibaut Pinot.

Katusha-Alpecin’s Maxim Belkov during Stage 20 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Pordenone and Asiago. Belkov was part of the early break during the final mountain stage of this year’s Giro, but faded later on the stage after helping out Ilnur Zakarin’s bid for a high place in the general classification.

Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali attacks his rivals on the Foza, the final classified climb of the 2017 Giro d’Italia during the 20^th stage from Pordenone and Asiago. In the background is the pink jersey of Nairo Quintana, who responded quickly to the move to cross the finish line fifth to Nibali’s third, with both recording the same time as stage winner Thibaut Pinot.

AG2R’s Frederico Pozzovivo and Ilnur Zakarin, sixth and fifth overall respectively, look to open a gap on the other general classification contenders on the final climb of Stage 20 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia between Pordenone and Asiago. The pair went over the top of the climb clear of the other favourites, but were reeled in on the descent to the finish, with Zakarin crossing the line second behind stage winner Thibaut Pinot and Pozzovivo finishing fourth.

Thibaut Pinot of Francaise des Jeux is delighted after winning the final road stage of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, Stage 20 between Pordenone and Asiago. Pinot’s win was just reward for his constant attacking during the final week of the Giro, and the Frenchman finished the race in 4^th overall, just 1:17 down on winner Tom Dumoulin despite finishing only 28^th on the final day’s time-trial.

Lotto-NL Jumbo’s Jos van Emden puts the power down during the final stage of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, a 27.6km time-trial from the Monza F1 circuit to Milan. Van Emden won the stage with a ride of 33:08sec, giving the Dutch a double reason for celebration after compatriot Tom Dumoulin’s second place was enough to claim the overall Giro crown.

Orica-Scott’s Adam Yates in the white jersey for best-placed young rider on his way to a disappointing 51^st place on Stage 21 of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, a 27.6km time-trial from Monza to Milano. Yates’s time was more than a minute and a half slower than Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels – a time-trial specialist – which saw the Englishman miss out on the final white jersey by 66 seconds.

Tom Dumoulin rides in the Dutch national time-trial champion’s jersey on the final stage of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, a 27.6km TT from Monza to Milan. Dumoulin missed out on the stage win to countryman Jos van Emden, but gained enough time on his GC rivals to win the Giro overall, jumping from fourth to first with a time of 33:23sec.

Runner-up Nairo Quintana of Movistar congratulates Team Sunweb’s Tom Dumoulin after the Dutchman overcame a 53-second deficit to the Colombian to win the 2017 Giro d’Italia on the final stage – a 27.6km time-trial from Monza to Milan. Dumoulin’s margin of victory was a relatively comfortable 31 seconds in the end, with defending champion Vincenzo Nibali finishing third, a further nine seconds down.

The final podium of the 2017 Giro d’Italia in Milan: Team Sunweb’s Tom Dumoulin flanked by Movistar’s Nairo Quintana (second) and Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali (third). All three were able to smile in the end despite an increasingly tense final week of the race, with Dumoulin’s victory the first ever Dutch success in the Italian Grand Tour.

Team Sunweb’s Tom Dumoulin holds the Giro d’Italia winner’s trophy aloft at the end of the race’s final stage, a 27.6km time-trial from Monza to Milan. Dumoulin jumped from fourth to first on the final day, giving the Dutch their first ever Giro win and a first Grand Tour success since Joop Zoetemelk’s Tour de France win back in 1980.