“We did our best,” says Roglic, unfazed after losing the pink jersey ahead of a crucial stage

Roglic had claimed the pink jersey just a day earlier in stage 7. Still, that stage wasn’t ideal for the Red Bull–BORA-hansgrohe team leader. On what was considered a perfect finish for him, he ended up losing fourteen seconds (including bonus seconds) to his main rival, Juan Ayuso, and finished only fourth. On Saturday, he again lost time to the Spaniard, who created a one-second gap with a strong sprint at the finish.

Roglic relinquishing the leader’s jersey in stage eight didn’t come as a surprise. Wearing the pink jersey comes with its share of obligations, which can hamper post-stage recovery. It’s a disadvantage compared to rivals — so a breakaway stage like Saturday’s provided a good opportunity to transfer those responsibilities to someone else.

Ulissi and Lorenzo Fortunato, who currently holds the blue jersey, were the best-placed riders in the breakaway to potentially take the pink jersey. In the finale, the virtual pink jersey kept switching shoulders between the two, who are not only teammates but also compatriots. Ultimately, it was Ulissi who came out on top. Partly because Roglic and his Red Bull–BORA-hansgrohe team had no issue letting the pink jersey go.

After the stage, Roglic kept it vague whether they had deliberately given up the jersey. “It was a hot, tough day,” he told Eurosport. “In the end, we had to let that group go,” he said, referring to the large breakaway from which Luke Plapp launched a solo attack to win the stage. “The guys rode super strong,” Roglic continued. “We did our best. Sometimes you have the jersey, sometimes you don’t. There are still many days to come.”

In addition to Ulissi, Roglic was also passed in the general classification by Fortunato, who also rides for XDS Astana. The former Giro winner now sits just seventeen seconds behind. Sunday will be a decisive day for Roglic and the other GC contenders. It’s the kind of day where you might not win the Giro, but you can certainly lose it. The race heads onto the gravel roads of Tuscany. In the finale, the riders must conquer several dirt sectors before finishing in Siena — on the same finish line used in Strade Bianche.