Giro d'Italia Stage 9: Nairo Quintana blows the race apart on the Blockhaus

Nairo Quintana is the new leader of the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia after blowing the race apart with an attack around 6 kilometres from the Stage 9 summit finish on the Blockhaus , on a day that Team Sky's Geraint Thomas's hopes of a podium place were wrecked by a crash that was caused by a rider in front of him hitting a parked motorbike.

Thomas had been second overall behind Quick Step Floors rider Bob Jungels this morning, but finished more than 5 minutes behind Quintana.

The crash, which happened on the approach to the climb that concluded the stage, also saw Sky's other overall hope, Mikel Landa, lose contact with the front group, as did Orica-Scott's Adam Yates who had been third on GC before the stage.

It was a depleted overall contenders' group therefore that took to the toughest ascent so far of this year's race, and when Quintana launched an attack with 6 kilometres remaining, only defending champion Vincenzo Nibali of Bahrain Merida and FDJ's Thibaut Pinot could stay with him.

The Colombian dropped both to ride on to an emphatic victory, while a flagging Nibali was overhauled by Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin, who got across to Pinot but was outsprinted to second place by the French rider.