The China Mail - Del Toro holds Giro lead as Hoole wins rainy time trial

The 6ft 6in (1m98) winner Hoole timed 23min 27sec to bag a fourth stage from 10 for Lidl Trek, who's leader Giulio Ciccone is eighth overall, while Mads Pedersen won three stages for them in the first week.

"I'm so happy and there are son many people I need to thank. I just can't believe it," Hoole said after his second major win.

But rain fell heavily on the Tuscan course as the main favourites started coming down the starter's ramp making the individual speed effort even more of a minefield than usual.

The 21-year-old Mexican Team UAE rider Del Toro who took the overall lead on the white gravel test on stage 9, lost 48sec to his team leader Spain's Juan Ayuso, who is now second overall at 25sec.

Italian home hope Antonio Tiberi of the Bahrain team is third at 1min 01, while Simon Yates of Visma looked delighted when his chrono lifted him to fourth overall at 1min 03sec with Primoz Roglic in fifth at 1min 18sec.

Red Bull rider Roglic lost 1min 15sec on Sunday and fell on his recon ride of the time trial Tuesday, so his performance at Pisa drags the former Giro and Vuelta champion back into contention.

G.Fung--ThChM