“We took points, we have the jersey” - Jhonatan Narvaez hits Stage 17 target as Giro d’Italia points jersey changes hands

Jhonatan Narvaez insisted stage 17 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia had still delivered exactly what he needed after the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider moved into the ciclamino jersey, despite missing out on the stage victory in Andalo.

The Ecuadorian started the day as one of the obvious favourites for the breakaway, having already won three stages at this year’s Giro. But while Michael Valgren eventually took the victory with a late attack, Narvaez’s own day was built around a different prize.

With Paul Magnier distanced earlier in the stage, Narvaez took maximum points at the intermediate sprint and moved into the lead of the points classification. He now sits on 157 points, 12 clear of Magnier, with the final sprint stage in Rome still looming as a major factor in the ciclamino battle.

“Yeah, of course. Of course it was a success today,” Narvaez said in conversation with Cycling Pro Net after the stage. “We took points, we have the jersey, and from now on we will go day by day.”

Narvaez’s stage-winning hopes faded during the fragmented final 50 kilometres, as Valgren, Einer Rubio, Damiano Caruso, Igor Arrieta, Aleksandr Vlasov and Andreas Leknessund emerged from the front of the breakaway fight.

For a rider with three stage victories already in the race, however, the bigger picture has shifted. Another win would have added to an already outstanding Giro, but stage 17 offered a clear chance to take control of the points classification before the final days.

That target became even clearer once Magnier was dropped and the intermediate sprint came into play. Narvaez made no mistake, launching a long sprint and taking the points he needed to move ahead. “We know the stage in Rome is also important,” he said. “But there are still days to go.”

Rome remains the obvious danger. Magnier still has enough speed to turn the classification again if the final stage comes down to a sprint, meaning Narvaez’s advantage is useful but not decisive. The Ecuadorian’s task now is to keep adding where he can before the race reaches the capital.

Narvaez admitted the stage was never as straightforward as his status in the breakaway might have suggested. With so many eyes on him and Giulio Ciccone, the opening phase became costly before the decisive selection had even formed. “Yeah, it was not easy,” he said. “The first hour was really hard. I think I spent too much, but we are happy with the performance.”

That early effort mattered later. Narvaez was present when the main breakaway formed, but as the stage splintered in the finale, he found himself behind the move that would decide the win.

The same applied to several of the strongest names in the break. Ciccone and Enric Mas were also in the group behind when the front of the race went clear, leaving Narvaez to accept that the most dangerous riders on paper had missed the decisive move. “Yeah, I think in the end the strongest guys in the break were behind,” Narvaez reflected. “If you see, Enric Mas was with me, Ciccone was with me, and we missed the group.”

That cost him the chance to fight for a fourth stage win, but not the classification prize he had targeted. On a day when the stage victory slipped away, Narvaez still left Andalo with the jersey he had come to take.