LottoNL-Jumbo’s Steven Kruijswijk finished unscathed and with the group of overall contenders in the third stage to Cagliari. Fernando Gaviria won the stage, ripped apart by echelons, and took the leader’s pink jersey.

"We know that echelons were possible, but I think everyone saw it," said Kruijswijk. "I was with the other GC riders and soon it was clear that there were no dangerous riders in the first group."

During the 148-kilometre stage, Kruijswijk was constantly kept near the front.

"It was windy all day and then you know it's coming to a head. My team kept me in the first ten and I had to make sure I stayed with the favourites. It worked well today."

The Giro’s cyclist boarded an airplane to Sicily after the stage. The first three days of the 100th Giro d’Italia went well for the Dutch leader.

"On the first day, I was not sharp, but we did well yesterday and today, even though this does not say anything about the rest of the Giro. I'm going to race Mount Etna [on Tuesday] with confidence, then we are going to know a lot more about the strength of the other riders.”

"It was a short stage with a tough final,” said Sports Director Sierk Jan de Haan. "It was incredibly exciting when it broke up in groups. It's a good feeling that Steven was in the front in the right moment.

"We're leaving Sardinia with a good feeling. We were getting up to speed in the first day, but a day after, it was clearly visible that there was a team."

De Haan attends his first grand tour as a sports director. Together with Addy Engels and Jan Boven, he leads the Dutch WorldTour formation in the coming weeks.

"I think it's pretty nice. It's much bigger and more impressive. Apart from that, it's just like any other race that I've done this year. Now, it's three weeks long and challenging."