As is often the case in this Giro, it was a big fight to get into the breakaway of the day. Ultimately, eight riders managed to enter the tough final together. Under the leadership of various GC teams, the peloton rode a solid pace towards the foot of the final climb. Chris Harper, Tobias Foss and Koen Bouwman were able to assist Kruijswijk well into the final. In the presence of the young Norwegian and the Dutchman, the leader of Team Jumbo-Visma crossed the finish line.

Sports director Addy Engels had hoped for a better result. “It was a more difficult and tough day that we had hoped. The last kilometre, however, did not go as expected. It was very explosive and that’s not something Steven likes. Fortunately, Steven didn’t lose a lot of time. The top places are still within reach. There are still plenty of opportunities for us, but we had hoped for more.”

According to Engels, tomorrow’s rest day is more than welcome for the whole peloton. “I’ve seen a lot of tired faces. We have covered many kilometres already. There were some long stages. And after the shorter ones, we had long transfers. Tomorrow’s rest day is convenient for everyone.”