Immediately after the start in Castrovillari four riders attacked. The leading group was controlled by the sprinter teams and were reeled in in the final. Team Jumbo-Visma kept Kruijswijk in the front all day and guided their leader safely through the difficult passage just before the last two kilometres.

Tony Martin and Christoph Pfingsten crashed early in the stage, but they were able to continue.

Sports director Addy Engels was satisfied with his team’s efforts in the final. “The stage went as we expected. The breakaway was mainly controlled by Bora towards the sprint. There was a very strong wind. It was mainly a headwind, but on some parts of the course the wind blew from the side which led to nervousness in the peloton. In the final, the guys did a super job by positioning Steven in the front of the peloton at the right time.”

Engels is already looking ahead to tomorrow’s tricky flat stage. “A lot of wind is expected again. There is a good chance of echelons. I expect a nervous afternoon and a stage that will not be easy to control. For us it is a matter of staying alert and riding in the front as much as possible. So that we don’t get surprised if it leads to echelons.”