One day before the well-deserved rest day the riders have to cover 215 kilometres between Benevento and San Giorgio del Sannio. The peloton doesn’t head into the high mountains, but still the stage is hard. The finish line comes more than three kilometres after the last climb.

For Louis Vervaeke this Giro is the first Grand Tour of his career.

“Yesterday it seemed I was in the break of the day, but because no rider of Bardiani was part of it, we were caught. It was a stage I had marked, with a summit finish. It already happened before; it’s not easy to get away. A few days ago I had an allergy and I didn’t feel well, I even had a bit of a cold, but now I feel fine again. Who knows I can join a break again today. It’s a tough stage, but without a summit finish, we’ll see. Tomorrow’s rest day is welcome, but I’m definitely up for the next part of the Giro!”