Towards the end of Friday’s stage at the Giro d’Italia Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) tried to surprise the sprinters’ teams, but even though he managed to open up a sliender gap there was no way to avoid the ensuing sprint.

After the finish Caruso lamented about the absence of a descent which might have helped him in his attempt.

"What I missed to get to the finish line alone? A descent. The long road that led to the arrival left me too exposed and I could not earn enough seconds on the group,” Caruso explained to Tuttobiciweb.it

”In a close finish with the number one [sprinter] in the world there is no doubt as to the outcome. Today we tried to do something. It didn’t quite work out, but we'll try again."