The eleventh stage of the Giro d'Italia almost turned into a disaster for the FDJ team. Trapped by his poor positioning, Alexandre Géniez had to close a gap of nearly 1'30 '' to return to the maglia rosa group.

"It was decided on the last climb of the course, Tre Monti," explains sports director Martial Gayant. "Until then, Alex had managed it well and entering the final circuit, he thought that the hardest was done. He did not expect the aggressive riding by the BMC and Tinkoff-Saxo teams."

There was still more than 50 kilometers to go and the peloton split into several groups. Geniez found himself caught out. His team, assisted by Giant-Alpecin and Bardiani-CSF, immediately went to the front. Then Geniez attacked with three teammates and German Simon Geschke (Giant-Alpecin).

"Alex is a good friend og Geschke. He rode with him at Skil-Shimano," Gayant says. "Both are in good condition and they got a chance when Küng attacked and the BMC team slowed the pace of the peloton that was whittled down to about 60 riders. This allowed them to return. They closed a gap of more than a minute. They were really doing well. It was a big scare and we can't allow it to happen again. It was not a matter of legs but attention. This is also what is reassuring."

Before the twelfth stage that should take place in the rain, Alexandre Géniez is still in the top 20 of the Giro.