Team Saxo-Tinkoff's Rafal Majka managed to stay clear of the numerous crashes on today’s eventful stage of the Giro d’Italia to finish some 50 seconds after Luca Paolini (Katusha). Thus the Polish leader of the Danish team showed promising form ahead of the forthcoming challenges of the Italian stage race.

“We had two main objectives today,” explained Sports Director Dan Frost afterwards. “Manuele Boaro’s job was to seek his fortunes in a breakaway and, most importantly, we had to keep Majka out of trouble and avoid crashes on the tricky descent. We managed to do both.

Although Majka lost approximately 30 seconds to the top favourites, things aren’t looking too bad for us.”

“His preferred terrain arrives in the final and decisive week of the Giro. Hopefully he will have reached peak form by that time. Another positive aspect of today’s stage was Hesjedal’s surprise attack – such initiatives help ignite the race. Tomorrow we’ll face yet another difficult stage where our aim will be to make sure Majka reaches the foot of the final climb with the other contenders for overall victory.”