Stage 13 issued in a rare short, pancake flat 147 kilometers, and with the rain that continued to fall for another day at the Giro d’Italia the shorter day was embraced by all.

The tricky finale for the fast and wet stage resulted in a crash with just over three kilometers to go that knocked Eugenio Alafaci to the ground and more than likely out of the Giro, and in the final sprint to the line another frustrating second place finish for Giacomo Nizzolo.

A three–man breakaway led for most of the race, but the sprinters’ teams kept the trio close at hand, with the gap hovering a little over a minute for the final 100 kilometers – there would be no surprises today.

Calvin Watson and Fabio Silvestre again did the bulk of the early work for the team as they assisted other teams in holding the breakaway at a manageable distance.

With the breakaway easily caught the attention turned to the finish; it was a nervous final 10 kilometers with the rain-soaked roads, triggering Trek Factory Racing to assume charge at the front of the peloton earlier than usual. With the leadout team coming to the fore at six kilometers to go, Nizzolo was alone for the final two kilometers.

“I knew the ending was tricky so I preferred to use the team early. In the last 10kms there were a lot of turns so I wanted to be safe in the front, but of course in the real finale I missed some guys and I was isolated. Anyway, I took the wheel of Modolo who had a super leadout from his team; they left him at 180 meters to go, so for him it was perfect," Nizzolo said.

With no teammates to help, Giacomo Nizzolo free-lanced his way to perfect position, and in the last kick for the line jumped right from Sacha Modolo’s (Lampre-Merida) wheel. Modolo pushed Nizzolo to the right, but the change of line did not impede the final outcome explained Nizzolo:

“I saw the door open on the right and I went full on this side, but of course Modolo tried to close me on the barriers… and it was not possible to take the victory. Modolo changed his trajectory a little for sure, but he did not close the door. Anyone in his position would do the same. Good for him to win at home. I am really sorry because as everyone knows I have done enough second places.”

Modolo grabbed the win and, after four times as runner-up in last year’s Giro, Nizzolo once again was left with a frustrating second place, inches from the elusive win.

In the battle for the maglia rossa Giacomo Nizzolo grabbed points in both intermediate sprints, taking  fourth and fifth places after the breakaway trio gobbled the first three spots.  His second place in the finish added enough points to leap him from sixth to a tie for first place in the competition, although Team Sky’s Elia Viviani will wear the red jersey tomorrow based on his stage win.