Kittel abandons Giro leaving other sprinters with a chance to win, and Bouhanni pounces

Marcel Kittel surprised his fellow sprinters with a gift this morning when he announced that due to a fever he would not be continuing in this years Giro d'Italia opening the door for everyone else to win a stage that comes down to a bunch sprint.

Kittel who had won both road race stages of this years Giro on the weekend in Belfast and Dublin had hoped to race the first two weeks of the Giro before pulling out and resting up for the Tour de France. As a result of his withdrawal, today's sprint stage was won by Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni of the FDJ.fr team, and in spectacular fashion at that.

The better part of the stage was 'neutralised' by the riders who felt the conditions were dangerous after rain had fallen making roads slippery, and the final lap on the finishing circuit in Bari was officially neutralised by race organiser RCS Sport and the UCI commissaires following discussions with riders on the road. The time towards the general classification was taken with one 8.3 km lap to go. That meant the sprinters could have their way on that last lap while the GC contenders didn't have to worry about risking an accident trying to keep in contact with the bunch. The move was proven wise on the final lap when the rain fell and the road took on the form of an ice rink as a number of riders fell at each corner in the run in to the finish.

By the start of the final sprint only a handful were left, and yet Bouhanni was one of them despite having punctured with about ten kilometres to go and spending several kilometres trying to chase back on before fighting his way through the bunch in time for that final race lap, not to mention the road conditions. He made contact in the final corners before making his move, pulling past Giacomo Nizzolo just before the line to win his first Grand Tour. Indeed, given the conditions, it's hard to argue that Bouhanni might not have won anyway even had Kittel been in attendance.

As a result of the neutralisation, there was no change in the GC, while Bouhanni took over the blue points jersey vacated by Kittel.

Result

1. Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr) in 2-22-06

2. Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) + s.t.

3. Tom Veelers (Giant-Shimano) + s.t.

4. Roberto Ferrari (Lampre-Merida) + s.t.

5. Elia Vivani (Cannondale) + s.t.

6. Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale) + s.t.