We're back after a rest day for them and a rest weekend for me

The Grio was back and racing after a single rest day for them and what was a three day long weekend rest day for me. In my time away from the computer, and for the most part, away from the Giro (it would have been an entire time away from it if it weren't for social media updates!), Nacer Bouhanni, Diego Ulissi and Pieter Weening took stage wins while Cadel Evans maintained his control of the pink jersey. Today with racing back once more, it was essentially another rest day given that the stage was tame for the contenders and left to the sprinters to sort out the spoils.

Naturally there was the days early break, which these days is becoming more and more an exercise in sponsorship for the names on the jersey to get on the television rather than any real attempt for someone to win a stage. Perhaps a cleaner race is affecting the ability for a solo -- or small man group -- exploit to take the day, but I must admit I do miss seeing someone spoil the day of the peloton.

It seems more than ever the only way it's likely to work is if the peloton switches off -- which would require them switching off their race radios rather than their mental focus -- or if a couple of hills are tough enough to shed the sprinters but small enough to keep the contenders quiet. We might get that tomorrow, and wouldn't it be nice to see?

As it were, Nacer Bouhanni once again took the bunch sprint for his third of this Giro, taking over right were Marcel Kittel left off when he had to abandon due to illness before the start of stage four. Unfortunately for Bouhanni he'll have people questioning whether he would have been so successful with Kittel still present, but success in a Grand Tour is about being able to start and finish each day and you can only beat what is put in front of you.

Bouhanni is only 23 and a huge prospect for French cycling and these results will do his confidence the world of good giving him the belief that he can take the next step and beat the likes of Kittel, Cavendish and Greipel head-to-head. Sadly though there are rumours he may not even make it to the Tour de France, which would be ironic for the French; they've waited years for someone capable of frequent stage wins to come along, only for him to do the Giro instead.