Stage 10 of the 2021 Giro d'Italia was one meant for a special kind of sprinter, one who can survive a brutal pace on a late climb and still be fastest in a bunch sprint. If there is any rider in this year's peloton who that describes, it's Peter Sagan.
The three-time world champion's Bora-Hansgrohe team set a wicked tempo on the category 4 Valico Della Somma with 39km to go and distanced some of Sagan's rivals, most notably European champion Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka-Assos).
With double stage winner Caleb Ewan leaving the race, the ciclamino points jersey was up for grabs and all Sagan had to do was time his effort right. He waited while UAE Team Emirates lead-out man Sebastian Molano hit out hard in the final few hundred metres, then held off Fernando Gaviria and Israel Start-Up Nation's Davide Cimolai to win the 10th Giro stage for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, the GC contenders came to the fore at the bonus sprint with 17.8km to go, with Egan Bernal led into the sprint at full gas by world time trial champion Filippo Ganna. But Remco Evenepoel had other plans, closing down the gap and looking set to snatch the three-second bonus until Bernal's teammate Jhonatan Narvaez dashed around to take it instead. Evenepoel held on for two and Bernal taking one second just behind.
It was a tiny advantage, but after last year's Giro d'Italia was won by only 39 seconds, every little bit counts.
Watch the Giro d'Italia stage 10 highlights video above.
