With Bouwman in the leader's jersey, the riders of the yellow-black formation soon saw the traditional early breakaway form. The escapees managed to build a nice lead but were caught just before the finish. From the depleted peloton, Ryan created a small gap in the closing kilometers. The chasers came even closer, but the Irishman finally won in the streets of Brisighella.

"The big goal of the stage was achieved," explained team leader Robert Wagner. "Today's goal was to defend Koen's leader's jersey, and we succeeded. The boys worked hard throughout the stage. Unfortunately, Milan Vader and Johannes Staune-Mittet got involved in a small crash in the final kilometers. Koen also had to get out of the pedal, but luckily was able to join the best quickly and managed to finish at the front.”

With nearly 3,000 altimeters in height, the riders face another tough final stage in the Italian stage race. "Tomorrow it goes up and down the whole time, and there is almost no meter flat. The main goal is to defend the jersey tomorrow, but if we get the opportunity to win the stage, we will go for it. We won't get it for free tomorrow, but I'm confident we can take the leader's jersey back to the Netherlands," Wagner concluded his story.