Kasper ASGREEN. 10 and praise. Another Dane, another classics hunter, in this Giro that invites battle and celebrates those who have the taste of challenge in their DNA. He starts early with Marcellusi and Maestri, Meintjes and Clement. Stage on the attack, with a final breakthrough 6 km from the finish line and for the 2021 Flanders winner, it's a triumphant walkway. A valuable victory, for a precious rider.

Kaden GROVES. 9. Brave and lucky to stay upright, very good at staying there, in a far from simple finale.

Olav KOOIJ. 8. He also fights for it, in an exciting final circuit that celebrates fast wheels, and the 23-year-old Dutch rider is there, fighting.

Orluis AULAR. 8. The Venezuelan is running this Giro with great attention, and today he confirms his state of grace.

Stefano OLDANI. 7. The Milan-born Cofidis rider overcomes the danger and throws his heart beyond the obstacle. Today's stage is not trivial and sincere: after such a race, the condition can only be good. Today his race was very good.

Mirco MAESTRI. 9. He does the entire stage with the wind in his face, remains in the finale with Asgreen and Marcellusi and brings home a 6th place that doesn't tell the whole story. Did he deserve more? Yes. For how he raced - for how they raced - they deserved to at least finish behind the Dane.

Derek GEE. 6.5. After much suffering, today he takes something back. After many difficult days, a bonus that repays him for so much misfortune. He makes a leap in the general classification: four positions recovered in one go, now he's 6th.

Thomas PIDCOCK. 6.5. The British rider is there today, remains in the vanguard of the group, and makes a leap in the classification: four positions recovered, now he's 11th at 3'58" from the pink jersey.

Richard CARAPAZ. 7. It's no coincidence that the Ecuadorian is always in the right place. He avoids every trap, every pitfall, is quick to remove himself from complex situations and now that the difficult part begins, he's there. He's the fourth wheel.

Mikkel HONORÈ. 6.5. A tenth place for the Dane of Italy (he's married to Marilisa Zanini, who was in Treviso this morning), who fights and takes home a valuable placement.

Damiano CARUSO. 6.5. Avoids ending up legs in the air and stays up front, also because the team leaves him free, while Franco Pellizotti and Gorazd Stangelj stop all team members to help Antonio Tiberi. He moves up in the classification: now he's 7th, just ahead of Antonio.

Isaac DEL TORO. 7. Reactive? Certainly. Lucky? Also. Strong? No doubt. All elements necessary to try to win a big Giro. Today he gains ground, fortifies and strengthens his leadership position (Juan Ayuso, also unlucky due to the crash, pays the price). Now the words are zero. Who's the captain? Isaac.

Simon YATES. 7. The unnamed stays upright and finds himself behind the prodigy child in pink. He's not seeking the spotlight, for now he's trying not to fall.

Giulio PELLIZZARI. 8. He's the rider of the future, on this there are no doubts, no much reasoning to be done. Just see how easily he pedals, how he moves in the race, with what personality and ease. He takes his captain (Primoz Roglic) by the hand and pilots him towards the finish line, trying to minimize the gap from the pink jersey. The Slovenian is 5th at 2'35" from the pink jersey, he's 16th at 5'01", but if he pedals like this...

Antonio TIBERI. 17. Ends up on the ground, gets some good hits that will be felt, but he's a man of temperament and they'll feel it.

Giulio CICCONE. 17. A hit to the quadriceps of the right leg. A hit probably caused by the sidewalk curb that has the effect of Lopez's blow, a very unpleasant muscle contusion. A bad blow in every sense for our Giulio, who for the Giro really has a curse: between flu (2020), Covid (2023) and saddle sore problems, he has no peace. In the evening, the news that held them most: Giulio is forced to abandon the pink race.

Martin MARCELLUSI. 9. The 25-year-old Lazio native of VF Group Bardiani CSF Faiané is a man of breakaways, a born attacker, a supreme competitor. He knows perfectly well that today it will be difficult to change the course of a stage that is marked for sprinters, but he and his two adventure companions have the great merit of trying. Stage marked, he tries to leave his mark, even if unfortunately they'll catch him just at the best moment. How cruel...