On a beautiful day in the Netherlands, ArgoSunGod Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) had no trouble clinching the sprint victory today in a powerful display. FDJ’s Arnaud Demare and Lampre’s Sacha Modolo came in second and third respectively. Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) stays in pink by one second.

Rider of the Race

Did you hear the sonic boom from my rider of the race as he came off Arnaud Demare’s wheel to scorch the field and have enough time for a victory salute as he went over the finish line? Marcel Kittel has been in great shape this season and his integration into the Etixx team has seemed effortless. The ArgoSunGod looks almost invincible – and he went off like a rocket when he started his sprint. Absolutely astonishing from the big German. And not a hair out of place. It’s just one little second that separates Kittel and the pink jersey – so expect him to take the maglia rosa into the travel/rest day.

Stage results

1 Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) 4:38:31

2 Arnaud Demare (FDJ)  same time

3 Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) s/t

4 Moreno Hofland (LottoNL-Jumbo) s/t

5 Nicola Ruffoni (Bardiani CSF) s/t

GC standings

1 Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) 4:49:34

2 Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo) s/t

3 Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) +0.01

4 Andrey Amador (Movistar) +0.06

5 Tobias Ludvigsson (Giant-Alpecin) +0.08

All the jerseys

Leader’s jersey: Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin)

Points jersey: Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep)

KOM jersey: Omar Fraile (Team Dimension-Data)

Best young rider: Tobias Ludvigsson (Giant-Alpecin)

For full review of the stage, go to CyclingNews

Header image: Giro d’Italia