Team LottoNL-Jumbo raced the fifth stage in the Giro without any problems. Enrico Battaglin became tenth and the sprint stage to Messina was won by Colombian Fernando Gaviria. Kruijswijk finished in the peloton and remains 15th in GC.

"It went fine today," said Kruijswijk. Yesterday he fell in the lead to Etna, but today he was well recovered. "I had little trouble with my wounds. Today was a day to get through and that went well. "

When the peloton entered the port city Messina, Team LottoNL-Jumbo was at the front of the peloton. "In such a city it is important to be in the front. The last forty kilometers were continuous through villages and towns. The boys kept me well and I had to do little myself. "

Final

One of the men who must especially support Kruijswijk on the flat stages is Jos van Emden. "I saw that it would not be easy today. The beginning was difficult with that climb to 700 metres. In the final it was fast and flat. I like that. "

For Van Emden these are important stages. "The big work is for me especially in this first week. In the second and third week, it will be different. "

According to sports director Addy Engels, today's goal has been achieved. "These are dangerous days and at the end of the day you're happy when everything has gone smoothly. We had decided to ride aggressively at the beginning of the local circuit and to start it on the front. That has been done. Steven finished where he had to finish as a GC-rider and Enrico could sprint to a tenth place. "

Engels is glad that Battaglin throw himself between the sprinters. "A tenth place is not a big prize, but it's always good if you have a rider in the team who is sprinting. It is good for the spirit and during the first days we also benefited from it with the position of the teamcar. "

"The start of the stage was heavy," says Battaglin. "As we drove to the coast, it became a lot easier. In the villages and towns you need to be careful. In the final we fought for our place and that worked well. "