The peloton was having a hard time clicking back into gear today during the 200-kilometre long tenth stage of the Giro d'Italia. On the day after the rest day, a break was able to hold on until the line in Forlì with Nicola Boem (Bardiani) taking the flowers. Moreno Hofland finished 17th.

Boem was one of the five Italians who rode in front all day. The peloton kept the break in check, but started the final chase a little too late, which helped the attackers stay clear until the finish. Oscar Gatto was reeled in by the peloton after a mechanical and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek) led the group for fifth.

Hofland would have liked to finish closer to Nizzolo and searched his own heart for answers. “I was a little nervous. It was my own fault that I lost the boys. I’m quite impulsive in my sprints. I have to learn to keep my cool in the final kilometres.”

Jan Boven

Sports Director Jan Boven explained why the team didn’t help chasing down the leaders. “We agreed on that with the riders in the bus this morning. We are currently with only seven and Steven Kruijswijk is focused on GC. We were expecting a hectic sprint today and so we knew that we needed all five others to assist Moreno. If we would have helped, we would have fallen short in the final kilometres. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned in the sprint, that’s something we should learn from.”

Ayrton Senna

Wednesday’s stage finishes on a special place, on Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, San Marino. Until 2006, Formula 1 races were held on the circuit. The 23-year old Hofland, who loves cars, is clearly a man with a sense of history.

“I know that Ayrton Senna died at Imola in 1994. Finishing on a circuit is always special, especially at this circuit. The stage itself is quite difficult and the laps are too, as there’s a tough climb, but I’ll do my best. I want to hang on as long as possible and try to create an opportunity for myself. Last year in the Tour of Utah, I won a stage on a circuit. I have to say that was a flat circuit, though.”