After a few tough stages in the hills, the 183-kilometer stage six of the Giro d’Italia flattened and offered another chance for the fastmen. Just as the day’s breakaway was nullified with around 15 kilometers to go the crosswinds kicked up panic in the peloton, creating a melee of infighting between GC contenders and sprinters who both wanted the front, albeit for completely different reasons.

Trek Factory Racing did a pristine job keeping Giacomo Nizzolo safe and sound in the stressful final kilometers, then led him into primo sprinting position in the final 500 meters. But as always, sprinting is a game of milliseconds.

“We were really motivated today so we put [Silvestre and Watson] to pull and they did a super, super job," Nizzolo explained to TFR.com. “But in the end with such a long, straight road for the sprint it’s always more chaotic because the peloton is not stretched and everyone can move up. When Lobato started [his sprint] from behind he went on the right side and caused me to hesitate and I lost a few seconds; to restart again was too hard. Anyway, I think Greipel deserved this sprint and okay, we look forward then to tomorrow.”

André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) powered his way to the stage six win after his team did the lion-share of the work in the final 10 kilometers, then gave him a hefty lead out in a finale where raw power was of utmost importance. Nizzolo sprinted to fifth.

When the day began it was apparent all sprinters’ teams were on the same page, throwing in a set of legs to control the gap to a five-man breakaway. Trek Factory Racing added two workhorses to the mix as Fabio Silvestre and Calvin Watson tag-teamed their effort for the unheralded grunt work all day.

Both riders more than earned their dinner, selflessly pedaling mile after mile at the front to keep the five leaders in a manageable distance. When the catch was made and crunch time began the sprint team grabbed the reins, and they did a flawless job to lead Nizzolo safely into the final meters.

“When we have a stage that is suited to Giacomo we have to go all in; we have to make the most of the sprint stages,” Watson said about his strong effort in today’s race. “It was actually quite difficult today because the middle section of the race was really up and down. Also, Giant rode quite a hard tempo and it hurt a lot of guys legs, even Pelucchi, who was second, was dropped at one point.  In the end, I was pulling with the Lotto Soudal riders to bring back the break, and the nasty crosswinds in the last 20 kilometers put a lot of stress on the bunch. Then the breakaway came back pretty quick and it was up to our leadout boys to do their thing.

“Nizzolo was sixth the other day, now fifth, hopefully this means we are getting closer to a win, which would be really nice. I think we have to take the positives from the negatives and keep fighting because we are still in the first week of the Giro and there’s still a long ways to go and more opportunities to fight for a stage win.”

Although the result was not what was desired, the team showed once again their strength and ability in the fast, furious finishes – with another sprint expected in tomorrow’s stage seven, they will have another chance to land a pinstripe on the top step.