Pavel Brutt (Gazprom-RusVelo), Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates), Vincenzo Albanese (Bardiani-CSF) and Johann van Zyl (Dimension Data) had earlier formed the day’s break, but Dimension Data called their man back to the bunch.

The three remaining escapees were given little room either, with the peloton setting a decent rhythm, and the gap was less than a minute with still more than 100km to ride.

It was allowed to go back out again, but the pattern for the day on the pan-flat route had been set – with Fernando Gaviria claiming fourth place at both intermediate sprints, uncontested, proving the only bit of action in the bunch.

Again, the lack of firepower up the road, and the number of sprint teams happy to take a turn on the front of the bunch kept the gap to the escapees down, and once again the peloton had to ease off to ensure the catch was not made too early.

They were finally put out of their misery with close to 20km still to ride, and the fight for position immediately saw a few riders caught out at the back of the bunch.

Lotto-Soudal joined the party under the flamme rouge, but Andre Greipel was out of position as the final sprint kicked off.

Instead Gaviria came from well back, sling-shotting around team-mate Max Richeze, whose position blocked Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) from catching the Colombian’s wheel.

And Gaviria still had enough in the tank to kick again and beat Bennett to the line, to make it four wins at his debut Grand Tour.

Giro d’Italia 2017: stage 13 – result

1) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – QuickStep Floors – 3.47.45hrs
2) Sam Bennett (IRL) – Bora-hansgrohe – ST
3) Japser Stuyven (BEL) – Trek-Segafredo
4) Roberto Ferrari (ITA) – UAE Team Emirates
5) Ryan Gibbons (RSA) – Dimension Data
6) Rudiger Selig (GER) – Bora-hansgrohe
7) Sacha Modolo (ITA) – UAE Team Emirates
8) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-Scott
9) Andre Greipel (GER) – Lotto-Soudal
10) Viacheslav Kuznetsov (RUS) – Katusha-Alpecin

General classification

1) Tom Dumoulin (NED) – Team Sunweb – 56.28.53hrs
2) Nairo Quintana (COL) – Movistar +2.23
3) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Trek-Segafredo +2.38
4) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ +2.40
5) Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) – Bahrain-Merida +2.47
6) Andrey Amador (CRC) – Movistar +3.05
7) Bob Jungels (LUX) – QuickStep Floors +3.56
8) Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +3.59
9) Tanel Kangert (EST) – Astana – ST
10) Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) – Katusha +4.17