Sprinters will often default to thanking their team in post-race interviews, too tired to think of anything more inventive to say other than 'I was faster and better than the other guys today', but on stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia it was a true team effort from Peter Sagan's Bora-Hansgrohe to deliver the win.
"For sure it was a very good day for us and we tried our best. I have to say thanks," Sagan said after his team had worked to shed fast-finishing rivals on an uphill section earlier in the day before he outclassed the remaining Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and Davide Cimolai (Israel Start-Up Nation) in the dash for the line.
This is Sagan's first bunch sprint victory at the Giro d'Italia after his magnificent solo victory last year and means he's now won two stages in two participations.
"I think the other day when Caleb Ewan won stage 7 I was very good," Sagan said of how he feels his form is good at the Italian Grand Tour, but that maybe he's previously just been missing that little bit of luck needed, even though he says he was fortunate he managed to hold his bike upright when he nearly collided with the barriers in the run-in that day.
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"It was uphill and I had very good legs, I started from a little bit further back. I had very good speed but I was close to the barriers, luckily I didn't crash. Today I'm very happy to win a stage like this. I think it was a great job from all the team."
Having now secured a stage win and with Caleb Ewan already home after leaving the race, the question is whether Sagan will turn his attention to the maglia ciclamino, the green points jersey at the Tour de France having become synonymous with the three-time world champion over the years.
"[We'll take it] day-by-day," is all the commitment the 31-year-old will give for the time being. "Now we've finished the stage and we still have halfway to go, I'll try my best."
