"It was quite scary at times" - Kaden Groves very close to maiden Giro d'Italia win in Andora

Kaden Groves has proved last year to be among the very best sprinters in the world as he dominated the points classification at the Vuelta a España. He was close to transferring his success to the Giro d'Italia today as he sprinted to second behind Jonathan Milan.

“It was really a super hectic sprint. We rode at a particularly high pace. All teams were fighting for position. It was quite scary at times,” Groves said in a post-race interview to Eurosport. “These types of stages are suitable for riders who can make a late attack, but the wind was in our favor. Then you have to be very strong to keep moving forward.”

Groves' chances were in a sprint and as Filippo Ganna was caught in sight of the line, the Alpecin-Deceuninck was prepared. He spent some energy in the intermediate sprints across the day in pursuit of the points classification, but still had the kick in the final sprint.

He was the closest rider to Jonathan Milan, and had the speed to match the Italian. However it wasn't enough to bring in the much awaited triumph. "We will get there," he is confident of. "The team is also riding very strongly. I feel the confidence of the team. We look forward to the next few days.”