Giro d'Italia 2023 Stage 17 recap: Mark Cavendish left frustrated as Alberto Dainese wins fast sprint

"The first sprints didn’t go as plans. We did a good job but we didn’t get a good result to show how well we can ride the final. Today we rode an insane final with the boys and Marius [Mayrhofer] did a super job and then Niklas [Markl] to finish it off.

"When he swung off I was a bit overtaken by the guys on the left so I had to squeeze to try and catch Matthews. The last metres I was digging so deep, I was really on the limit and I saw Jonathan Milan coming. I couldn’t really throw my bike but it’s nice to get a few centimetres of my wheel ahead of Johnny to get the win.

"I’ve been quite sick with stomach issues and my breathing the last few days. Today was the first day I was feeling okay – like at 80% - so to win like this after such a struggle is insane and I’m super happy.”

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) kept out of trouble and stays in the pink jersey with an 18-second lead over Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) and 29 seconds on Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma).

The British champion is not happy. He was out of position for the finale but in the wheel of team-mate Luis Leon Sanchez. But he appears to be having words with some of the Green Project-Bardiani riders - so perhaps he feels like he was impeded there. We'll have to see some replays to see what happened to the 38-year-old there. He now has to get through the Dolomites if he wants to keep up his record of winning a stage in every Giro he had ridden on Sunday in Rome...

We have also just seen an interview with an emotional Arne Marit (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) who says he felt really good and confident of winning a maiden Grand Tour stage - but then suffered a mechanical issue with his chain on the final straight.

1. Alberto Dainese (Team DSM)
2. Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious)
3. Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla)
4. Niccolo Bonifazio (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty)
5. Simone Consonni (Cofidis)
6. Fernando Gaviria (Movistar)
7. Andrea Pasqualon (Bahrain Victorious)
8. Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo)
9. Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
10. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates)

Once again, Jonathan Milan was the fastest finisher but he came from too far back and he missed out by whisker yet again, with Matthews beaten into third. Italians Niccola Bonifazio and Simone Consonni completed the top five.

The Italian roars with delight after Dainese is confirmed as the winner. His DSM team led the peloton around the last bend with 400m to go but it was Matthews who then came to the front. Dainese pegged him back while Milan came from distance at speed - and they all crossed the line together.

It's impossible to tell who has won that - but Mark Cavendish hasn't: he lost his man and was so far back he had to give up early on the home straight. Disappointment for British fans - but we wait to see who has won that...

Cavendish lost his man but if now returning - but from far. Gaviria and Jake Stewart are near the front, with DSM still in control. Jonathan Milan is also priming himself.

We have heard that they're riding for Dainese today, not Mayrhofer. Jayco-AlUla have appeared for Matthews and Intermarche for Arne Marit. Cavendish has one team-mate. These corners keep knocking off the pace.

They are playing with fire here because one split could be bad news for Roglic. Ineos, by contrast, are right on the front as they approach the magic 3km marker, where there will be a collective sighing out for the GC favourites.

Right, it's showtime - the Belgian is caught after the peloton splits around a roundabout. Ineos Grenadiers are on the front now keeping their man in pink out of trouble. Leysen rode out ahead for 192km today - chapeau.

That exposed bridge was a bit of a non-event - although it provided the riders with perhaps the day's biggest gradient to get up onto it. Still 15 seconds for Senne Leysen. But there's no way this isn't going to be a bunch sprint - unless a crash splits the field and only a handful or riders contest the spoils.

Are they planning to launch Jake Stewart today or is this to keep Pinot and Armirail out of trouble? It's not entirely obvious. The gap is still 20 seconds for Leysen as he passes the 8km banner and approaches that bridge we mentioned earlier... Primoz Roglic's Jumbo Visma are very far back, which is interesting.

The lone leader is gritting his teeth and digging in - but it's all for show and for pride because he will be caught very soon. His lead is down to 20 seconds and the peloton has him exactly where they want him.

The lone leader from Belgium now has 55 seconds as he comes under the 15km banner. Movistar have come to the front for Gaviria while Cavendish is there, too, with one of his Astana team-mates. It would be great to see a clean sprint today between the remaining fastmen - but I can't help but worry that there are going to be some flashpoints with all those corners.

The Belgian now has 30 seconds on the pack as they sweep around onto a bridge crossing a river. Apparently there's another bridge just up the road (with around 8km remaining) which is extremely bumpy and narrow and exposed - according to our man on the moto, Adam Blythe. Let's keep an eye out for that. Quarterman and Sevilla, meanwhile, have almost been caught.

Senne Leysen decides to have one last roll of the dice and kicks clear of the break just as the peloton closes in and breathes down the next of the escapees. The Belgian opens up a decent gap over Quarterman and Sevilla, while Champion calls it a day and drops back to the pack.