Nacer Bouhani of FDJ won the fourth stage of the 97th Giro D'Italia.
With the race back on Italian soil after three stages in Northern Ireland and the Republic Of ireland, the riders who were minus stage three winner Marcel Kittel of Giant Shimano who had withdrawn due to a fever, faced a 121km stage from Giovinazzo to Bari on the 105th anniversary of the first ever race which started in Milan on this day in 1909.
In wet weather, the riders rolled out with Michael Matthews of Orica Greenedge in the pink jersey. There was plenty of discussion as to whether there would be any attacks or would the stage be neutralised due to the wet and slippery conditions.
The riders started on the first of eight laps around Bari on the Adriatic coast with 72kms to go.
it was decided that the general classifications time would be taken at the start of the bell lap and there was no racing until the intermediate sprint with 32kms to go, which saw Elia Viviani of Cannondale shoot clear to win the sprint ahead of Nizzolo and Ferrari.
With no time bonuses on the stage, there was bonuses and the points Viviani took put him into the red jersey.
Michael Matthews was first over the line in 2.22.08 with every rider having the same time on the bell lap which was 8.3kms long.
So it was down to a one lap shoot out as to who would take the stage victory.
Two crashes took plenty of riders down on very wet roads, followed by a third as Giant Shimano with four riders took a lead going into the final kilometre.
Bouhani, Nizzolo were in the chase but Tom Veelers went first. However, Nacer Bouhani of FDJ got past him and took the win ahead of Nizzol and Veelers.
Matthews, who has an eight second lead over Allesandro Petacchi, said about the stage. "From the start it was slippery, we had a chat and neutralised the race so we get through it as safe as possible. Here, the roads are not used to the weather conditions so the safest thing to do was to to neurtalise the race."
Bouhani said about his win: "This was incredible. "I never thought I would get back after two punctures. It was very slippery. I had to give everything and luckily I won."