Fernando Gaviria benefited from a perfect lead out from his Quick-Step Floors team-mates to outpace Andre Greipel and win stage five of the 2017 Giro d'Italia on Wednesday.

The Colombian's victory in Messina sees him move clear at the top of the points classification, while his team-mate Bob Jungels remains in the leader's maglia rosa for another day.

After very little action in the opening 144 kilometres from Pedara at the foot of Mount Etna, stage five burst into life with a bunch sprint in the closing stages.

Three trains emerged ahead of the 1,500-metre home stretch but it was Quick-Step Floors who got their tactics right, Maximiliano Richeze leading the way before Gaviria leapt off the wheel of Bora-Hansgrohe's Sam Bennett to take the win.

"I'm happy with two victories, the legs are now responding the way we wanted," Gaviria told reporters after his trips to the podium.

 "This victory isn't just for me, it's for my team and my family and everyone that supported me. My family is here and it's beautiful to give them this gift.

"The whole team worked perfectly. We were able to take the win here, now we'll leave the islands and head to the mainland and we'll see what happens."

GOOD DAY/BAD DAY

Wednesday could not have gone much better for Quick-Step Floors as Gaviria and Jungels continue their early dominance of the leader's jerseys, the latter set for a second day in pink on Thursday.

Things were not so good for Luka Pibernik, though, the Bahrain-Merida rider raising his arms in celebration as he thought he had crossed the finish line, only to realise he still had a lap of the Messina circuit to go - he eventually finished 20 seconds back.

STAGE RESULTS

Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) 3:40.11
Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina)
Sam Bennett (Bora - Hansgrohe)
Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal)
Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb)

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) 23:22.07
Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) +0.06s
Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) +0.10s

POINTS CLASSIFICATION

Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) 138
Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) 99
Kristian Sbaragli (Dimension Data) 76

KING OF THE MOUNTAINS

Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) 43
Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) 23
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha Alpecin) 18

UP NEXT…

The peloton bids farewell to Sicily for stage six on Thursday with a 217km route from Reggio Calabria to Terme Luigiane. It will be another predominantly flat stage but an entirely uphill final stretch could hamper the sprinters' hopes.