The stage was earlier punctuated by a four-man break, consisting of Alexander Foliforov (Gazprom-RusVelo), Nicola Bagioli (Nippo-Vini Fantini), Jacopo Mosca (Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia) and Guy Sagiv (Israel Cycling Academy).

With little to worry the sprinters on the day’s pan-flat route, however, the four always looked likely to be earning nothing more dramatic than exposure for their sponsors – particularly with the day’s only climb over inside the first 10km.

– ‘Frustrated’ Mark Cavendish fractures rib in Tirreno-Adriatico crash –

Four became three when Bagioli dropped back to the peloton, and a lead of just shy of seven minutes diminished as the kilometres ticked down.

Kittel’s first Tirreno-Adriatico stage win was also, surprisingly, his first on Italian soil – even his four Giro d’Italia stage wins came outside the country.

Bevin, meanwhile, now leads overall after finishing fifth on the stage, with BMC Racing still boasting four riders at the head of the general classification with a four-second advantage over Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) after the stage one team time trial.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2018: stage two – result

1) Marcel Kittel (GER) – Katusha-Alpecin – 4.12.24hrs
2) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Bora-hansgrohe – ST
3) Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) – Trek-Segafredo
4) Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) – Team Sky
5) Patrick Bevin (NZL) – BMC Racing
6) Jakub Mareczko (ITA) – Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia
7) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – QuickStep Floors
8) Danny van Poppel (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo
9) Eduard Michael Grosu (ROM) – Nippo-Vini Fantini
10) Simone Consonni (ITA) – UAE-Team Emirates

General classification

1) Patrick Bevin (NZL) – BMC Racing – 4.34.43hrs
2) Damiano Caruso (ITA) – BMC Racing – ST
3) Greg van Avermaet (BEL) – BMC Racing
4) Rohan Dennis (AUS) – BMC Racing
5) Daryl Impey (RSA) – Mitchelton-Scott +4”
6) Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) – Team Sky +9”
7) Geraint Thomas (GBR) – Team Sky – ST
8) Salvatore Puccio (ITA) – Team Sky
9) Christopher Froome (GBR) – Team Sky
10) Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP) – Team Sky