Bouhanni out-sprinted Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) and former race leader Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE) for the stage spoils in Salsomaggiore.
Current race leader Cadel Evans (BMC) avoided the carnage on the final corner to finish ninth on the stage and retain the overall lead with no changes to the top of the general classification.
"As expected after a rest day, everyone is a bit fresher, a bit recovered, physically and mentally," said Evans who leads Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Rigoberto Uran by 57 seconds.
"The final climb went really fast, we saw that there and on the descent. Fresher riders, everyone was desperate which makes for a more dangerous finish."
It was a slow start for the peloton following the second rest day of the race.
Just 13km into the race Marco Bandiera (Androni) and Andrea Fedi (Neri Sottoli-Yellow Fluo) had ridden away to an 8min 35sec lead.
The pair would never increase their advantage beyond that, with the peloton happy for them to dangle out front for most of the fast and flat stage along the Po river.
BMC suffered a blow after Yannick Eijissen crashed out of the race with 17km to go, leaving Evans's without the young rider for support in the mountains.
"We only hear these things on the radio, we don't know what happens. and I only saw the images on TV after the race at the finish," Evans said of Eijissen's crash.
"To see a neck brace on anyone is scary, they say it's only a precautionary measure, but of course we miss one team-mate. It's a big blow as well to us as a team."
The peloton gradually reeled in the lead duo until they caught them with 9km remaining. A short climb 8km from the finish provided the only obstacle of the stage, with Sky keeping the tempo high, hoping to unhinge the sprinters, but they were unsuccessful.
Tinkoff-Saxo's Nicolas Roche attacked on the descent, but he could not separate himself from the peloton as it snaked down the hill.
It was a disorganised peloton that thundered towards the finish, with no team having a full lead-out train present after the high-pace of the climb.
Garmin-Sharp's Tyler Farrar hit the tarmac on the final corner, taking down multiple others including Cannondale sprinter Elia Vivani, while the stage favourites were already safely around the bend and charging towards the finish.
Giant-Shimano's Luka Mezgec was the first to fire in the finishing straight but he was no match for the might of Bouhanni.
"It's never easy," said Bouhanni, who solidifies his position as points leader and holder of the red jersey.
"It was pretty fast in the final sprint. Nizzolo attacked but I was able to go past him," said the 23-year-old.
The peloton will next negotiate the 249km stage from Collecchio, near Parma, to Savona which includes a category two climb before a descent to the finish.
Stage 10: 173km, Modena to Salsomaggiore
1 Nacer Bouhanni (FRA) FDJ.fr 4hr 01min 13sec
2 Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Trek Factory Racing
3 Michael Matthews (AUS) Orica-GreenEDGE
4 Roberto Ferrari (ITA) Lampre-Merida
5 Enrico Battaglin (ITA) Bardiani-CSF
6 Vladimir Gusev (RUS) Katusha
7 Albert Timmer (NED) Giant-Shimano
8 Ben Swift (GBR) Sky
9 Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC
10 Mauro Finetto (ITA) Neri Sottoli
1 Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC 42hr 50min 47sec
2 Rigoberto Uran (COL) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 0:00:57
3 Rafal Majka (POL) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:01:10
4 Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) AG2R 0:01:20
5 Steve Morabito (SWI) BMC 0:01:31
6 Fabio Aru (ITA) Astana 0:01:39
7 Diego Ulissi (ITA) Lampre-Merida 0:01:43
8 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Belkin 0:01:44
9 Nairo Quintana (COL) Movistar 0:01:45
10 Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) Trek Factory Racing 0:01:49
SBS broadcasts every stage of the 2014 Giro d'Italia LIVE! There will be nightly highlights at 5:30pm on SBS ONE, and each stage will also be streamed live here at Cycling Central.
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