Giro d'Italia stage 12 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia.

Today's stage sees the riders tackle 204km around Cesenatico in Emilia-Romagna. It's a tough one with 3,800 metres of vertical gain, and should be suited to a breakaway.

Cesenatico is Marco Pantani's hometown, of course. The race will pay tribute to the 1998 winner today as it starts and ends in the coastal town.

There are five classified climbs today – three third-category and two fourth-category – so a maximum of 33 KOM points up for grabs.

Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) sprinted to his fourth win of the race yesterday, extending his maglia ciclamino lead over Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe). The Slovak is more suited to today's stage, though, and we could see him taking more points back here.

Other competitiion leaders remain the same, with João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) in charge of pink and white, while compatriot Ruben Guerreiro (EF Pro Cycling) is in the KOM lead.

Ineos Grenadiers lead the Super Team classification, while Marco Frapporti (Vini Zabù-Brado-KTM) heads up the intermediate sprint prize. Sagan is top of the combativity ranking, and Mattia Bais (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) has logged the most kilometres in the break (451km) to lead the Fuga Bianchi classification.

17 police motorbike officers at the Giro E-bike event that accompanies the Giro d'Italia test positive for COVID-19

Cases emerged on Monday during rest day in Abruzzo

The peloton are about to begin the roll-out in the neutralised zone.

Attacks are flying from the off, with Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal) among those active at the front of the race.

196km to go

A large group jumps away, as around 10 riders try to make a break.

12 riders have a small gap on the peloton at the moment.

186km to go

The group, which included Rohan Dennis (Ineos Grenadiers), Mark Padun (Bahrain McLaren) and Victor Campenaerts (NTT Pro Cycling) has been brought back by the peloton now.

A group of 13 is away now. It looks like the peloton is happy to let them get up the road.

180km to go

François Bidard (AG2R La Mondiale), Simon Pellaud (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec), Manuele Boaro (Astana), Mark Padun (Bahrain McLaren), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe), Joey Rosskopf (CCC Team), Jesper Hansen (Cofidis), Simon Clarke (EF Pro Cycling), Albert Torres (Movistar), Victor Campenaerts (NTT Pro Cycling), Jhonathan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers), Max Richeze (UAE Team Emirates) and Etienne Van Empel (Vini Zabù-Brado-KTM) are the men who have made the break.

It's not the strongest group in the world but there are some interesting names in there. More riders attack the peloton in an attempt to get across.

Narváez is the best-placed GC rider in the move. He's over 43 minutes down.

171km to go

Hector Carretero (Movistar) is chasing the break alone at 1:45. The peloton is now 4:15 back.

A speed of 43kph for the first hour. Carretero still trails by 1:45 as the peloton is now over six minutes down on the breakaway.

148km to go

Ten minutes between the peloton and break now, with Carretero still hanging in there not really making any headway.

The break is climbing at the moment but they're yet to reach the first classified climb of the day. Deceuninck-QuickStep lead the peloton.

145km to go

Carretero has closed in on the break. He's only a handful of seconds down now.

...and Carretero makes it across to join his teammate Albert Torres in the break.

Fear inside Giro d'Italia peloton: The only bubble is the one in my face mask

'It's going to start to look really bad soon' says one rider

It's now a 12 minutes advantage for the break now as they crest the second unclassified climb of the stage.

134km to go

The situation is stable at the moment. 12:30 back to the peloton. Not much going on, in short...

The break hit the first climb of the day, Ciola. It's 6km long at an average of 6.4 per cent with the first half over 8 per cent and the second half at around 4.5 per cent.

The Tour of Flanders is coming up on Sunday, the major cobbled Classic remaining on the calendar after the cancellation of Paris-Roubaix. Check out our 10 riders to watch.

128km to go

13:15 for the break now.

Here's what Domenico Pozzovivo (NTT Pro Cycling) had to say before today's stage.

"It's a stage with so many differences in elevation and it's all concentrated in a few diffeerent stretches so we might see some time gaps for those who aren't going well.

"When I started cycling, Marco Pantani was my idol, so to race here has a special meaning to me.

"I'd rather have nice weather today. We'll have to see what happens on the wet descents. The legs will be a little harder because of the rain but I showed already that I'm trying to face it in the best way.

"If I get the chance, why not? I attacked the other day eeven after a mechanical so if I can, I will."

117km to go

NTT are at the front of the peloton now. They've upped the pace and the gap has gone down to 11:30.

Pellaud took the max points – three – over the first climb of the day. The break have started the second climb now. Nine points on offer on Barbotta, a 4.5km climb that averages 8.1 per cent.

Some harsh gradients towards the top of this climb. Rosskopf leads the way. NTT have brought the gap under 10 minutes now.

A shot of today's breakaway out on the road.

Pellaud took the max nine points over the top. Eight minutes back to the peloton now...

107km to go

Dylan Sunderland continues to lead the peloton for NTT. 7:40 now as the gap keeps decreasing.

The break has split in two on the descent. Narváez, Richeze, Benedetti, Hansen and Padun have pushed on ahead of the rest.

Today is a tough stage but not usually one you'd mark down for GC moves to be made – the final climb is fourth category at an average of 5.6 per cent and comes 30 kilometres from the finish. 

Still though, NTT clearly have a plan here. Are they trying to manouevre Pozzovivo into pink in anticipation of the race possibly not making it to Milan?

The break has come back together now. They're on dry roads while the peloton are having a miserable time of it in the rain.

94km to go

And now the situation is reversed as the break rides into a downpour.

Classified climb number three for the break to Perticara. It's actually two climbs in one as you can see below.

Rosskopf makes a move up front while Richeze drops off the rear.

Torres and Campenaerts also out the back as Rosskopf sets the pace at the front.

Rosskopf's teammate Ilnur Zakarin has been dropped from the peloton going down that last descent. It's unclear if he suffered a mechanical or made another mistake going downhill.

Benedetti drops from the break.

91km to go

Zakarin makes it back to the peloton in time for the climb of Perticara.

Benedetti comes back to the lead break group. Campenaerts and Torres are coming back too. Richeze looks to be gone.

Meanwhile, Peter Sagan is losing ground to the peloton.

88km to go

NTT and Deceuninck-QuickStep continue to lead the peloton. 7:20 up to the break now.

Here's what Vincenzo Nibali had to say at the stage start:

"We'll have to see how it goes but for sure its a hard stage. I think there will only be a few opportunities to attack for GC so it could be a big fight. I don't think there will be big time changes on the GC.

"It's nice just to ride because the COVID-19 situation around the race is strange."

NTT Pro Cycling at the head of the peloton. The gap is down to 6:35 now.

Pellaud attacks over the top of the climb, another nine points for him there. He pushes on down the descent.

Two classified climbs to go now. Another cat-3 hill up next before the cat-4 final. There's another unclassified climb in between them, too.

77km to go

Pellaud has taken the maximum KOM points today – 21 so far to go with the nine he already had. He's up to sixth overall in that classification now, 54 points down on Guerreiro.

Should he take the maximum points over the final two climbs he'll be on 42 points, 42 down.

Another Swiss rider, Danilo Wyss, has been leading the peloton for NTT for some time now. He's brought the gap down to six minutes.

Benedetti and Rosskopf join Pellaud up front as he passes through the intermediate sprint point.

The leaders start the next climb of the day, Madonna di Pugliano. It's the hardest climb of the day, 9.1km at 5.5 per cent with a steep early section.

Pellaud took the lead of the intermediate sprint competition at that last sprint.

Padun, Bidard, Boaro, Hansen, Narváez have made it across now, while Benedetti has dropped. A very up and down race for the Bora-Hansgrohe man.

70km to go

Filippo Ganna, Ilnur Zakarin and Diego Ulissi are dropped from the peloton. Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier takes to the front for NTT now. 6:15 to the break.

It's raining, windy – absolutely miserable for the riders out there.

More riders fall away from the peloton under Ghebreigzabhier's pace-setting. There are only around 35 riders left!

Race leader Almeida has a couple of men with him – James Knox, Fausto Masnada, Pieter Serry, Mikkel Honoré. Vincenzo Nibali only has two or three men up there by the looks of it.

Domenizo Pozzovivo has four men up front – Ghebreigzabhier, O'Connor, Meintjes, Sobrero.

Gheibreigzabhier is averaging 430 watts on the front of the peloton for Pozzovivo. Riders are dropping left and right here. If NTT stop at the end of the season then the Eritrean will be a great pick-up for any WorldTour team.

65km to go

Narváez tries a move at the front of the break, just as Carretero and Van Empel looked like making it back.

Ghebreigzabhier's work is done – he took around 1:30 out of the break in just over five kilomteres there.. The gap is 4:50 now.

Ben O'Connor remains in service of Pozzovivo now.

Pozzovivo has O'Connor, Almeida has three men with him, Fuglsang looks to be alone, Nibali has one rider in the group, Kelderman has a man with him, can't be sure about Majka.

Of course, Pozzovivo has Campenaerts up front. The Belgian isn't with the leaders though, he's somewhere in between the break and GC group.

59km to go

4:20 between break and peloton now. NTT lead across the top of the climb.

Etienne Van Empel has a puncture. He's putting his leg out to balance himself around these wet corners on the descent. Just as he got to the leaders, too.

Pellaud took the maximum points over the top. Carretero and Richeze are back in the peloton. Still seven men up front.

56km to go

Simon Clarke caught and passed the leaders on the descent. He's up front alone now.

Padun pushes on as the break hits the next climb of the day, the uncategorised Passo delle Siepi. It's 4.7km long at a 4.5 per cent average.

52km to go

Victor Campenaerts is caught by the GC group. He'll be put to work as much as possible for Pozzovivo.

Up front, Padun and Narváez make it across to Clarke.

4:10 between break and GC group as several riders grab rain jackets from their team cars.

Fuglsang gets a jacket. Kelderman puts his on. Majka drops back to wait for his car.

Padun and Narváez have left Clarke behind now.

49km to go

Nibali is alone in the GC group. Campenaeerts leads the way as Pozzovivo shakes his hand to get some feeling back.

Honoré, Knox and Masnada remain up there for Almeida. Few others have more than one teammate remaining.

A shot of the peloton climbing Perticara earlier on.

Nibali drops back to the car for supplies and a jacket.

46km to go

Campenaerts still on the front for NTT. The gap has gone up to 5:25, while the chasers are 25 seconds behind Padun and Narváez.

41km to go

All the big names look to be in the GC group, though third-placed man Pello Bilbao (Bahrain McLaren) wasn't there. He's just got back on now as Jakob Fuglsang stops for a very leisurely bike change.

Benedetti is back in the peloton now. Padun and Narváez are 50 seconds up on the chasers, while Clarke is right in between the two groups.

Albert Torres is caught by the peloton. The track rider is making his debut at a Grand Tour here, a nice ride by him today.

37km to go

6:20 to the break now. The gap has gone out a lot since Campenaerts took up the pace-making on the front of the peloton.

The remains of the break are now 2:45 down on Padun and Narváez. Clarke is much closer and still chasing.

Here's a look at the final climb of the day to San Giovanni in Galilea. It's 4.4km long at 6.7 per cent with a steep final kilometre.

Clarke takes a bike change after a gear problem, as does Hermann Pernsteiner (Bahrain McLaren) in the peloton.

34km to go

Clarke is a minute back on the leaders while the rest of the break is 3:15 down. Seven minutes to the peloton.

It should be Narváez vs Padun for the stage win today. Campenaerts continues to lead the GC group ahead of O'Connor and Pozzovivo.

32km to go

The leaders reach the final climb of the day. Campenaerts drops off and O'Connor hits the front of the GC group.

Only 16 men in the group as O'Connor ups the pace. It looks like some riders were briefly caught out by the change in speed there.

Only Pozzovivo, Almeida, Majka, Bilbao and Kelderman have a man with them.

No moves from Padun or Narváez on the climb just yet.

Clarke is still on his own behind them, but there's little real hope of catching the duo.

28km to go

Around 15 riders remain in the GC group, still led by O'Connor. Almeida has Knox and Masnada with him.

The latest time check puts Clarke at 2:10 while the rest of the break is four minutes down. 6:30 to the peloton.

Just two minutes to the top for the GC group as the breakaway stragglers cross the top.

Pozzovivo and Guerreiro push the pace at the front of the GC group. A few riders drop away.

And Pozzovivo goes again towards the top. The climb just isn't long or hard enough to really make gaps there.

Knox takes it up on the front for Almeida on the way down.

The GC group consists of: Knox, Masnada, Almeida, Guerreiro, Geogeghan Hart, Pernsteiner, Blibao, Fuglsang, Nibali, Pozzovivo, Kelderman, Hamilton, Hindley, Majka, Konrad, McNulty and Pedrero.

24km to go

Disaster for Padun! He suffers a puncture on the descent and takes a bike change. Narváez is out front alone now.

Boaro drops back to the GC group as Nibali takes a second jacket. No time check between Narváez and Padun yet.

20km to go

Narváez is 30 seconds up. Three minutes to Clarke. 6:35 to the GC group.

It's a two-man time trial for victory in Cesenatico.

Padun takes a few seconds back but still lis 25 seconds down.

14km to go

20 seconds at the latest time check now.

12km to go

Padun keeps taking time. 13 seconds is the gap now.

10km to go

The cars and bikes have left the gap between Narváez and Padun. 10 seconds now.

8km to go

And now Narváez is gaining time! The gap goes back up to 15 seconds.

Pozzovivo finally takes a rain jacket after all this time in his regular jersey and shorts. Tough.

7km to go

Just like that it looks to be over for Padun. The gap is out over 20 seconds now as the Ukrainian looks to be struggling. Narváez is still pushing on smoothly.

Narváez won Settimana Coppi e Bartali back in September, also winning the youth classification at the Tour de Wallonie a month earlier. It's his third year in the WorldTour and now it looks like he'll be adding a Giro stage win to his palmarès at his second Grand Tour.

5km to go

35 seconds now. He has it in the bag, barring a disaster.

3km to go

40 seconds now. Narváez enters Cesenatico still pushing on as much as he can.

2km to go

It's miserable in Cesenatico as Narváez makes his way through. 45 seconds is the gap.

1km to go

Narváez passes into the final kilometre, victory in the bag 50 seconds up on Padun. The peloton is eight minutes back.

Narváez comes to the line, unzips his jacket to show off his sponsor, and celebrates his stage win!

Padun crosses the line in second place, 1:08 down on Narváez.

Meanwhile, the Deceuninck-QuickStep-led GC group pass the 5km banner.

A shot of Narváez celebrating his win in Cesnatico.

Simon Clarke is the third man across the line, 6:52 down on Narváez.

Rosskopf and Pellaud finish over 7:30 down.

A small sprint to the line for the GC men, who cross the line 8:26 after the stage winner.

Brandon McNulty led the GC group across the line.

Big GC losers today: Hermann Pernsteiner and Ilnur Zakarin.

Pernsteiner, who lay in 10th this morning, finished 11:43 down, shedding over three minutes to the GC men. Zakarin finished 21:06 down on Narváez, and will plummet out of 12th overall as a result.

A request from the EF Pro Cycling team to stop the Giro d'Italia on Monday’s second rest day because of "a clearly compromised bubble" has been rejected by the UCI.

Read the full story here

Here's our report on stage 12, including brief results and a photo gallery.

Narváez celebrates his victory on the podium in Cesenatico.

Here's what Narváez said after the finish today.

"This feels so good because it was a really hard stage with the cold and the rain. 

"I’m happy because we’ve been working really hard before the Giro, then to try to get into the breakaway and to stay well and recover every day.

"Padun had a flat tyre and my sports director said to wait for him a little. But the race was fast and so I kept the pace. I knew the gap and kept going to the end.

"It means a lot for any professional rider to win here at the Giro d’Italia and especially so for me."

João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) retains the race lead once again and looks safe for at least another couple of days.

Here's what Almeida had to say in Cesenatico.

"It was a hard stage, almost six hours long with rain and cold, climbs and descents. It was a hard day out but hopefully we can now keep the jersey until Saturday.

"I have a perfect team and they did a perfect job. I’m thankful to them.

"[About a possible early race stoppage] The situation is not looking good, the weather is really bad and we’re not in the north yet. Imagine next week at almost 2000m. With the COVID-19 situation. I think we have to make the smartest decision for everyone. It’s not my decision. We'll just keep doing what we’re doing until we can. 

"I’m the maglia rosa, so I can’t say: Lets stop. For sure next week will be a hard week but it's not my decision (to stop), that’s the organisation's decision. We’re fighting for the jersey and we’ll see how it goes."

Our full stage 12 report is now up featuring a big photo gallery and full results.

Vaughters: UCI didn't take our Giro d'Italia concerns very seriously

'None of our guys want to leave the Giro early' says EF manager as he expands on letter

2020 Giro d'Italia stage 12 highlights - Video

Narváez and unlucky Padun star in soggy stage to Cesenatico in the Giro d'Italia.

Hindley relishes 'last man standing' racing at Giro d'Italia

'We're here to race bikes and I'm going to continue to do it until I can't' says Australian

In the wake of numerous complaints from around the peloton, race director Mauro Vegni has defended the Giro's COVID-19 bubble and suggested that teams could have behaved incorrectly at the race.

Read the full story here

In the latest news from the Giro d'Italia's COVID-19 saga, the UCI have announced further rounds of testing at the race. Saliva antigenic tests will be carried out on Thursday and Friday ahead of the already planned PCR tests set for Monday's rest day after complaints about the race bubble from around the peloton, including EF Pro Cycling.

Read the full story here

Almeida: It's not my decision if the Giro d'Italia goes to Milan or not

Portuguese rider defends overall lead on the Nove Colli around Cesenatico

Israel Start-Up Nation's Alexander Cataford was the only rider who didn't make it to the finish of today's stage. That's 143 riders left in the race at the moment.

Still, with a round of the COVID-19 testing coming up tonight we'll see how many will take the start tomorrow in Cervia.

The full  EF Pro Cycling team has reportedly tested negative for COVID-19 tonight, according to the team's bus driver Andrea Bisogno.