As it happened: Long-range break battle for the win in Fano on stage 12

Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 12 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia!

The riders are in the neutralised zone and will be racing soon.

Yesterday's winner Jonathan Milan had to have something fixed with his bike - better to have problems now than in the finale.

Not that today will be a stage for Milan and the other sprinters - the hilly parcours makes it one for the puncheurs rather than the fastmen.

192KM TO GO

We're off!

The attacks are already coming thick and fast, with about a dozen riders up the road.

That move has been brought back, and now others are trying their luck.

Whatever problem Milan had at the start hasn't been sufficiently fixed - he's back at the back having another bike change.

The race is all stretched out with Matteo Trentin at the front, but no gaps for now.

The pace is too much for Luke Plapp, who is out the back of the peloton. That would have been big news had he not already fallen out of GC contention.

Trentin’s efforts have been enough to see him go clear with Enzo Paleni and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk. The trio have a lead of a few seconds.

The pace has slackened in the peloton, allowing Plapp to rejoin. Surely this won’t be the end of the attacks though, given what a great chance this is for a breakaway win.

180KM TO GO

There are indeed more attacks, with about ten riders setting off in pursuit of the three leaders.

They're brought back, while te three leaders hold onto a lead of 22 seconds.

Now Milan joins the peloton after his mechanical.

Nobody else is managing to go clear with these attacks, but the relentless pace is bringing the leading trio back. They now have only 7 seconds.

Michael Hepburn managed to get a gap for a little while, but he too has been brought back. The attacks promise to go for a while yet.

It's looking good for Trentin, Paleni and Van Sintmaartensdijk. They have 30 seconds, and could stay out in front if joined by other attackers. 

The peloton at the start of the stage.

Another small group now trying to go clear with a small gap, led by the ever-agressive Andrea Piccolo.

They've now been brought back too. 

The race is absolutely flying today. They’ve completed 30 kilometres already, in less than half an hour.

160KM TO GO

More attacs trying in vain to go clear. Meanwhile the leaders have 18 seconds.

A 7man group is the latest to ro try, and features some firepower with Ganna committing to it. They're being given little leeway though.

They to have been shut down. So it goes on!

Now Alaphilippe attacks, with Plapp.

That pair are already on the leading trio's wheel, whose lead has collapsed in the last few kilometres. 

And now everything is back together again, including the initial leading trio. 

Six riders are the next to attack and the new leaders on the road, among them Christian Scaroni, who is berating the others to work, and Daan Hoole, who is telling him to calm down.

Multiple riders have joined them to form a big leading group - too big to survive perhaps?

 Narváez is one of the riders who has got himself into this group, and is a real dangerman on a stage with terrain like this.

They've all been brought back now.

150KM TO GO

Not too long till we hit the climbs. The first unofficial one comes in about 10km, after which they come thick and fast, and the stage will take a very different complexion from this flat opening. 

Trentin, Van Sintmaartensdijk and Paleni at the front of the race earlier, before they were brough back.

Some promise here for a new four-man group who have got a sizeable gap.

Some familiar suspects in this quartet: Simon Clarke, Edoardo Affini, Mirco Maestri and Michael Hepburn. These are riders who know a breakaway, and might have picked their moment. Their lead is 16 seconds.

The attacks have ceased for now in the peloton, that is now 25 seconds adrift. That might change when they start climbing in a few kilometres, however.

140KM TO GO

Clarke, Affini, Maestri and Hepburn are looking good. They have a bigger lead than anybody has managed so far today, with their advantage now nearly at a minute. 

They're climbing now, wit the gap at 1-11. This will be interesting - surely some of the top puncheurs will try attacking now the parcours has changed.

And indeed that's what's happened - Alaphilippe goes and others are following his lead.

Piccolo and Kamp were the first to follow him, now lots of others are also with him.

Ewen Costiou has a gap ver the peloton after those accelerations, with four riders forming a chase group behind him. 

Those 4 riders are Alaphilippe, Narvaez, Scaroni and Thomas (Benjamin, not Geraint).

That's a very strong group, and they've caught Costiou.

Those five riders are nearing Clarke, Hepburn, Affini and Maestri at the front.

And now they've joined them. This could be the break of the day, given the powerful make-up of the riders in it.

Behind, stage six winner Pelayo Sánchez is pursuing to try and join them, but the rest of the peloton is easing up.

In between Pelayo Sánchez and the peloton is another chase group of about 10 riders. They face a big mission to join the leaders, but look committed to doing so. 

130KM TO GO

Currently there is 25 seconds between the leaders and the chase group, while the peloton is another minute adrift. 

The riders in the chase group between the leaders and the peloton are: Juan Pedro López, Quinten Hermans, Simone Velasco, Matteo Trentin, Kevin Vermaerke, Dion Smith, Lilian Calmejane, Michael Valgren and Ruben Fernandez.

Pelayo Sánchez has now joined the lead group, expanding it in size to ten men.

Just as the chase group approaches the leaders, Alaphilippe and Maestri have attacked. They perhaps feel there would be too many riders to work well together if the two groups were to join.

Further back, still attacks are coming from the peloton! A group of about 15 have gone clear, despite the leaders being over a minute ahead. 

Ganna, Pithie and Valter are some of the riders in the group that's tried to go clear from the peloton.

The lead group a little earlier, before they were joined by the other group, and before Alaphilippe and Maestri went clear.

The group containing Ganna are going well - they're now over a minute clear of the peloton, and just 30 seconds behind the second group on the road.

It's all quite confusing out there, but in summary: Alaphilippe and Maestri lead, a group of nearly 20 containing the likes of Narvaez, B. Thomas, Juanpe Lopez and Pelayo Sanchez are 30 seconds behind, then another, even larger group with Ganna is about 30 seconds beind, then the peloton, now a further 2 minutes adrift.  

Also in the Ganna group are Quintana, Pithie, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Mikkel Honoré, Mauri Vansevenant - and Jan Hirt, the most dangerous man on GC at 5-57.

Those two groups have now come together. It's huge! 36 riders, to be precise. They're now a minute behind Alaphilippe and Maestri, and 2-45 ahead of the peloton.

Quintana leads the large chase group as they ascent the first official climb of the day, Recanati. Surely this group is too big, and the better climbers like the Colombian will try to thin it out on the many climbs upcoming. 

This climb's proving too much for Milan, who is dropped out of the peloton. Usually he's good on the climbs, so maybe he's paying for those mechanicals he had earlier. 

110KM TO GO

Alaphilippe and Maestri are committed to this move. They have 1-30 now over the chase group. It's smart in the sense that they won't have to worry about woring with so many other riders, as those behind are having too, but are they burning too many matches too early? That's something Alaphilippe has certainly been guilty of doing recently. 

100KM TO GO

With 100km to go, the chase group is over 2 minutes arift of the two leaders.

It might be quick to list who isn't in that chase group rather than who is, but here it is in full:

Ganna,  Narváez, Hirt, Vansevenant, B.Thomas, Fernandez, Quintana, P. Sanchez, Scaroni, Velasco, Honore, Valgren, Pithie, Barthe, Valter, Affini, Kamp, Trentin, Bayer, Q.Hermans, Verre, Costiou, Calmejane, Smith, Leemreize, Vermaerke, Mezgec, Hepburn, Pozzovivo, Tarozzi, A.Paret-Peintre, Clarke, JP Lopez, Piganzoli, Oliveira and Sutterlin.

The leaders have just gone over the latest climb. Alaphilippe let Maetri roll over for the points uncontested - the Frencham clearly isn't interested in repeating his King of the Mountains title from the Tour de France in 2018.

This is no, as it might appear, the peloton but rather the very large chase group, being led here by Dion Smith.

Some movement in the chase group now as Bayer attacks. It is surely too big to be cohesive, and will need to be broken up.

Bayer's attack has been brought back, but the breaking down proccess is underway as more attacks go and splits open up. 

Back in the peloton, UAE Team Emirates are needing to set a pace due to the presence of Hirt up ahead. Oliveria had been in the break, but has just been called back to help out. Hirt is 5-57 adrift on GC, and is currently four minutes ahead of the peloton.

Hirt's presence is also complicating things for riders in the break, such as the Ineos duo of Ganna and Narvaez - can they afford to work with him, given he's poised to go ahead of their leader Geraint Thomas on GC?

90KM TO GO

Lots of attacks being made in the chasing group. Scaroni and Costiou have managed to go clear, and behind Ganna and Narvaez are putting the pressure on.

Scaroni and Costiou still have a gap, of about 25 seconds now over the rest of the chasers. Despite the Ineos' riders efforts, the riders initially dropped from that group are one by one returning, and there's no organised chase. 

Gear problem for Costiou. He's tried to fix it manually but no luck. He's probably going to need assistence from a car, and so will have to leave Scaroni and drop back into the group. 

 Costiou has indeed gone back, and Scaroni too has slowed down after being left alone. He's been caught by a number of the chasers who have managed to go clear from the rest.

There are ten riders in this newly formed group: as well as Scaroni and Costiou (who is about to receive assistence from his team car), among those present are Narvaez, Ganna, B.Thomas, Valgren, Trentin, Clarke

80KM TO GO

That group has 30 seconds on the rest of the chasers, but are still 1-40 behind the leaders.

 Costiou's had his bike change at last, but faces a big effort to rejoin now.

In full, the 9 riders behind Alaphilippe and Maestri are: Narvaez, Scaroni, Trentin, Clarke, Hermans, Valgren, Leemreiez and Smith.

Scaroni and Costiou, before the latter's mechanical and their reabsorbtion. 

Back in the peloton, Bahrain are working now. They're defending the GC position of their man Antonio Tiberi, who Hirt is putting under threat. 

70KM TO GO

The time gaps as they stand are 1-06 bewteen the leaders and the chasing nine riders, about 1-30 between those nine and the larger chase group containing Hirt, and another 3 minutes to the peloton.

Now there's a strong group of a resonable size chasing beind them, Alaphilippe and Maestri's lead isn't as healthy as it was early, and will likely soon dip to under one minute. It's going to be hard for them to win from here given all their efforts but it's still been some ride by the pair of them.

That said, their lead is currently going up rather than down. They now lead by 1-15 over the nine chasers. 

Here's a glimpse of Pogačar in the peloton, having a relaxed day so far.

Maestri picked up another 3 points in the Mountains classification after again cresting the last summit ahead of Alaphilippe. 

60KM TO GO

Things have settled down a bit, as the riders navigate a plateau leading to a descent before the next climb. The gaps are holding steady: the leading duo are 1-05 ahead of the chasers, 2-52 ahead of the Hirt group, and 6 minutes ahead of the peloton. 

The Arkea duo of Verre the unfortunate Costiou are leading the second chase group, but it seems to be too little too late - they're now 1-45 behind the first chase group. Costiou must be very frustrated, having had such great legs to get into the group he's now chasing prior to his mechanical. 

They're climbing again, and Maestri is struggling to hold onto to Alaphilippe's wheel. 

This is a steep one, and Alaphilippe is clearly stronger, but doesn't want to drop his companion - he slows down to allow him to keep his wheel. He doesn't want to ride the final 55km to the finish alone. 

They've crested the climb together - it was steep, but only short. The chasers too have reached the top, and remain all together, 1-12 behind. 

The second chase group is splitting a little on the climb, though. Pithie is stuggling the most, and is out the back.

50KM TO GO

Still Alaphilippe and Maestri's lead is holding true, at 1-12. This really is some ride by the pair of them, but can they keep it up all the way to the finish or are they going to crack eventually?

The leaders' gap is actually growing. It's back up to 1-25, as they cross over an intermediate sprint. The chasers will have to start bringing them back eventually, and nly have 45km left to do so.

The chasers have crossed the intermediate sprint, and have grown further adrift, now at 1-35. 

Now, finally, the second group of chasers cross the line, 3-50 behind. Their chance for a stage win must be over now. 

40KM TO GO

A reminder of the nine riders behind Alaphilippe and Maestri, realistically the only others still in contention for the stage win:

Jhonatan Narváez, Christian Scaroni, Quinten Hermans, Matteo Trentin, Benjamin Thomas, Simon Clarke, Dion Smith, Gijs Leemreize and Michael Valgren.

The next climb is coming up in about 5km. This could be a crucial point in the race: will Alaphilippe drop Maestri? Will the chase group start to at last bring back the leaders? With only one climb to come after, this is the chance to make a difference. 

Some better organisation on the approach to the climb in the chase group, who have brought the gap down to 1-20. It's going to be an exciting finish!

Bahrain-Victorious are still working in the peloton, and are making inroads on dangerman Jan Hirt. Hirt's group is only a minute ahead, and so he may end up gaining nothing on GC after all. 

Alaphilippe and Maestri are on the climb now. 

Now the chasers are on the climb, and Narváez is laying down the hammer.

30KM TO GO

Alaphilippe and Maestri are over the climb, and remain together - still with a lead of 1-18 over the chasers. 

The chase group are also still together having gone over the top. There's only one more (unclassified) climb left for the better climbers to break up the group. 

25KM TO GO

The leaders are still holding strong, with a lead of 1-05. Somehow Alaphilippe and Maestri aren't showing signs of fatigue - though that might change on the visciously steep slopes of the upcoming climb.

As we await the finale here, be sure to read our report of the opening stage of the women's Vuelta a Burgos.

20KM TO GO

Still a minute for the leading duo, but that could come tumbling down on the final climb, which is under 10km away now. 

The stage might not be in play for the peloton, but this final climb is hard enough to potentially ignite some GC action. Bahrain are continuing to set the pace, and have upped in the last few kilometres. 

In fact the pace is so high that they've forced a small split.

More splits now, and a group of about 15 riders going clear, with Pogacar the wrong side of it...but it was only a small one and has been shut down. 

15KM TO GO

Meanwhile up ahead, the leaders' advantage is coming down. It's now at 46 seconds - will that be enough?

Here's the chase group. Will the stage winner come from a rider in it?

Hirt's group has now been caught by the peloton, which is still going at a real pace. 

That leaves just eleven riders ahead of the peloton: the two leaders, and the nine chasers. 

The leading duo are about to start the climb shortly, their lead at 43 seconds. 

They're on the climb now, and Alaphilippe drops Maestri almost immediatley!

That's it for Maestri, he's not going to close this gap down. 

Now the chasers are climbing, led by Valgren.

Smith and Leemreize are the first riders to be dropped.

Narváez takes over as the gradient shallows temporarily. 

Narváez, Valgren, Clarke, Scaroni and Hermans are clear of the rest.

Valgren presseson again as the gradient ramps up once more. 

But they're not making up any ground on Alaphilippe - he's still 43 second ahead as he crests the climb!

Maestri's been caught by the five chasers, and dropped straight away.

Now Narváez and Hermans are going clear from the rest. They crest the climb with a few seconds of a lead.

10KM TO GO

38 seconds is now the gap between Alaphilippe to Narváez and Hermans. This is going to be tense, but it is looking good for the Frenchman.

Now the peloton is on the climb, and Bora have taken over at the front. 

Martínez is second in line behind his Bora teammate. Is he planning an attack?

Meanwhile Alaphilippe's lead is 36 seconds. 

It seems Bora weren't setting Martínez up for an attack. UAE Team Emirates have retaken control, and the pace has slowed. 

Up ahead, Narváez and Hermans are 35 seconds behind, while Valgren and Scaroni are together 10 seconds behind them.

5KM TO GO

Aside from the usual trademark histrionics and twitchy nervous energy, Alaphilippe isn't showing any signs of fatigue. His lead is 38 seconds with just 5km left to ride. Surely victory is his?

The decisive moment Alaphilippe dropped Maestri, on the last climb.

2.5km to the finish, and Alaphilppe's lead is the same. 

We haven't seen the peloton for a while, so can assume that no attacks were made by an GC riders.

1KM TO GO

Final kilometre for Alaphilippe.

He knows he's won it now, and is acknowledging the cheering crowds.

Victory for Julian Alaphilippe!

What a ride by the Frenchman. He's back!

Now Hermans and Narváez are readying themselves for the sprint.

Narváez takes second ahead of him.

Valgren and Scaroni roll in together for fourth and fifth respectively.

Even by the standards of him at his very best, that must rank among one of Alaphilippe's best Grand Tour vitories. To go from that far out, at a time when it felt like a suicide move, to then stay out that long and retain so much energy for the final steep climbs, was really something. 

The peloton is in the final kilometre now, taking it very easy. Hirt and the other riders who had posed a threat to GC were brought back much earlier. 

Two UAE Team Emirates riders lead the pink jersey over the line. It's a small peloton, only about 20 or so riders strong, but seems to have all of the GC men there. 

We weren't sure we'd ever see Alaphilippe at his very best again, with three long years having past since his last victory at Grand Tour level. But this proves their's life in his yet, and that he may finally have overcome his many fitness problems. 

For context, he and Maestri first broke out of the breakaway group 126km from the finish. At the time it seemed like an innocuous moment, and certainly not one that would be the race-winning move - but that was exactly what it proved to be.

TOP 10

1 Julian Alaphilippe at 4-07-44

2 Jhonatan Narváez at 0-31

3 Quineten Hermans at 0-32

4 Michael Valgren at 0-43

5 Christian Scaroni at s.t.

6 Matteo Trentin at 1-30

7 Simon Clarke 

8 Gijs Leemreize

9 Mirco Maestri 

10 Benjamin Thomas all at s.t. 

Here's our full report of what happened today. It was relentless and action-packed, fully living up to the billing, even if there was no GC action. 

Thanks for joining us, for a day that will live long in the memory of Julian Alaphilippe. It's been a long time since he tasted success at this level, and he did so with the kind of panache and excitement we've come to associate him with. Come back again tomorrow as the second week of the Giro continues.