Hello and welcome to live coverage from day seven of this year's Giro d'italia. Today's stage stretches a considerable 222 kilometres from Carrara to Montalcino and covers the famous white gravel roads of Tuscany, as seen in recent years in the Monte Paschi Strade Bianche race. It's got some technical sections, its got some climbing, and we think it has the potential to be quite decisive indeed.
The stage has been shortened very slightly due to a small landslide (!) - that has lopped 2km off the total distance. It shouldn't have a significant effect on the race.
Marzio Bruseghin (Caisse d'Epargne) and Eros Capecchi (Footon Servetto) were both non-starters today. Bruseghin has a sore hip after falling on the third stage, while Capecchi has been experiencing breathing problems. That dropped the number of starters today down to 191 - still a very large field.
There was a fast start to today's stage, with 52.5 kilometres being covered in the first hour of racing. The riders are clearly keen to get on with it, although any early attempts to go clear were all negated.
Some details about today's race: The first 'white road' is tackled after the town of Murlo is 5.5km long, coming 195km into the stage. The second one leads up to Poggio Civitella. It's 14km long including six kilometres uphill. Once the riders will finish with this section, there will be only five kilometres remaining until the end of the stage in Montalcino, a small town famous for its Sangiovese wine (Brunello or Rosso di Montalcino).
After 57 kilometres of racing, sixteen riders went clear and built a decent lead. These were Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattol), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Gorazd Stangelj (Astana), Yukiya Arashiro (Bouygues Telecom), Marcel Wyss (Cervélo Test Team), Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), Remi Cusin (Cofidis), Sacha Modolo (Colnago-CSF Inox), Matthias Brändle (Footon Servetto), Svein Tuft (Garmin), Gilberto Simoni (Lampre), Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas), Addy Engels (Quick Step), Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank), Dominik Roels (Milram), Fabian Wegmann (Milram).
Of those, Agnoli was the best placed in the general classification - he started the day third overall, and is also leading the mountains classification. Because of this threat, the group was hauled back after 71 clicks of racing.
After approximately 80 kilometres of racing, Nicki Sorensen (Saxo Bank) and Rick Flens (Rabobank) attacked. They judged the moment perfectly and after ten kilometres of effort, they had established a two minute lead.
They are no threat at all to the GC lead of Vincenzo Nibali (Liqugas). Sorensen started the stage 20 minutes 53 seconds back, while Flens was 24'05 down.
90km remaining from 222km
Here's more info on Bruseghin's withdrawal. Warning: don't open link in front of your granny ;)
The weather is quite nasty out there today...most of the riders are wearing rain capes and caps under their helmets. The Lampre team are pushing the pace on the front - perhaps for Cunego, or maybe for Petacchi. They are under pressure to get a win after some criticism in the press.
80km remaining from 222km
Over the pond, the Tour of California is going to get underway this weekend. Yesterday saw many of the big names speak at a press conference. One of those was Lance Armstrong, who admitted to 'suffering like a dog' in the recent Tour of the Gila. He also said that he has had some doubts this year due to a lack of form, but vowed to keep building towards what he hopes will be an eighth Tour title. You can read more about that here.
Flens has a puncture and has to change his wheel, thus further hampering the break's chances.
68km remaining from 222km
Sorensen is modelling a rainjacket with the sleeves cut off, while Flens prefers to do without. When you are working as hard as they are, you generate a lot of heat and so a jacket is not always as necessary as in the bunch.
In the bunch, several of the Katusha riders are taking off their capes. The weather seems to be clearing slightly.
Can a break succeed again today? Yesterday was the second stage in a row when the sprinters were foiled. Aussie climber Matthew Lloyd took a fine solo victory, following from his national championship success of a couple of years back. It's great to see him back in strong shape after some very bad injuries last year.
There wasn't much change to the general classification, which looked like this last night:
Matthew Lloyd spoke about his alternative philosophy to racing at the post-race press conference. He said the Giro is a very chaotic race and it's possible to make huge advances in the general classification because of that.
He started today's stage 43rd overall, 9'34 back, but he's a strong climber and should progress when the race hits the mountains. The first summit finish of the race is tomorrow.
Filippo Pozzato is one of those who will be trying to win today. The Classics specialist is wearing the Italian tricolore on his back and would love to honour it on today's stage. He said that the final stretch of gravel roads is a full 12 kilometres long, and predicted chaos. He also warned that riders such as Ivan Basso (Liquigas) and Carlos Sastre (Cervelo Test Team) could lose time.
The pressure has caused some splits in the bunch, with Carlos Sastre (Cervelo Test Team) and Marco Pinotti (HTC Columbia) both in the second group and chasing hard. That's bad news for Sastre, who had looked good for the GC. There's still quite a way to go to the finish, though, so he and his team will hope to overcome the gap.
52km remaining from 222km
47km remaining from 222km
The team cars have come up to the two leaders, and the riders are asking for advice about what to do. It's very difficult to see them standing a chance now, unfortunately. The gap is falling and with Sastre losing time, the incentive is there for other GC contenders to continue to drive the pace along.
42km remaining from 222km
The white gravel sections today start between 25 and 20 kilometres to go and, we suggest, things are really going to break up then.
Cioni is powering along, looking very strong. Behind, the Astana team are near the front, with Vinokourov and Nibali (Liquigas) sitting third and fourth.
The chasers are on the Rosso del Rospatio climb, with Cioni still persisting but just metres ahead now. Riders are tumbling out of the back of the Maglia Rosa group, which is still quite large.
Cioni passed the two leaders a couple of kilometres ago, so he's the leader. But it's all to no avail - he's been caught now.
The riders are now over the top of the climb, with Milram's Thomas Rohregger netting first place.
Importantly, it seems that Carlos Sastre is now back in the main group; there seems to be a bit of confusion as to what happened. Either he was there all along and the race organisers incorrectly indentified him (easy to do with rainjackets on), or else he snuck back on. Either way, panic over for Sastre fans...he's there.
Ouch...many riders went down on a right hand bend on a descent...Nibali and Basso (Liqugas) are down!
32km remaining from 222km
There's a big split now, with Vinokourov (Astana), Rohregger and Gerdemann (Milram) and a couple of others ahead courtesy of the crash.
Now Pozzato and Cadel Evans are riding hard behind, with Nibali further back...we'll try to get a better idea of the situation.
29km remaining from 222km
Rohregger, Gerdemann, Vinokourov and Garzelli are in the small lead group...that's dangerous...
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone), Thomas Rohregger (Milram), Linus Gerdemann (Milram) and Jan Bakelantds (Omega Pharma - Lotto) are the leaders, and are on the white roads...well, they should be white, but they are now covered in mud. Garzelli pushes on, trying to catch the others.
23km remaining from 222km
Behind, Evans is coming across!! He's flying...
The conditions really are foul... Pozzato was up with Evans but has drifted back..
21km remaining from 222km
More riders have also come across, really swelling this front group. Pozzato is there, as is David Millar (Garmin Transitions). Damiano Cunego (Lampre), John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale) have also made it.
20km remaining from 222km
He has been joined by Gerdemann and Bakelandts...Nibali is far back, and looks to be alone!! Situation:
Gerdemann looks to have gone back to the chasers, so there's two leaders. Further back, Nibali is leading the chase group, with Basso also there.
16km remaining from 222km
SITUATION
Sastre is chasing with Tondo, and having a stage he'll want to forget. Hopefully he can limit his losses.
The leaders are on the climb now, as is the next group. Vinokourov attacks! Evans goes with him...
Evans takes over, and leads Vinokourov on this uphill section...Garzelli leads the group behind. This is really breaking up...amazing racing.
Evans is going all the work - Vinokourov is concentrating on following the wheel, and getting mud out of his eyes. One leads to the other, though...!
Cunego and Garzelli have got across to Evans and Vinokourov...Pinotti (HTC Columbia) also there - super riding by him.
Behind, Nibali doesn't know what to do...he pushes on ahead alone, then he waits for Basso...this is a mess for him.
12km remaining from 222km
Behind, Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli) is chasing alone and catches Pozzato, who has cracked.
11km remaining from 222km
11km remaining from 222km
The Evans/Vinokourov/Garzelli group is 26 seconds ahead of the next chasers. Nibali and Basso are a minute and a half back, so this is serious for them.
Vinokourov started the stage fourth overall, just 33 seconds behind Nibali...is he riding into the Maglia Rosa?
SITUATION
9km remaining from 222km
7km remaining from 222km
Nibali keeps dropping Basso, who really doesn't like this terrain.
Garzelli is leading the chase group, with Cunego on his wheel...the leaders are out of sight, though, so the gap is growing...
5km remaining from 222km
It's raining pretty heavily now, as the leaders go under the 5km to go banner. Who will win? Who will have the Maglia Rosa? And, equally importantly, who will be the big losers on today's chaotic stage?
5km remaining from 222km
Evans is out of the saddle, pushing things along. Vinokourov remains seated. Arroyo is also there, waiting...
4km remaining from 222km
PInotti is also there - super ride from the Italian TT champ...he's having a great race.
4km remaining from 222km
Vinokourov attacks! Evans and Cunego get across, with Pinotti and Arroyo a few seconds back...
3km remaining from 222km
2km remaining from 222km
Evans leads down the descent, chasing seconds for the GC... He nearly loses it on a corner, Cunego swoops past..
1km remaining from 222km
Evans leads it into the last corner, but Cunego is there, sitting on his wheel and waiting! Vino third..
Evans still leading....he sprints....Cunego and Vino are just behind - can they get by?
Evans does it! Brilliant victory...he led most of the last kilometre, yet was strong enough to ride away from the others on the slight rise to the line....
Cuengo took second with Vinokourov third...Pinotti and Arroyo were next across the line at the end of what was a brilliant day's racing..
The riders are coming in in dribs and drabs...this has been an epic stage.
Nibali came in two minutes back...Sastre lost 5'20, and looks shattered...
Vinokourov takes over the pink jersey - that will provoke mixed feelings, if the reaction to his Liege triumph is anything to go by. Evans is now second overall, 1'12 back. David Millar is up to third, delighting Garmin fans. He's at 1'29 - very good ride by him.
Surely Cadel Evans is the best world champion of the past few years? He's having a superb season,
We'll leave it there for today - it's been a brilliant stage with plenty of racing and a real upheaval in the general classification. Tomorrow is the first real mountain stage, so make sure to come back for coverage then. You can find brief results here - full results and a post race report will follow a little later. Thanks for reading!
Situation:
Stage completed.
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