Please join our live blog of Stage 11, beginning at 18.55 AEST. Stage 11 marks the halfway point of the 2012 Giro d’Italia. Updates will be added to this post as the race progresses.
Already, we have been treated to hectic sprint finishes, a breakaway win, and more than a little chaos.
The finish of last night’s 186km Stage 10 from Civitavecchia to Assisi was faster than many predicted, with Spanish climber Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) hitting the line first and going straight into the maglia rosa.
Italian Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Inox), the winner of stage nine on Monday, was again keen to test his climbing legs. So too was Frenchman John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale), whose attack with 3km to go proved fruitless.
On what ended as a day for the uphill specialists, the surprise package was second-place finisher Bartosz Huzarski (Team NetApp). The Polish veteran was the only rider to get near Rodriguez on the final hill in just his second Giro.
Having usurped Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) for the race lead, Rodriguez holds a 17-second advantage over the Canadian. Italian Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) sits in third, 32 seconds behind the man in pink.
Tonight’s (AEST) 255km Stage 11 from Assisi to Montecatini Terme is the longest of this year’s race. It is a mostly flat course with rolling hills, including a category three climb at Poggio Alla Croce after 155km and a category four hill at Vico after 249km.
The sprinter’s teams will be hoping to make it over these climbs unscathed and with enough left in the tank to organise a sprint finish. Mark Cavendish (Sky Pro Cycling) is the odds-on favourite to win the stage, but Australian Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEDGE) has shown more than once this Giro that he packs a mean sprint punch.
Other men to watch are Australian Mark Renshaw (Rabobank), Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha).
Stage 11 is one of very few remaining opportunities for the sprinters in this year’s race. Expect to see Sky Pro Cycling, Rabobank and Orica-GreenEDGE leaving absolutely nothing on the road.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
To reiterate - Stage results: 1. Roberto Ferrari (Androni-Gioccatoli), 2. Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), 3. Thomas Vaitkus (Orica-GreenEDGE), 4. Mark Cavendish (Sky Pro Cycling), 5. Manuel Belletti (Ag2r La Mondiale).
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
A dramatic end to stage 11 of the 2012 Giro d'Italia. Looking forward to tomorrow as the roads start to angle skywards. Live updates on theroar.com.au from 21.05 AEST.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
It's a pity Matt Goss couldn't make it into the front group for the sprint finish. Still showing the scars of his crash on stage 9 perhaps.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Good result for NetApp's Daniel Schorn, who finished in seventh place on the stage.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Stage results: 1. Roberto Ferrari (Androni-Gioccatoli), 2. Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), 3. Thomas Vaitkus (Orica-GreenEDGE), 4. Mark Cavendish (Sky Pro Cycling), 5. Manuel Belletti (Ag2r La Mondiale).
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Crash near the finish occurred on the final turn before the finishing straight. NetApp rider hit the deck and caused others to topple.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Roberto Ferrari (Androni Gioccatoli), the villain on stage three of the Giro, wins the stage!
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Big crash in the final KM!
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing) has had a bit of a dig off the front but nothing has really come of it.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
2km remain in the stage - prepare for a bunch sprint finish!
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
This looks like a tailor-made finish for Mark Cavendish and his Sky Pro Cycling sprint train.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Matt Goss is still a little shaken from his crash with Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini) on two days ago. He has not made it into the front group after a slight split formed in the peloton on the climb.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Leading group is back in the fray as the sprinters' teams try to organise themselves at the head of the main field.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
1. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), 2. Oscar Gatto (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), 3. Angel Vicioso (Katusha).
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Roman Kreuziger and Michele Scarponi are chasing down the leading group of four. Strange move.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
K.O.M. points will be confirmed here shortly.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
The men at the head of the main field are racing to the top of the stage's category 4 climb!
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Four men are bridging the gap to Selvaggi - one of them is Movistar's Giovanni Visconti.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Mirko Selvaggi (Vacansoleis-DCM) is the man off the front. Not gaining much of a lead here. Vanendert is back in the main field.
Kit Harvey
Roar Guru
Dennis Vanendert (Lotto Belisol) and a rider from Vacansoleis are off the front. Not sure who it is yet.