The Giro, my favourite tour of the year is only 2 weeks....

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90 km to go, over 5 minutes for the 4-men break

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The peloton has eased slightly but is keeping the break under control.

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Lots of riders forced into the gutter here as three or four echelons form behind the main bunch, which is only disappearing into the distance.

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Crash. Jay Thomson (DImension Data) hits the deck, as does Bardiani's Mirco Maestri. Both are unharmed but face a difficult chase back on.

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We have another hold-up as the riders come through a narrow street in a small town. Svein Tuft has a problem with his bik

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Lotto Soudal are hammering it at the front of the bunch with three men. Behind them it's Tinkoff. The wind doesn't seem as sever at this current moment but the peloton is strung out single file.

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The frantic action in the bunch is causing the breakaway's lead to diminish. They now have just three minutes.

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Most of the riders dropped in the crosswinds have collected into a group that is now chasing at over 30 seconds behind the main bunch.

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The pace eases at the head of the peloton, and that chase group, after an almighty effort, has rejoined.

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And it's Tjallingii who opens it up and gets a big gap. Amezqueta tries to follow.

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The 38-year-old holds his lead to the top and, after picking up points int he break yesterday, has now moved to the top of the mountains classification. He'll take the blue jersey off the shoulders of Omar Fraile.

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The breakaway's lead ducks down below the 2-minute mark now as Cannondale make their presence felt on the front.

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The pace is high now as Cannondale continue to drive the bunch. The gap to the break is holding steady at around 2 minutes for now.

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35km remaining from 190km

 

The break is only 1:40 ahead of the peloton now.

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The gap is up to 2:10 as the four attackers try to fight the peloton.