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

['Dale]

we're now on the Pordoi with Cunego sitting second wheel as his teammate Berlato sets the pace. The sun is out, there's a gentle breeze and we've 123km of racing remaining. The break have 5'33 over the peloton, so Ulissi is now the virtual leader on the road.

['Dale]

The gap is only increasing, it's over six minutes as the break push on. Berlato is going to lead us all the way up this climb. That will be the plan anyway.

['Dale]

 

The peloton hit the climb too, with Tinkoff also near the front and looking after Majka. In the break is Denifl and he's Cunego's closest rival in the KOM competition.

 

1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini 91 pts

2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 61

3 Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling 54

['Dale]

119km remaining from 210km

 

Niemiec (Lampre Merida), once a GC rider in the Giro, has abandoned the race.

['Dale]

 

Siutsou is in the break for Dimension Data. Whisper it but they've not won a race since Brian Smith was shown the door. It's been 20 days.

['Dale]

 

 

And Denifl has attacked and Cunego has matched him. The break have strung out as a result. The IAM rider sits up as there's still a long way to go on the climb.

['Dale]

Cunego keeps Denifl at the front of the group for as long as possible before the IAM rider peels off and Lampre take over and start to set the pace. The gap has gone out to 6'21 as we start to ride through the snow banked roads.

['Dale]

Back in the bunch the peloton is steady rather than anything else. We've not seen any riders come under difficulty as Movistar snake their way to the top of the climb. 116km to go.

['Dale]

KOM Time:

 

Cunego 35 points, Denifl 18 and the Lopez third. The trio are on the descent.

['Dale]

The peloton close in in the summit of the first climb of the day as the break dive down the other side in glorious sunshine. The conditions really couldn't be better.

['Dale]

The break realise the importance of establishing a lead early on, and that there are still a number of passengers in their numbers. On the descent they press on and bring the gap out to 7'10. That's the biggest it's been during the stage.

['Dale]

The calm before the storm, I reckon... ????

[Bonus]

Nice to see a Sky rider making a showing :-)

['Dale]

 

Lopez has pushed on alone at the front of the race as we start the second climb of the day.

['Dale]

The Passo Sella has pitches of 12 per cent so it's certainly not easy and we've still over 100km of racing to come. Roche though, he's back in the break and getting a free ride.

['Dale]

 

105km remaining from 210km

 

105km remaining. Lopez leads with the break around a minute down, and the peloton at 6'55.