So we have five flat stages for race leader Marco Marzano
to defend his race lead.
It will likely be a battle between the sprinters though in the next five days and the likes of Danilo Napolitano Gerald Ciolek Ahmad Haidar Anuawar
and Marco Guillén
will be trying take wrest a stage win away from Mark Cavendish
all five may feel a stab at the green points jersey is not yet out of reach.
As time gaps have opened up though a break may have a chance of taking a day or two
The break today consists of Emilien Viennet Jordi Simon Yonathan Monsalve Michael Matthews George Atkins Masaaki Kikuchi
and the marking Rick Zabel
Not much of a contest for the primes with Simon taking the early KoM prize from Matthews and Monsalve. The CalGiant rider also took the first sprint, this time ahead of Atkins and Matthews, the last sprint snatched by Viennet, with Monsalve second and Atkins third.
Nothing really effects any of the calssifications but with UNicredit and Proximus chasing in the second half an ill timed puncture for 11th on GC Marco Osella
will likely drop him down the standings.
Harsh for the Italian who has ridden so well for his team leader. On the front of the pack meanwhile Peter Möhlmann
attacks to try and bridge to the fading break.
The break does manage to stay away for the last climb and the rider who has done no work at all the 'son of a sprinter' is being called a son of a something else as he nabs the prime.
Zabel then ahead of Kikuchi and Simon. It all looks a little sedate as we enter the final circuits, nonetheless Unicredit are keeping the pace high when suddenly a Ferrari rider hitting the deck causes catastrophe.
The French champions jersey of John Gadret
is down as is the points jersey of Gianpaolo Caruso
it is a horrific moment for these two. Also here is top ten rider Sylwester Szmyd
In the mayhem Szmyd;s teammate Yonathan Monsalve
slips away.
Unicredit hammer at the front much to the misfortune of the fallen riders, Ferrari have moved riders back but Red Bull with Moreno set to move into Gadrets place do not do so.
Unicredit desperate to catch Monsalve fan across the road in a bizarre sprint train.
It works with Monsalve caught but Danilo Napolitano
is followed by Ahmad Haidar Anuawar Gerald Ciolek Mark Cavendish
and Marco Guillén
Indeed as they enter the last kilometre Ciolek and Cav look threatening.
Napolitano cannot find another gear as Guillen is coming through also.
It is neck and neck between Cav and Ciolek but the German holds the Brit off to register a good win for Bianchi who will take the points on offer here.
Bianchi have been one of the winners with Schwab moving up as does Castano, Moreno and Stetina at the expense of Gadret and Caruso who drop out of the top five as their group finishes nearly four minutes down.
A horrible day for Ferrari, who had such a great first half of the race.
