Giro d'Italia

Real life: The stage was won by Ion Izagirre from a break ahead of De Marchi and Clement. The peloton finished 9 minutes later.

11 riders including prominent names like Boonen, Hushovd, Thomas and Ten Dam form todays break. With 90 km to go they have 7 minutes on the peloton.

Katusha seem to think Rodríguez is feeling god today and with 50 km to go the gap has been reduced to 4’22’’.

Samuel Sánchez goes on the attack with 20 km to go and Nibali follows him!
They are quickly reeled back in by Sky Froome and Saxo – Tinkoff, but it goes to show that the Italian grab every chance he gets on home soil.
15 km to go and 1’30’’. This could still be anything.

Charteau and Ten Dam enter the last 10 km together. 21 seconds to the rest of the break and a total 1’50’’ to the peloton.

Final 3 km and the break is back together.

Once again Nibali mix things up in the peloton!

Westra opens the sprint while the favourites are trying desperately to catch up with Nibbles behind.

No one can match the Dutchman and once again Nibali win a few seconds on the competition.

Giro d'Italia

Real life: Purito won the sprint in a 5-rider group ahead of Basso and Hesjedal.

As if the profile didn’t encourage enough drama the rain starts pouring down early on and both Degenkolb and Vorganov get a taste of the tarmac withon the first 20 km. Mezgec and Gretsch help Degenkolb back in the peloton, but how bad is he hurt?

Szmyd takes the first summit from the break ahead of Peraud, Hoogerland, Vande Velde and Nerz. They have six minutes advantage on the peloton with several smaller groups in between.

Hoogerland is first over Passo Duran with snow falling over the break. 109 riders are left in the peloton 4’47’’ behind.

Wiggins starts stirring things up with 40 km to go. He joins the break right at the next mountain top, which is won by Vande Velde. Peraud is second and now leading the mountain classification. The group has 1’30’’ to a 33-rider group with most of the favourites.

Final climb and Contador, Nibali et al. is really starting to chase the break while Wiggins is noe alone in front.

5 km from the top Nibali, Contador and Sánchez have caught up with Wiggo. Purito is 40 seconds behind them and Froome, Scarponi, Andy Schleck, Evans, Valverde and Hesjedal is a further 20 seconds behind.

It is turning into every mans fight for himself behind as the quartet in front work nicely together.

At the final summit Nibali and Contador have left Wiggins and Sánchez 20 seconds behind. Scarponi is a further 40 seconds behind with another 6 riders 30 seconds behind him.

Sammy has no trouble bridging the gap on the descent, but Wiggo can’t quite follow. Instead he ends up getting caught by Scarponi and Froome from behind.

A downhill sprint with two of the greatest descenders in the peloton is a tough nut to crack for Contador.

He almost manages to, but Nibbles take another stage win in the pink jersey.

Degenkolb had massive support trying to survive the time limit. It’s a close call but they make it and only Terpstra and Tuft will be leaving the race today.

Giro d'Italia

Real life: Guardini won the sprint ahead of Cavendish and Ferrari.

It seems the sprinter teams are getting tired cause with 52 km to go the break has 7’30’’ on the peloton. They’re gonna have to step it up if they are to get a final bunch sprint.
The 11 are: Westra, Arashiro, Tamouridis, Roy, Gilbert, Millar, Stannard, Riblon, Dall’Antonia, Ignatiev and Mezgec.

43 km to go and it looks like the peloton have given up. Astana leading in a steady pace without overdoing their effort.

Only drama with 25 km to go is Evans crashing solo on flat and dry road.
The break still has more than six minutes.

The entire BMC team (except obviously Gilbert) fall back to help their captain but with 20 km to go they have four minutes up to the peloton.

Roy knows he would have a hard time in a sprint so he tries to go solo with 11 km to go.

With 1,5 km to go the Frenchman still has a small gap but the others have not given up on the win quite yet.

Final 300 m and he is caught.

The world champion shows his class once again.

Sagan takes the pelotons sprint while Evans can wave his GC hopes goodbye.