This stage makes the halfway point of the race. After plenty of climbing, their is now a return to the flat - and the 5th opportunity for the sprinters - with the stage ending in Chiaraville.
As it stands it is Daniele Bennati 2 - Ben Swift 2, and both will be keen to take the lead today, both in their personal rivalry, and the points competition.
Erik Mohs, Juan Van Heerden, Romain Vanderbiest and Allan Davis are the sprinters who have looked closest to beating them so far - perhaps today one of them, or another sprinter, can manage it.
That is of course assuming a sprint finish. In other Grand Tours, today may be ideal for a breakaway - but you have to expect Puma, Vesuvio and Pokerstars to want to chase it down.
There is early concern therefore for Puma and Vesuvio as we see Nick Ingels looking to go with the breakaway - Pokerstars apparantely giving up on working for Erik Mohs?
The full list of those involved in the initial attacks is:
But after those are chased down, Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy is at the forefront of the next attempt.
Only three follow, and this is small enough to become the breakaway of the day!
Kevin Fouquet Matteo Rabottini David Boucher Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Puma and Vesuvio are happy to let them go for now, while Wikipedia join them in setting tempo.
Intermediate sprints quick became ignored in this race, so luckily there is only one of them on each stage. David Boucher was first at today's one.
The key section of the stage begins at around 56km to go. Three King of the Mountains points which could make or break a breakaways hopes.
But their chances may already have been 'made'. They hold a 9 minute lead already, which will be very encouraging for them.
The strongest climber in the group is Matteo Rabottini, and he elects to lead them up the Recanati, the hardest climb of the day. He also took first at the Loreto which followed soon after, adding 11 points to his previous total of 2.
No team is even chasing at the moment, there are only Wikipedia riders on the front. Music to the ear of the breakaway that apparantely, the sprinters teams don't want a sprint!
Maximiliano Richeze crashes on a downhill section. And this gives us a sign that some teams would quite like a sprint, as UBS are willing to send 4 riders - including King of the Mountains Riblon - back to help him back to the peloton.
It shouldnt be hard to regain contact from a passive peloton. But hang on, as the UBS group nears the back of the peloton, they suddenly find it harder to close the gap. Puma have hit the front. Game on.
The challenge? They have 33km to go. The breakaway has 27km to go. The breakaway has a lead of 7'45. Talk about a challenge...
Kevin Fouquet leads over the Ancona Candia, but that is the least of his worries as they now know that they are a wanted group of riders.
Thomas De Gendt leads the peloton up the climb.
23km to go for the Peloton. 19km to go for the Breakaway. The gap: 5 minutes. Almost 3 minutes lost in just a few kilometres!
Signs of panic in the breakaway as Rabottini and Boucher go on the attack, but they are quickly brought back.
Incidentally, UBS did manage to bring Richeze back to the peloton just in time.
Crash! 21st overall Thibaut Pinot is down. A vital helper for Taylor Phinney, as Wikipedia have been doing a lot of work recently. Would be very bad news for them if he turns out to be injured.
Back to the breakaway and Matteo Rabottini has gone on the attack again.
This time he gets a 20 second gap. There is 12.5km to go for him, and the peloton are a further 3 minutes behind.
The Italian may be the best climber in the group, but he is not the strongest sprinter - hence the need to attack. Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy is the man with the strongest sprint in the group, but it could all be about who has the most energy left at the finish for them, rather than pure speed.
Rabottini wants to win solo though and still has that 20 second lead into the final 10 km.
The peloton trail by 3'06 - so they have only managed to gain 14 seconds in Rabottini's last 2.5km of riding. Hopes are rising for Wiggle here.
Kittel, Nuyens and Facci offering fresh legs into the chase, and they are now 2'48 behind Rabottini. It's a struggle.
Despite his best efforts, Matteo Rabottini is caught by the rest of the break as they reach 5km to go. There is a reason why he prefers the climbs to the flat afterall, and a solo ride out front is hard work. Fouquet, Boucher and Nepomnyachsniy have their victory hopes back alive.
But that gap is now falling more quickly again. Down to 1'30 as the the sprint trains take the peloton into the last five kilometres.
There's a great finish in store, and taking charge are Simply Red Bull with their first leadout train of the race! Emanuele Sella of all people leads the way.
Emanuele Sella Wes Sulzberger Joseph Cooper Juan Van Heerden Gerald Ciolek Claudio Corioni Paride Grillo
The breakaway need to watch out. David Boucher has drawn the short straw and is on the front, but mind games have begun, and they are slowing down ... Into the final 3km, but only 1 minute to play with.
After Sella pulled off, the Simply Red Bull train faltered. Van Heerden has to abandon ship and try to jump on the back of the Puma train, which already has a couple of passengers.
Pedro Merino Criado Steven Caethoven Ben Swift Erik Mohs
And after a frantic pursuit the breakaway are CAUGHT just as the sprint begins. They somewhat threw it away at the end their, not wanting to take it on - but at least 4th would have been better than nothing.
Van Heerden managed to take the wheel of Bennati, while Ciolek slotted in behind Davis. Vesuvio need to watch out as Caethoven is sprinting straight towards the breakaway.
Caethoven finds some room though and takes an early lead - although Erik Mohs has managed to lose hold of Swift's wheel.
Now Juan Van Heerden launches with an early sprint ... again. His team tried so hard with a different strategy today, but once again it is the same old story as their South African sprinter displays a lack of patience.
As we enter the final kilometre, Kvist has managed to outlast Caethoven and so gives Bennati a great position, while Davis enjoys a leadout from Van Heerden - with Italians Corioni and Grillo going well.
Daniele Bennati hits the front hard.
Swift and Davis try to offer a response...
But Bennati is not going to be stopped today! A 10th career ManGame Giro stage win for him!
Allan Davis edges out Ben Swift for 2nd.
This is crucial, as it means Bennati moves ahead of Swift by 1 point in the Points competition to take the lead.
Seems like it may only be a short term lead though, as Taylor Phinney deliver an ominously fast finish to take 4th, just ahead of an equally fast-finishing Yuri Trofimov. This puts Phinney only 2 points behind Bennati.
Grillo, Vanderbiest, Van Heerden, Spilak and Corioni complete the Top 10.
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy just edges Kevin Fouquet on the line for 14th place, in a case of what could have been for the breakaway.
And hang on, while Enrico Gasparotto celebrates as he rolls over the line, and Erik Mohs suffers home - there seems to be a gap behind the first 31 riders!
Kristjan Koren is on hand to close it - making up for yesterday where a split on the final Chieti climb came right infront of him. Emanuele Sella and Ryan Eastman were particularly well placed just behind Koren, so would not have been impressed to end up losing time. A close escape.
Maximiliano Richeze finished 54th, unable to contest the sprint despite the work done by his teammates to bring him back. That effort showed, as a number of his UBS teammates ultimately ended up dropped from the peloton.
10 minutes later and Thibaut Pinot rolls in, falling down to 35th overall. If he is injured at all, we may find out tomorrow.
With him is Romanian champion Andrei Nechita, and this 10 minute loss helps him snatch the Lanterne Rouge, moving below Johim Ariesen.
Matteo Trentin
Coen Vermeltfoort
Sep Vanmarcke
Dmitriy Gruzdev
William Walker
Grégory Rast
Brian Vandborg
David Boucher
Matea Kvasina
Maciej Paterski
Marcel Kittel
Joseph Cooper
Juan Van Heerden
Juan José Haedo
Pedro Merino Criado
Ben Swift
