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2021-05-15T13:55:23.082Z
53km to go
Gaviria, Carboni, and Oliveira grab an extra layer. They’re near the top now and are facing almost 40km of descending.
2021-05-15T13:52:58.796Z
The Israel Start-Up Nation rider has a more panicky stop than Yates as he grabs a spare bike from his team and gets going again.
2021-05-15T13:52:18.834Z
Problem for Dan Martin
2021-05-15T13:52:06.754Z
The breakaway are on the upper reaches of the Bocca della Selva. They’re still together and have only lost 10 seconds of their lead. They’ll be competing for the stage win today.
2021-05-15T13:49:22.817Z
Yates is safely brought back to the bunch by his teammates after getting a new rear wheel.
2021-05-15T13:45:43.578Z
Sprinter Dylan Groenewegen loses contact with the bunch now.
2021-05-15T13:43:09.143Z
Mechanical problem for Simon Yates, who has to stop for assistance.
2021-05-15T13:41:39.696Z
56km to go
Up front, the breakaway riders are still together on the steeper portion of the climb.
2021-05-15T13:40:57.531Z
It’s blustery on this climb, where the peloton continues as one large group. Ineos are set up behind the Groupama-FDJ train.
2021-05-15T13:31:11.944Z
It’s all calm on this climb. The nine breakaway riders are working well together and FDJ are riding tempo in the peloton, 7:30 behind.
2021-05-15T13:28:03.911Z
Here’s a shot from the frantic start earlier. Bernal there, who briefly found himself in a large breakaway group. The rider next to him is Iljo Keisse, who was tasked with protecting Remco Evenepoel amid the chaos.
2021-05-15T13:20:50.700Z
Into your tech? Here’s an all-new TT bike from De Rosa. It went under the radar at the time, but Elia Viviani rode it on the opening day of this Giro. Here are the details.
Giro d’Italia: A closer look at Elia Viviani’s brand new De Rosa time trial bike
2021-05-15T13:15:36.685Z
It depends on how hard the peloton race up this climb, but it’s looking promising for the breakaway as they take a lead of 7:15 onto the climb.
2021-05-15T13:14:54.968Z
The nine-man break hits the Bocca della Stelva. A long climb – 18.9km – but with a modest average gradient – 4.6%. There’s a steeper section in the middle but otherwise it’s a pretty steady ascent and shouldn’t cause too much damage.
2021-05-15T13:05:35.165Z
All calm for now as the gap nudges out towards the seven-minute mark. We have a light descent ahead of the day’s major climb.
2021-05-15T12:58:25.293Z
Lotto Soudal have confirmed that Ewan was struggling with knee pain.
2021-05-15T12:57:57.288Z
82km to go
Groupama-FDJ lead the peloton through the intermediate sprint, 6:45 down now.
2021-05-15T12:53:23.450Z
Here are the new points classification standings, taking into account that sprint and Ewan’s exit
1. Tim Merlier – 83 points
2. Giacomo Nizzolo – 76
3. Elia Viviani – 69
4. Davide Cimolai – 66
5. Peter Sagan – 57
6. Fernando Gaviria – 54
2021-05-15T12:51:11.249Z
Gougeard decides against trying to spoil the party and Gaviria musters a mini sprint to collect the maximum 12 points.
2021-05-15T12:50:27.467Z
Gaviria has gone long here and Gougeard is poised in the wheel.
2021-05-15T12:50:05.198Z
Gaviria pushes through to the front, out of the saddle and on the hoods. Gougeard tracks him.
2021-05-15T12:49:27.805Z
Gaviria is likely to be interested in this sprint. He’s the only one in there with any real collection of points and of course the points classification leader Ewan has already gone home.
2021-05-15T12:47:14.827Z
Anyway, in the race we’re approaching that intermediate sprint.
2021-05-15T12:46:38.898Z
For those who haven’t read the piece, the major news today is that the leader of the Giro d’Italia plays Spiderman online in his spare time. Now I’m not a ‘gamer’, but while I can just about understand someone playing something like Call of Duty, I’m really struggling with the idea of a grown man playing Spiderman. Am I just old?
2021-05-15T12:40:02.094Z
90km to go
The break’s lead rises above five minutes.
2021-05-15T12:38:22.295Z
Want to know more about our race leader, Attila Valter? Want to know what video games he plays? Here you go…
From Call of Duty to Giro d’Italia leadership: Introducing Attila Valter
2021-05-15T12:33:04.275Z
Groupama-FDJ allow the gap to drift out to 4:15. There’s no big threat from a GC perspective, Oliveira being the best-placed overall, just over 15 minutes down.
2021-05-15T12:26:15.962Z
The riders in the peloton are getting musettes from the soigneurs. It was a fast and furious first hour and a half but now they can enjoy some lunch.
2021-05-15T12:23:56.176Z
100km to go
The gap rises to 2:55.
2021-05-15T12:21:46.623Z
There was a crash in the tunnel but not for Ewan, he was dropped or had sat up before then reports RAI. Retired from the raceMay 15, 2021
2021-05-15T12:20:14.704Z
The road is rising here and will ratchet up all the way to the intermediate sprint at Campobasso with 86km to go. From there, it’s a short descent before the day’s major climb, the second-category Bocca della Selva (18.9km at 4.6%). A long old descent will then take them down into Castelvenere ready for the short final climb.
2021-05-15T12:17:23.349Z
106km to go
So, we have a breakaway of nine riders, just over a minute behind the peloton, where riders are finally stopping for comfort breaks. At last, the race settles down into a calmer and more familiar pattern.
2021-05-15T12:15:36.949Z
Here comes the Hour Record holder. Those eight riders were working hard together to get away so that’s a great ride to get across.
2021-05-15T12:13:43.441Z
Things appear to be easing once more in the peloton. That last counter-attack came to nothing and now Valter’s Groupama-FDJ’s teammates have come to the front to try and impose order.
2021-05-15T12:12:57.060Z
Campenaerts is so close. He’s seven seconds behind. This is a huge effort.
2021-05-15T12:12:25.495Z
Here are the eight leaders
Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates)
Nelson Oliveira (Movistar)
Kobe Goossens (Lotto Soudal)
Alexis Gougeard (AG2R Citroën)
Nikias Arndt (Team DSM)
Victor Lafay (Cofidis)
Giovanni Carboni (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane)
Francesco Gavazzi (Eolo-Kometa)
2021-05-15T12:09:25.612Z
I spoke too soon. More attacks from the peloton now. They’re 25 seconds behind the front of the race. Campenaerts still struggling to close the gap alone.
2021-05-15T12:08:13.406Z
112km to go
That looks to be it. We’ll bring you the names in the break shortly.
2021-05-15T12:06:58.716Z
This looks like it could be it. The peloton has eased up. Will it last?
2021-05-15T12:06:41.313Z
Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka Assos) is alone in between.
2021-05-15T12:05:17.697Z
It’s kicking off again. It looked like that gap might be enough, but there are enough riders not happy to see this go.
2021-05-15T12:04:46.599Z
A new counter-attacking trio forms behind.
2021-05-15T12:04:25.022Z
Fernando Gaviria is up there for UAE Team Emirates.
2021-05-15T12:03:52.035Z
116km to go
The counter-attacks fizzle out and that group eases away. This could be it.
2021-05-15T12:03:27.653Z
The riders are coming off that slight downhill and the road will tilt up the other way again.
2021-05-15T12:02:28.642Z
Eight riders succeed in going clear now, but some have missed out and now the responses come.
2021-05-15T12:01:26.666Z
The bunch strings out in a line. Nothing sticking but danger is everywhere. Nothing has been allowed clear but it’s not like there’s a huge amount of control. GC contenders still alert near the front.
2021-05-15T11:59:37.148Z
It’s still false flat downhill and it’s hard for anyone to get a gap here.
2021-05-15T11:58:34.539Z
Meanwhile, the race continues in similar vein. A volley of accelerations but nothing opening daylight.
2021-05-15T11:58:09.068Z
Ewan was always likely to leave the Giro early, given he’s doing the Tour and Vuelta, but not this early. He was caught out in the early splits but was obviously in decent form given his two stage wins. A crash would explain things.
2021-05-15T11:56:46.522Z
Not sure what has happened with Ewan – perhaps he was involved in that tunnel crash? – but that’s just been announced on race radio.
2021-05-15T11:56:12.817Z
Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) has abandoned the race
2021-05-15T11:55:27.401Z
It’s still downhill, although the gradient isn’t as pronounced as at the start of this descent.
2021-05-15T11:54:44.066Z
Italian TV are reporting that there was a crash in that tunnel, hence the splits.
2021-05-15T11:53:37.667Z
Mader and Battistella are caught.
2021-05-15T11:51:56.061Z
Things haven’t eased up behind and the peloton is strung out again under new accelerations.
2021-05-15T11:51:36.828Z
Plenty of riders dropped on that uncategorised climb are fighting to make their way through the cars back to the bunch.
2021-05-15T11:50:28.947Z
130km to go
40km on the clock already and do we finally have a breakaway? Mader and Battistella have opened a handy lead but will they shut up shop behind?
2021-05-15T11:49:41.973Z
The peloton reforms behind the two leaders as they head downhill.
2021-05-15T11:48:24.580Z
It’s Samuele Battistella for Astana. They’re being hunted down by a solo chaser, with the bunch – itself split slightly in the tunnel – just behind.
2021-05-15T11:47:46.584Z
That tunnel was the top of the climb and now it’s a fast downhill on wide roads. Gino Mader is away with a rider from Astana.
2021-05-15T11:47:13.538Z
Into a tunnel and we emerge into the darkness to find some bigger splits.
2021-05-15T11:44:11.384Z
It’s very fluid in that group just in front of the bunch and now Patrick Bevin takes it on for Israel.
2021-05-15T11:42:33.359Z
The riders are still climbing on another raised highway.
2021-05-15T11:42:01.323Z
Eight more riders are just behind, but the peloton is still right there.
2021-05-15T11:41:23.141Z
They’re joined by a DSM rider but the gaps are slim.
2021-05-15T11:40:27.415Z
The Italian is joined by a Movistar rider, possibly Jorgenson.
2021-05-15T11:40:02.520Z
Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) puts in a bigger acceleration now and gets a gap on his own.
2021-05-15T11:38:59.203Z
Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation) is up there, trying to get a group clear.
2021-05-15T11:38:01.645Z
Off the bridge and it’s pretty much all together although a number of riders are trying to push this on.
2021-05-15T11:37:32.486Z
Onto a massive bridge, where the road is narrowed due to roadworks, and we have a couple of small gaps but nothing definitive.
2021-05-15T11:34:25.116Z
A wooded section provides some shelter from the wind and fresh breakaway attempts materialise.
2021-05-15T11:33:46.162Z
We’ve done almost 30km already. We’ve been on an extended false flat but the road is about to tilt uphill more severely. It’s not categorised but it’s still a climb.
2021-05-15T11:32:22.412Z
Movistar kick off a new attack but it’s soon snuffled out.
2021-05-15T11:30:55.148Z
The back of the peloton is one single-file line, and that’s a real danger, but it’s easing again up towards the front.
2021-05-15T11:30:01.297Z
Ganna drags the race back together. Now it’s in one long line.
2021-05-15T11:29:07.018Z
Ganna is doing a huge turn here, just in front of Keisse.
2021-05-15T11:28:50.852Z
That front group swells to 20. Ineos are chasing now.
2021-05-15T11:27:56.291Z
Six riders have managed to join that front trio, but the peloton is right on their heels and more are trying to make the junction.
2021-05-15T11:26:35.556Z
The trio don’t seem to be gaining ground here. Fresh moves come from behind.
2021-05-15T11:26:10.911Z
The three riders are Ruben Guerreiro (EF-Nippo), Stefano Oldani (Lotto Soudal), and Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert).
2021-05-15T11:24:37.706Z
The responses come to nothing but here come more counter-attack efforts
2021-05-15T11:23:17.090Z
There’s a response behind from multiple riders.
2021-05-15T11:22:59.948Z
148km to go
Three riders clip off the front now.
2021-05-15T11:21:51.593Z
Most GC riders are being kept up front out of trouble. No big effort to split the race of break away at this point.
2021-05-15T11:21:13.807Z
It was cross-headwind to start with but now it’s coming more directly from the right. It’s not super strong but it doesn’t take long for damage to be done.
2021-05-15T11:19:40.910Z
Iljo Keisse has been designated to guide Evenepoel through this tense portion of the race.
2021-05-15T11:18:31.298Z
151km to go
Still all together, with Bahrain Victorious at the head of the bunch.
2021-05-15T11:15:28.484Z
Back out onto the wide highway and things intensify once more.
2021-05-15T11:13:23.045Z
Riders from Bora and Lotto join in but they’re not getting away as the bunch strings out through the town of Lucera.
2021-05-15T11:11:34.532Z
Bardiani kick it off again but now it’s an Intermarché representative heading up the road.
2021-05-15T11:10:54.079Z
The route has turned off the main road and the threat of the wind seems to have ebbed away. It’s a full bunch and now we see new breakaway attempts.
2021-05-15T11:10:08.495Z
Romain Bardet (Team DSM) had been caught on the wrong side of that split, as had Trek-Segafredo.
2021-05-15T11:09:30.014Z
159km to go
Back together. The second group, lined out, makes contact with the front peloton, which had eased off slightly.
2021-05-15T11:08:39.722Z
Intermarché look to drive this on, as Bahrain did just before, but the second peloton is starting to gain ground.
2021-05-15T11:08:10.109Z
Ewan and Nizzolo are back in the second bunch, but it remains to be seen if any pre-race favourites have been caught out.
2021-05-15T11:07:33.834Z
Valter caught out
The pink jersey has missed the split and is in the second group on the road
2021-05-15T11:06:09.632Z
Filippo Ganna is at the head of the first group, Bernal in his wheel.
2021-05-15T11:05:40.381Z
The peloton has split in two now.
2021-05-15T11:04:35.110Z
Deceuncink-QuickStep close a gap for Evenepoel, shutting down another really big group that was in danger of going clear.
2021-05-15T11:03:47.810Z
It’s splitting again into large chunks. There’s a bit of side-wind and all the GC contenders are on alert here, perhaps why Bernal found himself up there.
2021-05-15T11:02:44.898Z
The presence of the 2019 Tour de France champion and pre-race favourite is the death of that large break. Others in the group remonstrate with the Colombian, asking what he’s doing there. He has killed that group’s chances, as they all ease up with the peloton now on their case.
2021-05-15T11:01:29.692Z
Bernal’s up there!
2021-05-15T11:00:57.877Z
A monster group has formed at the head of affairs. But the peloton is aware of the danger and chasing it down.
2021-05-15T10:59:23.416Z
The dozen or so riders at the head of the bunch have split off into their own group. There’s a bit of wind out there at the moment.
2021-05-15T10:58:40.949Z
A large group goes clear but the peloton is strung out in chase behind.
2021-05-15T10:56:58.074Z
Bardiani-CSF and Eolo-Kometa kick off the next wave of breakaway attempts.
2021-05-15T10:56:30.153Z
The Intermarché rider now sees the response ebb, and decides himself to drift back to the bunch. Things stall now.
2021-05-15T10:55:30.345Z
The first attack is launched by an Intermarché rider. He looks around and sees multiple reactions behind.
2021-05-15T10:55:01.325Z
We’re off!
The flag drops and the race opens up
2021-05-15T10:53:14.336Z
The riders are still massed behind the race director’s car, waiting for the go-ahead.
2021-05-15T10:48:38.768Z
Valter there. We have a nice interview with him coming up shortly.
Attila à l’heure. ⏰ pic.twitter.com/VxKV4HmoKiMay 15, 2021
2021-05-15T10:43:54.811Z
They’re off. A short neutral-zone awaits before the flag is waved and the fight for the break begins.
2021-05-15T10:42:53.339Z
The riders are assembled on the start line. Groupama-FDJ’s Attila Valter wears the famous maglia rosa as the overall leader. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) is in the maglia ciclamino as leader of the points classification after his second stage win yesterday, while Gino Mader (Bahrain Victorious) is in blue as leader of the mountains classification and Remco Evenepoel (Deceuncnick-QuickStep) is decked in white as the best young rider.
2021-05-15T10:38:44.495Z
Here’s a closer look at the final climb. It’s short, but nasty. It’s not something that’ll create significant gaps between the overall contenders but they’ll all have to be on high-alert. Positioning will be important on the run-in.
As for what sort of group contests the finish, it could be another breakaway day at this Giro. It’s hard to know who’ll want to control the race all day, so we could see another escape stick.
2021-05-15T10:28:06.198Z
🙋♂️🙋🙋♂️🙋#Giro pic.twitter.com/4pFJtWc5DCMay 15, 2021
2021-05-15T10:22:10.651Z
Before we get going, now’s the time for a re-cap. Full results and standings can be found in our stage 7 report from yesterday.
2021-05-15T10:20:31.051Z
The roll-out is coming up at 12:40 local time (in around 20 minutes), and the start proper is set to be given 10 minutes after that.
2021-05-15T10:19:51.700Z
This is the scene at the start in Foggia, where the riders signing on for the stage.
2021-05-15T10:15:50.179Z
Good morning and welcome along as we head deeper into the first week of this Giro d’Italia. Today we have a hilly stage but one that should come down to the short, steep final climb in Guardia Sanframondi.
