Welcome to live coverage of stage seven of the Giro d'Italia. Bringing a difficult first week to a conclusion is this punchy 110-kilometre stage from Maddoloni to Montevergine di Mercogliano, which culminates in the race's first summit finish.

Cav tweeted his concern ahead of today's stage this morning: "ok, so us sprinters/fat b*****s/lazy b*****s/wounded have a less than 20min time cut today."

ATTACK: The indefatigable Sebastian Lang breaks clear of the peloton. The Omega Pharma-Lotto man is soon joined by Euskaltel's sole Frenchman, Pierre Cazaux. Meanwhile, Britain's Mark Cavendish has been thrown out the back of the bunch.

Acqua & Sapone's Carlos Betancourt, not to be confused with the American contemporary artist of the same name, sets the pace on the front of the peloton. Does anyone have a better name that the Columbian in the whole peloton? It's doubtful.

Alessandro Petacchi already feeling the heat off the back of the peloton. Movistar moves up alongside Acqua & Sapone on the front.

The leaders are onto the second category Serra della Strada climb. It's about 10km in length at an average gradient of 5%.

The Soap & Water boys are setting a fierce pace as the lead drops to 2'30". Remember, you can listen to LIVE commentary from David Harmon and Sean Kelly:

Britain's David Millar said before the start that "heads should roll" at the UCI for allowing the doping index leak. "It's shocking. I understand that that list should exist, that's what targeted testing is about," he said. "This list should never have been released. The UCI, some of their people should be fired for this. A major investigation should go on into what exactly they are doing with this model."

CORRECTION: Visconti is not the best place rider in the GC. Montaguti is 2:16 down in 45th while Canuti is 4:53 down in 55th. Good spot @GeorgeL

The red riders of Acqua & Sapone have taken up position at the front of the peloton. Meanwhile, 2'53" up the road, the five leaders overshoot a bend on a descent and almost come a cropper.

Yesterday's stage was won by Angel Ventoso after Alessandro Petacchi appeared to take his foot off the gas with just metres to spare. Our blogger Blazin' Saddles tries to evaluate the situation...

Of course, the big news story of the day is l'Equipe's controversial publishing of that infamous list of riders with potentially suspicious blood levels ahead of last year's Tour de France. Here's a link to the story - and let us know in the comment box below what you think. Was the paper wrong to publish this document? What should the UCI do? It is right for us to know all this confidential information?

Italy's Visconti is the best placed rider from this group in the GC. But at 8:01 and back in 67th place, he's hardly a threat to Weening's maglia rosa.

The quintet has 3'10" over the peloton, which is being controlled by the Rabobank team-mates of pink jersey Pieter Weening.

The final climb to Montevergine is a regular fixture in the Giro. In 2004, Damiano Cunego won a similar stage on his way to overall victory, and Danilo Di Luca did the same in the 2007 edition, beating compatriot Riccardo Ricco to the summit. The average gradient is only 5% but at times it hits 10%. The race organisers have decided to put a 20-minute limit in which all riders must finish if they want to continue the race - something which has prompted a bit of a grump by Mark Cavendish.

Only five of the leaders managed to stay out in front. They are: Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini), Lars Bak (HTC), Federico Canuti (Colnago), Jerome Pineau (Quickstep), Matteo Montaguti (AG2R). The lead is over two minutes now.

Six more riders have joined the leaders: Selvaggi, Pasamontes, Visconti, Cherel, Bak and Betancourt. They have 18 seconds over the bunch but it seems to be coming down...

The duo are joined by another pair of riders: Jerome Pineau (Quick Step) and Katusha's Eduard Vorganov, who has already been on the offensive in this year's Giro. The quartet have 10 seconds over the peloton. But others are trying to join them.

Two riders have managed to get away. They are Colnago's Federico Canuti and Julien Berard of AG2R La Mondiale.

It's not as hot as yesterday but the sun is still out at the start in Maddaloni. There are a few clouds at the finish and the temperature is in the early 20s.

They're off! The shortest road stage of this year's Giro is underway. And right away some riders have a go at breaking away. A frantic opening to what could well be an explosive afternoon in the saddle.

The remaining riders are in the neutral and today's short-but-hard stage is about to get underway. The two climbs today may be just second category numbers but they should see the peloton blown apart and allow us to see who the main protagonists for this year's Giro really are.