Welcome to LIVE coverage of stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia - the longest of the race at 254km and, perhaps, another chance for the sprinters to take the spoils ahead of a gruelling weekend in the Alps.

No change at the top of the general classification - but that will not be the case tomorrow, with the first of two back-to-back mountain stages in the Alps.

Result: 1. Cavendish, 2. Nizzolo, 3. Mezgec, 4. Lancaster, 5. Viviani.

Nizzolo of RadioShack was second and Mezgec third.

Victory for Mark Cavendish - his fourth of the race and 101st of his career.

Cannondale open it up but it's the red jersey of Mark Cavendish who powers through - but Nizzolo is going strong...

Final kilometre - and it's going to be a bunch sprint.

Caruso is caught. Cannondale, GreenEdge and OPQS are all there.

Katusha have really ridden an aggressive race - but it won't work today.

Now the teams of the sprinters have moved forward to the front. Caruso has just eight seconds and it's a long and flat run into the finish from here on.

Caruso's going solo as he passes the 5-to-go banner. The peloton is closing in on the other leaders, with Astana controlling the pace for race leader Vincenzo Nibali. Caruso has 15 seconds over the pack.

The Euskaltel rider in the front group is Azanza. He's riding very aggressively. But it's Caruso who puts in a big dig and leaps ahead. They're all attacking each other and there's no organisation.

Just six out ahead now as Caruso has a dig. The gap is pretty small now as Saxo-Tinkoff come to the front as well to help out OPQS. Perhaps Daniele Bennati is feeling good today.

We're onto the final uncategorised hill before the run into the finish. The peloton have caught one of the Vini men - Rabottini.

Some of the leading riders are already looking over their shoulders. The second Vini man is Rabbotini. Katusha's Caruso is here, as is Movistar's Herrada Lopez.

Quite a few of the sprinters - including Goss, Ferrari and Modolo - have been tailed off by the pack. Oscar Gatto is one of the Vini Fantini men in the break - he's a danger man.

The chase by OPQS is fast and furious, with Cavendish in the red jersey tucked in back in fifth position. The nine leaders have 12 seconds over the main pack.

Lastras sits up and is joined by the counter attackers, which include one of his Movistar team-mates. There's a bit of confusion. The peloton is only riding at about 10 seconds.

Cavendish is riding very well as his OPQS men combine to lead the chase. The gap is very small because of their efforts.

Numerous riders are trying to latch on to the Vini Fantini counter - with riders from Euskaltel, Katusha and Movistar. They join Bongiorno and Veuchelen. Bak too, who has been caught. Just Lastras ahead now.

Bongiorno is joined by Vacansoleil-DCM's Frederik Veuchelen. They pass Boem. Then two Vini Fantini riders attack from the main pack. On the front, Lastras has dropped Bak.