Welcome to live coverage of stage five of the Giro d'Italia - a largely flat 203km ride from Cosenza to Matera in the deep south of Italy which could well come down to a bunch sprint despite two punchy climbs towards the finish.

No sign of Omega Pharma-Quick Step in the peloton. Word has it they are protecting their rider Mark Cavendish and will concentrate on getting him to the top of the Cat.4 climb. Should he be in touch then, then they will go all in for the sprinter.

Garmin-Sharp have edged to the front - more to protect their man Ryder Hesjedal than any aspirations for the finish. The five leaders - Italian Alan Marangoni (Cannondale), Brazilian Rafael Andriato (Vini Fantini), Portuguese Ricardo Mestre (Euskaltel), Dutchman Brian Bulgac (Lotto Belisol) and Venezuelan Tomas Gil (Androni Giocattoli) - have just 2:30 over the pack now. The peloton has them right where they want them, that's for sure.

I stand corrected: we have just seen some live images from the finish and it is now bathed in sunshine - although there is currently a huge clean up going on after thoat Matera monsoon. Just three minutes for the break now, so it's coming down fast.

It's dry again for the leaders - these roads taking the riders in and out of pockets of rain. We haven't seen any images of the finish in Matera for a bit so we're unsure if the Apocalyptic conditions are still holding court - the lack of coverage and those grey clouds suggests that perhaps they are.

This is the sixth time Matera has been used for a stage finish in the Giro d'Italia - but this will certainly be the wettest occasion. The lead of the five escapees is down to four minutes now.

The five leaders are back under the deluge once again. They have five minutes over the peloton, which is being controlled by numerous teams - but not the Omega Pharma outfit of Mark Cavendish, the stage one winner. Cav is Sean Kelly's pick for the win today - despite those two climbs towards the finish.

GreenEdge and Argos Shimano are driving the pace on the front of the pack, working in the interests of their men Matt Goss and John Degenkolb. The peloton has really strung out here - and the gap drops below the six-minute mark.

The rain has eased up for a bit for the breakaway, who lead the peloton by 6:10. But back with the pack, it's raining cats and dogs.

Bradley Wiggins and two Sky team-mates are making their way forwards from the back of the peloton. Now the pink jersey Luca Paolini drops to the back to speak to his Katusha team car. The gap is 6:45 for the break.

At the second intermediate sprint, Rafael Andriato took the points once ahain ahead of Alan Marangoni, with Brian Bulgac in third. No change in the points standing a the top, with Paolini leading Evans and Cavendish: 35/30/28.

The rain starts to fall on the peloton. They'll have to get used to this: apparently rain is on the cards for the next week...

Many riders are now putting on their gilets and jackets in anticipation of the rain.

The Argos Shimano team of John Degenkolb are near the front too. The German youngster won five stages on the Vuelta but has seen his chances limited in the Giro. In the only flat stage, we was held up by a crash - but won the bunch sprint for the peloton when it came home after the leading group.

The lead is down to 6:30 for the five escapees as they head towards the cloudy horizon. Cannondale and Omega Pharma-Quick Step are setting the pace on the front of the peloton.

Three of these leading five riders are experiencing their first taste of the Giro this year. sprinter Andriato, 2011 Tour of Portugal champion Mestre and time trial specialist Gil are all debutants. Bulgac broke his duck last year while Marangoni rode the Giro in both 2010 and 2011, making him the experienced man of the break.

Live images show the riders powering along the coastal road on the Gulf of Tarento in sunshine - but up ahead, you can see those grey ominous clouds.

Meanwhile, unkowing of the flooded streets that await them, the five leaders pass through the feed zone with a lead of seven minutes over the peloton.

It's is raining like a monsoon at the finish in Matera: the finish straight has effectively become a river. This will be a logistical nightmare for organisers - all the electronics and wires and sockets have been completely submerged in the deluge. The race won't be able to come here if this continues!

Result of the first intermediate sprint: 1. Andriato, 2. Marangoni, 3. Gil. But it has no bearing on the points standings - which is led by race leader Luca Paolini but has Evans wearing the red jersey by virtue of his second place in the competition.

While it was sunny at the start, it's another miserable day at the finish: it's raining in Matera, the location of the famous 'Sassi di Matera' ancient town, built on the side of a ravine. Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ' was filmed in the maze-like Sassim, a UNESCO world heritage site. "Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago," says the Fodor's guide.

For those complaining in the comment section below about the Eurosport TV coverage - you should check your facts before you rant off. The problem lies with Sky's listings. Eurosport is showing live coverage of stage five - and it's just kicked of on British Eurosport and Eurosport International.