Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage seven of the Giro d'Italia - a 211km lumpy ride from Sulmona to Foligno which includes lower category climbs but should see the sprinters reconvene for a fast finish.

Confirmation of the top ten in today's stage, with Elia Viviani only taking tenth place for Sky... Chapeau to Matteo Trentin who sprinted to sixth place for Etixx in Kittel's absence.

That was really an imperious sprint by Greipel who came from far and really had his work cut out, using his trademark power and all that experience to beat his younger rivals and make it a third successive win for Lotto Soudal.

The lead-out for Caleb Ewan was very strong but the Orica-GreenEdge man didn't have the kick in the home straight. Greipel didn't have the lead out but showed his class with that second win ahead of Nizzolo and Modolo.

But Greipel powers through to destroy the field ahead of Nizzolo and Modolo! Ewan looked to finish fourth...

Ewan looks very well placed now...

Headwind into the final kilometre and Demare, Viviani and Ewan are all there too...

It's Roelandts leading the pack into this tight U-bend ahead of the finish...

They're onto a tree-lined promenade and it's still Lotto and Trek, but LottoNL-Jumbo and Lampre are now in the mix.

It's quite a technical approach to the finish and Lotto have three riders on the front, the third being that man Greipel. They have Trek just behind, with Cancellara and two others working for Nizzolo.

It's up for grabs now with Kittel out of the equation - many riders will have a second wind knowing that. It's so fast there are multiple splits in the peloton. Adam Hansen riding like a machine in the front.

Mechanical for Kittle! The red jersey needs a bike change and that's the end of his chances today. Terrible luck for the red jersey.

Kung is caught just as IAM Cycling come to the front. They're working for either Leigh Howard or Heinrich Haussler. Lotto Soudal right there too, but the likes of Kittel and Viviani are still quite far back.

There's no let up for Kung who has kept the gap at 10 seconds for the past few kilometres. Impressive stuff but it will all be in vain ultimately.

Just 10 seconds now for Kung as they pass the hilltop town of Trevi. This whole valley is filled with such towns stretching all the way up to Assisi and Perugia, via Montefalco and, on the flat, Bevagna (Prince Charles's favourite town in Italy).

Now Lampre-Merida make their presence known for their man Sacha Modolo. His chances were dashed the other day when riding wide to avoid a sprawling Rein Taaramae in Benevento on the day Andre Greipel surge to victory.

Giant-Alpecin, Tinkoff, Sky, Movistar and LottoNL-Jumbo have come to the front now for their GC men - and their sprinters, perhaps. Kung still has 20 seconds to play with but he'll be caught sooner rather than later.

Puncture for Pippo Pozzato, so that will end any chances he has for the win today. Not that they were huge, in all fairness.

Kung has 32 seconds now and looks fairly serene - but Cannondale are doing him no favours. Oddly, it's Navardauskas who is pulling so they can't be working for him. Very odd tactics. Kittel is back, too.

Cannondale are really going hard at the moment - and they have blown the peloton apart accordingly. There are big splits and they must be working on some kind of intel suggesting Kittel has yet to rejoin the pack...

Kung is time trialling himself clear. His fellow escapees have thrown in the towel and been reeled in while the Austrian lone leader has 55 seconds on the front. He has a serious track pedigree and this will serve him well.