Hello and welcome to live coverage of stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia - a 214km largely pizza-flat schlep from Osimo to the race circuit at Imola. Quite aptly, it's going to be one for the sprinters and a resumption of the maglia ciclamino battle between Elia Viviani and Sam Bennett.

Wildcard mayhem! An early attack of five riders pings off the front and it includes two riders from Bardiani-CSF, two from Wilier Triestina and one from Androni-Giocattoli - so that's all three Italian wildcard teams accounted for. Gluttons for punishment, eh?

They're off! There will no doubt be some early attacks even if, on paper, anyone would be crazy to take on the teams of the sprinters today...

Splendid scenes in the Marche town of Osimo this morning as the riders rolled through en route to the official start...

Here's what in store for the remaining 169 riders - with just that small Cat.4 climb adding a bit of intrigue ahead of what should be a fast finish at Imola.

Yesterday, Britain’s Simon Yates held off Dutchman Tom Dumoulin to win for a second time on the Giro and extend his lead in the overall standings after an explosive conclusion to Stage 11 in Osimo saw Chris Froome endure another day to forget. Doing the maglia rosa proud, the in-form Yates attacked early and clinically on the final climb of the short and sharp 155km stage from Assisi, blowing the peloton apart and reminding his GC rivals that he is the man to beat in the 101st edition of La Corsa Rosa. Yates, of Mitchelton-Scott, made his decisive move with a kilometre and a half remaining to catch Czech national champion Zdenek Stybar and the Belgian Tim Wellens on a steep 16-percent ramp before riding clear of Team Sunweb’s Dumoulin and the rest of the field.