Ciao ragazzi! Welcome to live coverage of stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia - another day suited to the breakaway as the riders tackle the rolling 185km between Vasto and L'Aquila. Like yesterday, the stage concludes with a Cat.2 climb preceding some lumps and bumps before the finale, which comes on a steep uphill ramp. Bosh!
Giro d'Italia
Stage 7 | Semi mountain | Men | 17.05.2019
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Completed
VastoL'Aquila
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Live
Live Updates
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Updated 17/05/2019 at 15:57 GMT
- All
- Highlights
16:55
Thanks for joining me today for live coverage of stage 7. I'm away over the weekend but Tim Bonville-Ginn will be stepping into my shoes. It promises to be an exciting weekend's racing with the longest stage of the race tomorrow followed by that tricky time trial and GC showdown on Sunday.
15:48
No huge change in the top 10 with Rojas moving closer to the summit after taking back half a minute on Conti and the rest of the peloton.
15:45
0km
Jose Rojas sixth ahead of Sebastian Henao and Antonio Pedrero. The pack comes home 1'07" down.
0km
Lucas Hamilton was fourth and Mattia Cattaneo fifth.
0km
Tony Gallopin (Ag2R-La Mondiale) beats Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe) for second place a few seconds back.
0km
Victory for Pello Bilbao of Astana!
0.2km
Formolo is in a world of pain and it looks like the four chasers have given up.
0.5km
They're over the steepest part and it's looking good for Bilbao.
0.8km
Cattaneo takes his foot off the gas and lets Formolo lead the chase. Bilbao has about five seconds, if that.
1km
On to the climb now and under the flamme rouge. Bilbao is already struggling as Cattaneo leads the chase.
1.5km
Bilbao attacks! There's hesitation from the others and the Astana rider has opened up a gap.
2km
Rojas is almost reeled in now. Bilbao is also a good shot today. And can you ever discount someone of Gallopin's calibre?
3km
Rojas has a good gap now while Henao isn't far off the five chasers. But the last kilometre is all uphill at an average of 7.6% and a maximum ramp of 11%. Surely that's too much for someone like Rojas? My money is on Formolo or Cattaneo.
3.5km
Rojas means business because he's caught and passed the leaders!
4km
Rojas is back with the leaders - and he's taken out his earpiece so is riding au naturel and without his DS barking orders.
5km
Another uphill dig before the next small descent. Rojas has almost rejoined the five leaders.
6km
Hamilton pushes on just as he reaches the leaders. Gallopin finally makes contact. Their gap is 1'12".
6.5km
Formolo and Cattaneo have ridden clear but the Italians are joined on the descent by Bilbao and Hamilton, then Gallopin.