Giro d'Italia 2018: Stage 10

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January 1 - May 27, Penne, Italy, Road - GT

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Welcome to our full live coverage of stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia, a long rolling stage from Penne to Gualdo Tadino.

 

Buongiorno! Early start today at the Giro d'Italia and that's because we have no fewer than 244 kilometres to cover on stage 10. That's just 13 shy of this year's Paris-Roubaix.

The riders are due to roll out of Penne (trying to establish any links with the pasta) at 10:50 local time, with the race proper due to get underway at 11, so in around 25 minutes.

Rest days can be disorienting not just for the riders but for the casual cycling fan. Don't get caught short today - get back up to speed with our rest day recap.

It's not just the whole Team Sky squad; turbo trainers are a common sight at the team buses this morning. Everyone, it seems, is respectful/fearful of this very early second-category climb to Fonte della Creta. 

A chaotic start is expected thanks to that early climb, which could pose significant problems to anyone who hasn't judged their rest day well. It's followed by another categorised climb, at Bruzzolana. Things should settle down somewhat thereafter but the terrain constantly undulates, and the chances of a mass sprint finish are complicated by the lat Cat-4 climb at Annifo. It's anything but straight forward. 

Simon Yates signs on in the pink jersey as overall leader of the Giro

They're off!

The flag drops and the racing is underway. Attacks flying off already. There's going to be a huge fight to get in the break today.

As soon as a few riders go clear and look like forming a group, others ping off from the peloton.

We've checked with our resident Italian Stephen Farrand - our European Editor who's lived in Italy since the mid-90's - and he sadly informs us that the town of Penne has nothing to do with the pasta. It is, though, he says, a former roman town famous for its goat cheese and cured meats. There you have it. 

There's a large group out front now, with a few riders chasing. 

The group of 13 riders has been joined by three chasers to make 16. Giulio Ciccone is still chasing but it's not looking good for the young Italian.

The breakaway riders have a lead of around two minutes as they hit the foot of this early Cat-2 climb. 

Ciccone is a hugely promising climber and the road heading uphill works in his favour as he closes the gap to the leaders. He's joined them now, making it 17 up front. 

The breakaway riders

As the pace increases in the peloton on this climb, maglia ciclamino wearer and double stage winner Elia Viviani is one of the riders distanced. 

There's a little added motivation for Ciccone here as this climb heads up to Rigopiano, site of a tragedy last January as an avalanche struck and killed 29 people. Ciccone is from the region, and attended a memorial service yesterday on his rest day. 

Fernandez, Mosca, Pedersen and Schmidt have been distanced on the climb as the break continues to work with an advantage of 1:45. 

Scully loses contact now but we're near the top of the climb

Ciccone reaches out at the top and takes the KOM points. Here he was at the start this morning, honouring the victims of the Rigopiano tragedy. That will mean a lot to him. 

222km remaining from 244km

Scully, Mosca, Fernandez, Schmidt, and Pedersen have all been swallowed up by the peloton, leaving 12 riders out front in the breakaway. 

Mohoric has flown down this descent and has opened a gap over his breakaway companions.

Chaves in trouble

Remi Cavagna (Quick-Step Floors) and Pello Bilbao (Astana) have attacked the peloton. 

200km remaining from 244km

Confirmation of Chaves' deficit crackles over race radio and Sunweb hit the front of the peloton. 

The leaders are about to start the second climb of the day, the short Cat-3 haul to Bruzzolana. 

Still no confirmed time gap back to Chaves. It seems he has one teammate with him in Sam Bewley, in what is the fourth group on the road (Breakaway - Cavagna/Bilbao - Peloton - Chaves).

Fabio Aru's UAE teammates now chipping in on the front of the peloton. The gap to the break is just 1:15.

Chaves at 3:35!

182km remaining from 244km

A reminder of the overall standings at the start of the day

Any whispers of leadership headaches within Mitchelton-Scott appear to be flying out of the window. Chaves appears on Italian TV station Rai's pre-race coverage and says "There's one leader and that's Mitchelton-Scott." At the end of today, it might well be all in for Yates. 

Thibaut Pinot's Groupama-FDJ teammates join the party at the front of the peloton now. All the other GC teams are uniting behind a common goal here. They stand here to take a major rival out of the picture and slash Mitchelton-Scott's tactical advantage in having two cards to play. 

Despite the pace-making in the peloton, Chaves doesn't appear to be losing any ground for the time being. 

"At the start of the day, we discuss the tactics on the bus, but cycling is a crazy sport, and sometimes things don't go to plan," Simon Yates said yesterday in his rest day press conference. "Etna was not planned. Esteban was not supposed to be in the break, and I was not supposed to go across to him in the end, but sometimes it happens like that."

165km remaining from 244km

With the gap coming down quickly, Tony Martin and Krists Neilands have attacked from the break and are going it alone. 

All the other breakaway riders have been taken in by the peloton. 

Martin and Neilands have an advantage of one minute over the peloton.

Neilands sits it up and calls it a day. He's not sure this will come to anything, even if he's with one of the strongest rouleurs in the peloton. Martin on his own, then, from range. He has history...

It's raining and Martin is taking care as he takes on a sinuous downhill section. He's holding his gap of one minute as Sky lead the peloton. 

Louis Meintjes' terrible Giro continues. The Dimension Data rider is with Chaves in the third group on the road. 

We predicted a chaotic start and that's exactly what we got. Now things have settled into some sort of pattern, here's the race situation. 

We're constantly updating the race situation on the right hand side of your screens. 

When you see Tony Martin out front on his own, you can't help but think back to the 2013 Vuelta. The German embarked on a solo breakaway on stage 6, going clear pretty much from the gun. Some 175km later, he was caught by the peloton... just 20 metres from the finish line. Heartbreak. Here's our report from that day. 

Mitchelton-Scott have sent a rider back to Chaves, who is now tucked in behind three teammates. They should be able to limit the damage for a while but they're up against a committed peloton with far more firepower. 

Chaves is flailing here, but Chris Froome has been flailing since this Giro began - since just before it began, even. The four-time Tour de France champion sat down with the press yesterday on the rest day and said his crash in the recon of the opening time trial has held him back ever since. Asked if he still believes he can win this Giro, his response wasn't such a confident one. 

137km remaining from 244km

The catch is made but there's no let-up in the peloton. FDJ, Sky, Sunweb, Bahrain, LottoNL (everyone, pretty much) exchange turns on the front as they seek to keep Chaves at bay. 

Simon Yates has two teammates with him in the peloton. Chaves has three with him behind. It appears that the remaining member of the Mitchelton-Scott squad, Svein Tuft, is in the gruppetto. 

A lifeline for Chaves in the form of Quick-Step. The Belgian team have Elia Viviani in that group, and are starting to assist in the chase. 

Quick-Step have four riders in front of Viviani in this chase group, and they're taking control here. 1:58 the gap. 

A really fascinating tussle playing out here. GC teams vs Chaves and Viviani teammates. And we've still got 129km left!

The sheer length of this stage provides me with a slightly tenuous link to the Spring Classics... which are the subject of our very first documentary film. If you haven't seen it yet, The Holy Week takes you behind the scenes at this year's Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, and is available to buy or rent at this link. 

Chaves group coming back

Cavagna, Senechal, Stybar lead the chase group. They're working for Viviani but have helped save the day here for Chaves and Mitchelton-Scott.

Or have they? It seems the Giro's timings are all over the place, and the latest check shows Chaves/Viviani still at 1:15. 

115km remaining from 244km

It's Robert Gesink leading the peloton, teammate of George Bennett, who's seventh overall. Behind him are two representatives from Sky. 

In our podcast from yesterday's rest day, we talked about the chances of Chaves and Yates, as well as Froome, Dumoulin, Pinot, Pozzovivo... everyone, basically. You can listen here:

The gap has stabilised at 1:50. Quick-Step still with four on the front of the chase group. 

Chaves' teammates are leaving it to Quick-Step here. They've done a lot of chasing already today and indeed over the past few days as they've helped control the peloton for the pink jersey of Yates. Tired legs, no doubt, but they can't sit back, as the gap is going out again. 2:20 now, and this is slipping away from them again. 

Talk of a Chaves crash early on have been debunked by Mitchelton-Scott DS Matt White. The latest rumour is pollen/allergies. We'll have to wait until the end of the stage to find out exactly how he came to be dropped. 

As the gap yawns out to 2:30, Quick-Step disappear from the front of the chase group. Have they called it a day?

It seems so, as replays show the blue jerseys exchanging words before easing up. 

100km remaining from 244km

Kreuziger and Juul-Jensen are the other Mitchelton-Scott riders with Chaves. They're still riding but the gap has gone out to 3 minutes. 

Chaves is leading the chase here, and that should never be part of the plan. The gap is going out all the time as Kreuziger disappears from the front. 3:15, and counting....

There are still 95 kilometres left to race here. Is 95km of full gas chasing going to be worthwhile, when this now is surely a situation beyond rescue? Cruel as it may be for Chaves, Mitchelton-Scott may well have to call this off and save the resources of Kreuziger, Juul-Jensen, and Bewley - they still have the pink jersey to defend, and some mightily tough stages coming up. 

91km remaining from 244km

Pinot is effectively led out by a teammate, but Yates is on the wheel and springs away to take it at a canter. Three bonus seconds for the Brit, who extends his overall lead. 

89km remaining from 244km

Chaves crosses the intermediate sprint line 5 minutes down.

84km remaining from 244km

Here's the main peloton

The gap to Frapporti goes out to a minute. The Italian surely won't win the stage, but he is extending his lead in the Fuga Pinarello standings - for those who've spent the most kilometres in breakaways. Frapporti was on 386 at the start of the day and that's ticking up all the time now.

It seems Sam Bennett is in the peloton, which would make him a favourite for the stage win today. Bora-Hansgrohe aren't working at the moment - it's FDJ - but they surely will later on. 

66km remaining from 244km

"If I had to bet on someone, I'd bet on myself."

A shot of Chaves before the plug was pulled from that chase. 

Rafa Valls crashed earlier and has abandoned the race with a rib injury

55km remaining from 244km

EF-Drapac have put Dombrowski on the front of the pink jersey group, but their sprinter Sacha Modolo is not there - he's back with Viviani and Chaves and therefore out of the picture. 

48km remaining from 244km

The rain capes are coming back on. It's been coming down pretty much all day at the finish. 

Away from the Giro, we also have WorldTour racing happening over the Atlantic at the Tour of California. Team Sky's Colombian prodigy Egan Bernal won at the Gibraltar Road summit finish yesterday, with a time trial on Wednesday set to further shape the overall classification. 

40km remaining from 244km

Davide Villella (Astana) attacks from the peloton they themselves pass through the 40-to-go banner. 

And now the attacks come thick and fast...

Bora will have to do some work now, surely. It's up to them to keep a lid on things here in order to bring about a bunch kick for Bennett. 

AG2R and Lotto Fix All have put a rider each up there, along with another rider from Androni.

It's Nico Denz for AG2R, Davide Ballerini for Anrdoni, Victor Campenaerts for Lotto Fix All. Also a Movistar rider up there, but it's coming back now.

36km remaining from 244km

The rest of the attackers have been brought back so it's just Villella and Mohoric off the front of the peloton, but they only have a slim advantage of 20 seconds or so. 

Bora put a rider on the front now.

32km remaining from 244km

Villella and Mohoric catch Frapporti, not even looking at the Italian as they forge on. Frapporti tucks into the wheel, where he's likely to remain for much of the remainder of this stage. 

The leading trio are coming towards the top of this Cat-4 climb at Annifo. 

The gradients kick up in the final few hundred metres and that spells curtains for Frapporti, who simply can't live with the pace of these fresher WorldTour riders. Two left out front. 

Back in the peloton, Ciccone, who was first over the two early climbs today, skips away to take the remaining point at the KOM. Sergio Henao was also up there looking interested. 

The pace has increased in the peloton and Villella and Mohoric count on a lead of just 21 seconds. 

A shot of Frapporti before he was pegged back.

Mohoric is the superior descender and he's dropped Villella. 

Nico Denz has pushed on again and he's up ahead of the peloton with Sergio Henao and Alessandro De Marchi just behind. 

Denz is really pushing on down this wet descent.

Richard Carapaz is off the back as the peloton splits on this descent. 

20km remaining from 244km

Denz latches on and almost takes out Villella as he comes round on a hairpin. The AG2R rider is straight onto the front and Villella is off the back again.

Mechanical for Dumoulin

The 2017 champion gets a quick bike change but now he faces a tricky chase on a treacherous descent. 

A teammate duly drops back to assist Dumoulin in that chase. Replays shows the Dutchman went wide on a bend and unclipped - a puncture, perhaps. 

It's Sam Oomen pacing Dumoulin back, though more assistance now comes in the form of the slipstream of the Sunweb car. 

Henao and De Marchi are still working together in pursuit of the leaders, though they only hold a small advantage over the peloton. 

16km remaining from 244km

Denz, Mohoric, and Villella are back together out front as the road flattens out and even kicks up again. The latest time check shows the peloton at 1:20. That really shot up on that descent. 

Henao and De Marchi are at 17 seconds, so this could yet become a five-man lead group. And it could be game on for the stage win...

And now a bike change needed for Carapaz

Another short section of downhill sees Mohoric distance Denz and Villella once more. 

Another Androni rider has attacked the peloton but he's not getting anywhere. What have Bora got here? Not much, it seems. They've one rider on the front and the gap isn't coming down.

Impressive stuff here from Denz, who rides away from Villella and links up with Mohoric once more. Meanwhile Henao and De Marchi are losing ground - they're 35 seconds down now.

Androni are indefatigable today. Another attack from Gianni Savio's Italian Pro Conti team.

10km remaining from 244km

Andrea Vendrame is the latest Androni rider on the move. We've seen him in the break already at this Giro. He has his arms folded over his bars but he's not getting very far. 

Henao, still wearing his decidedly un-aerodynamic rain cape, is still giving it everything with De Marchi, but theirs looks a futile cause. They're 46 seconds off Mohoric and Denz now.

7km remaining from 244km

Mohoric won a stage of the Vuelta last year and victory here would slot right in alongside that on the talented 23-year-old's growing palmares. Denz, himself only in his third season as a pro, is searching for his first ever win. 

5km remaining from 244km

Meanwhile the game is surely also up for Villella.

4km remaining from 244km

Lotto Fix All take it up in the peloton. 50 seconds the gap with just over 3km to go.

Mohoric and Denz swap turns and exchange words.

Another downhill section sees Mohoric get back into that aero tuck. Denz gets into his and makes sure not to lose the wheel this time.

1km remaining from 244km

1km remaining from 244km

Mohoric on the front through the sweeping right-hand bend

Still Mohoric on the front

Denz staying calm on the wheel. He's in the best position here.

Mohoric looks over his shoulder, Denz isn't budging...

Mohoric soft-pedals, and now winds it up...

Denz springs out of the saddle and draws up...

Here comes Denz, but he can't come round!

Mohoric takes it!

Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida) wins stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia

Sam Bennett sprints from the bunch to grab the final podium spot. 

All of the GC favourites finished safely in that bunch. That is, apart from Esteban Chaves, who will be out on the road for another 15 minutes on what has been a terrible day for him and Mitchelton-Scott. 

Denz did everything right there - he just didn't have the legs. He allowed Mohoric to lead through the final kilometre and was able to stay in the slipstream as Mohoric wound up his sprint. As he made his own surge and dived out into the wind, it still looked good as he began to draw up alongside, but precisely at that moment, when they were neck-and-neck, he began to fade, and Mohoric found a second wind, taking him to the line, where he raised both arms above his head. 

Top 10

Simon Yates keeps the pink jersey, and even extends his lead after taking those bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint.

Let's hear from the Matej Mohoric in his stage winner's flash interview

Here's the new GC

Stay with us here for post-race quotes and reaction, along with the first photos coming in from the finish. An eventful day, and much to dissect.

The moment Mohoric knows he's won it, and Denz knows he's lost it

The big storyline today is undoubtedly Esteban Chaves, who plummets out of contention having started the day second overall. The Colombian, we remind you, was dropped on the early second-category climb to Fonte della Creta and, after a prolonged attempt at a chase, waved goodbye to his hopes at this Giro. 

"He just had a bad moment in the first climb of the day," says Yates of Chaves. "Straight out of the rest day you don't know how the body responds. He just had a bad moment and like that, it's over. It was a really hard chase. I know he's worked extremely hard for this. Maybe he can bounce back and get a few stage wins."

Matt White, meanwhile, suggests allergies could be to blame...

Here's our report page, where you can find a write-up, results, and photos. 

More from Yates, this time on his sprinting for the time bonus at the intermediate. 

And now we can hear from Esteban Chaves, speaking to RAI

Here's the reaction of the runner-up, Nico Denz, speaking to French media at the finish

Here's Chaves in a moment of desperation

Want all the flash post-stage reaction in one handy place? You know what to do...

Here's Richard Carapaz, who had a late puncture and a moment of panic but got back on and finished safely in the peloton to retain his place on the top five. 

The full results are in and we can tell you that Esteban Chaves - and Louis Meintjes for that matter - crossed the line some 25 minutes down on the peloton. That leaves Chaves 39th overall at 25:26. 

That's it for our live coverage today. We'll have all the talking points covered with in-depth reaction, news stories, and analysis to come on Cyclingnews.com in the coming hours. In the meantime, I'll leave you with our stage report and a photo of the day's winner, Matej Mohoric. Thanks for joining us today - extra points if you were there for the full 244 kilometres, and full marks if you did the build-up and debrief, too. Let's do it all again tomorrow. Ciao.

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