Giro d’Italia stage 12 LIVE: A five-man break up the road but being tightly controlled by the sprinters’ teams

The relaxation in pace is yet to show in the time gap, which remains at one minute. The breakaway riders themselves are taking it easy, perhaps as a means to threaten the peloton with sitting up going back into the peloton, unless they’re given a bigger advantage. It’s an interesting game of brinkmanship.

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A development in the peloton – they’ve stopped chasing. The gap had come back to within a minute, and they seem to fear making the catch too early.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Last but not least, Jardi Christiaan van der Lee is the fifth and final member of the break. He’s another rider who loves to get up the road, having featured in several World Tour breakaways earlier this season, and is doing the work for EF as they continue to chase an elusive stage win at this race.

1:15 is the break’s lead as they continue to work together.

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Bais’ breakaway companion, Manuele Tarozzi, is likely to be a rival in that super-combativity award, having been in almost as many breakaways, including even the Bulgaria stages where nobody wanted to be up the road.

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Mattia Bais is the day’s Team Polti representative in the break, as he has been in almost every stage since the race reached Italy. At this rate, he’ll surely be in the running for the super-combativity award.

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There’s no surprise to see an Alpecin rider in the break. They’ve desperately needed to rethink their approach at this Giro since the abandonment of leader and sprinter Kaden Groves. Today, it’s up to Jonas Geens to do the unlikely and help this break succeed.

The gap is at least no longer coming down. The peloton are keeping them pinned at 1:15.

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The five riders in the day’s break.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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It’s curious to see the peloton chasing so hard, as on paper this break doesn’t look especially threatening, especially compared with those from previous stages.

Arguably the biggest name here is former Maglia Rosa wearer Juan Pedro López, although he would have preferred hillier terrain than this. Even his Movistar team didn’t seem convinced by his presence in the break, as they tried to get their other rider Milesi in it too.

The peloton are bringing the brea back already, which is now just 1:07 ahead. Surely they won’t want to make the catch early?

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Despite having parcours seeming so finely poised between the break and the sprinter, this stage is looking firmly in the advantage of the latter.

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The riders are hardly taking it easy though, despite these pleasant roads. The peloton are keeping the break at a stingy margin of just a minute and a half.

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Those climbs aren’t for a while yet. Before then the riders get to enjoy another 60km of flat roads.

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What’s interesting is which teams are doing the pace-setting. As expected, Sodal QuickStep are doing some of the work, for their two-stage winner Paul Magnier. But they’re also being aided by Unibet Rose Rockets, whose sprinter Dylan Groenewegen is one of the names you’d expect to struggle to stay in contention on the climbs.

The break’s been allowed 1:55, but already some sprinter teams have started riding tempo in the peloton to control them.

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The scene at the start earlier.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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The gap’s growing still, now up to 1:30. That’s likely to be too big for anybody who has missed this break to bridge up to it now.

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The pace is off in the peloton and no more attacks are forthcoming. It looks like we might have our break of the day.

Those five have 45 seconds on the peloton, while the counters behind have all been neutralised.

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Tarozzi was the Bardiani rider, and he’ joined the four leaders – Bais, Van der Lee, Geens and Juan Pedro López.

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It’s not over yet though – several more are trying attacks.

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It’s all bunched up at the front of the peloton again, but a Bardiani rider has managed to escape through the block.

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A new group of four has gone up the road.

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And now those 6 have been caught.

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You might have thought the sprinters’ teams would be happy with such a small group, but they’re being chased down.

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Those other three riders are Cavagna, Mifsud and Tarozzi.

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The two chasers have caught Jacobs, along with 3 more riders

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Jacobs is sill leading the race by himself, with Maestri and Dversnes Lavik chasing behind.

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We’re entering good territory to form a break now, as the road is going a little uphill.

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Fredrik Dversnes Lavik is one of those riders, and he’s bridged up to Maestri.

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Already lots of other attacks have defied that attempted block and made new moves.

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There was an attempt to block the road at the front of the peloton by teams not wanting anyone other than these two riders in the break, but that’s very unlikely to happen on a route like today’s.

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He’s marked though, and instead Maestri counter attacks.

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UAE are in the mood again – Bjerg attacks out of the peloton.

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The others have been caught, but Jacobs remains out front.

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He’s joined by Garcia Cortina, Maestri, and a Bardiani rider.

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As was the case yesterday, Groupama begin the attacks with a move from Jacobs.

And they’re off!

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Here’s more on Van Eetvelt’s abandon, that has left the struggling Lotto with just four riders left in the race.