Stage 12

The road

At the start

Porte in pink, the favourites nowhere

The hold-up on the road to L'Aquila has turned the race over. Richie Porte, twenty-five and in his first professional season, leads by 1:42 from David Arroyo, and the men who were arguing over seconds two days ago — Vinokourov, Evans, Basso, Nibali — are out of the top eight altogether. Eleven riders abandoned yesterday and Wouter Weylandt did not start. Today runs down the Adriatic to Porto Recanati.

How it was won

1. 142 km to go

   Garmin ride for Farrar

   Over Macerata the three leaders are still out, but Garmin-Transitions have taken the day in hand for Tyler Farrar and the gap is falling fast. Nobody has forgotten yesterday: no big names were let anywhere near this morning's break.

2. 214 km to go

   Fourteen to go, and it explodes

   The break is caught and Francesco Failli immediately counters. Bisolti, Pineau, Pinotti and Voeckler chase him, and a sprint stage stops being one.

3. 312 km to go

   The favourites join in

   On the last small climb, twelve kilometres out, a counter-attack goes with Cunego, Scarponi, Garzelli, Basso, Nibali, Pozzato and Vinokourov in it. Behind, Farrar's lead-out is in pieces and Evans is tangled up with Daniele Righi.

4. 4At the line

   Pippo, at last, for Italy

   Filippo Pozzato jumps first in Porto Recanati and holds off Voeckler and Pineau for Italy's first stage win of its own Giro, on the twelfth day. Porte loses a handful of seconds and keeps the jersey.

The result