Stage 12

The road

At the start

Ten walls on the way to Fano

Cian Uijtdebroeks abandoned overnight and Antonio Tiberi inherits both the maglia bianca and fifth overall. Jonathan Milan won in Francavilla al Mare after Tim Merlier was relegated for his sprint. Today the race turns inland for ten short, vicious climbs, the last of them Monte Giove — unclassified, twenty per cent, ten kilometres from Fano. Pogačar says the fight to get into the break will be crazy.

How it was won

1. 1126 km to go

   Alaphilippe and Maestri go clear

   In one of the fastest hours in Giro history, Alaphilippe tires of the oversized break and jumps away with Mirco Maestri 126km from home, an audacious long-range gamble.

2. 238 km to go

   The walls of the Marche close in

   Over the relentless muri of the Marche the chasing group of strong men grinds the lead down toward a minute, but cooperation keeps fracturing on the steep pitches.

3. 312 km to go

   Alaphilippe solos on Monte Giove

   On the final climb Alaphilippe says goodbye to a spent Maestri and flies away alone, a vintage display of panache with Narváez straining fruitlessly behind.

4. 4At the line

   A dream Giro win

   Alaphilippe holds on into Fano to complete his Grand Tour stage-win set, silencing his critics with the win he has chased all his life.

The result