Good morning, and welcome to our coverage of stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia, from Riccione to Cento.
If you take a look at the stage profile above, you'll notice that there is barely a bump across the 179km stage, so it might be a very fast one, depending how the wind blows.
The stage begins at 1310 local time, which means in about 90 minutes for us in the UK. How will you occupy yourself during the racing today?
Whatever happens, today's stage is unlikely to be as exciting as yesterday, where Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) won after taking part in a two-man escape with Mirco Maestri (Polti Kometa) for well over 100km. The Frenchman's win was rather popular.
Here's the general classification, although this is unlikely to change today, obviously.
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is currently the man in purple, leading the points classification. He'll be the man to beat, you would imagine, although there are quite a few sprinters at this race. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has threatened to win, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) already has pocketed one, and Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) could come through today.
Anyway, I'll leave you until the action gets going. Go have a cappuccino before the time cut-off.
Somehow, by the way, this is not the flattest Giro stage ever. That award goes to stage 12 of the 2016 race, from Noale to Bibione, which had 122m of elevation in 182km.
If you're looking for something else to watch alongside the Giro d'Italia today, I would recommend Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire at Trent Bridge on YouTube, where the hosts are currently 20/3. It's all happening.
The riders are just rolling to the start now, it all looks pretty calm.
The race begins on the Adriatic coast today, which looks splendid. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) is obviously in pink, with Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) in white, Simon Geschke (Cofidis) in blue - although he is just looking after it for Pogačar - and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is in purple.
Apparently there are crosswinds in the first 80km, but it would take a lot of wind for the race to be disrupted today. Echelons don't really happen in Italy.
179km to go: The mood at the front of the peloton very much feels like it's some kind of roll out rather than the 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia.
179km to go: Andrea Pietrobon (Polti Kometa) is joined by two riders from VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè up the road. That might be it, everybody. What a day to be in the break. Alessandro Tonelli and Manuele Tarozzi are the Bardiani men.
178km to go: The peloton, meanwhile, is simply letting these three go. It seems quite calm.
176km to go: The three out front have 1:23 on the peloton, and I'm going to go and get my lunch now.
Nottinghamshire, by the way, are 37-4. What a day, come on Hampshire. Southampton are playing tonight too, so it could be a big day for Adam.
175km to go: In the race, the break has almost two minutes already. Almost like it has been easy.
164km to go: I went to the shop to pick up a parcel and missed seemingly nothing. The break now has three minutes on the peloton.
161km to go: It's one of those Giro stages where we're being shown beautiful Italian towns rather than the action itself.
161km to go: It's Alpecin-Deceuninck who are at the front of the peloton for Kaden Groves, accompanied by one representative from Soudal Quick-Step and Lidl-Trek. Interesting, it's then Ineos Grenadiers who are in line. Do they think the wind will blow?
156km to go: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) has moved towards the front now.
150km to go: The gap between the break and the peloton is 2:34. The bunch is quite lined out at the front, but it does look a lot more relaxed further back.
What's everyone having for lunch? I'm going for avocado on toast with at least one fried egg. Not very Italian of me, I'm sorry.
149km to go: Pietrobon was in the break which upset the sprint teams on stage five, by the way. The Polti Kometa rider won't be too hopeful of repeating this today.
148km to go: There's even some laughing and joking between Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers). It's pretty relaxed.
144km to go: Of course, yesterday was a tough day, so it's no surprise that the race is a bit more relaxed today.
135km to go: The break have 2:42 on the peloton and we're being shown another lovely hilltop town. The race has averaged 39.6km/h over the first hour of action, by the way.
132km to go: I tell you what, I do not envy the three men up front. Tonelli, Tarozzi and Pietrobron must be so bored. At least in the peloton they can chat.
I'm having some White Mausu Peanut Rāyu on top of my avo and eggs on toast by the way, in case you were wondering.
124km to go: The break now has two minutes on the peloton.
123km to go: My lunch was excellent. Not sure what the riders have in their musettes today, but I doubt toast featured.
113km to go: Andrea Pietrobon (Polti Kometa) won the intermediate sprint, by the way. He has moved up to fifth in the overall points standings.
110km to go: The breakaway has 1:52 on the peloton now. It's coming back together. Will the catch happen too soon?
97km to go: It looks like there is a bit of crosswind, as the peloton spreads across the road, but it doesn't feel like there's much chance of it actually splitting. Lidl-Trek are on the front now.
85km to go: It's Intergiro sprint time!
84km to go: Oh, the break didn't even contest it. Congrats to Manuele Tarozzi.
If you like quadriportici, Pavaglione is the place to go.
79km to go: The GC teams have moved to the front of the bunch, with Ineos Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates, Bora-Hansgrohe, Movistar and Visma-Lease a Bike all at the front. Intriguing.
73km to go: The race situation:
66km to go: The break has 1:51 on the peloton and I wouldn't mind a nap; I wonder if Pietrobon, Tarozzi and Tonelli feel the same.
65km to go: It's Pietrobon at the front as they roll through the final intermediate sprint of the day.
64km to go: The time gap has actually gone out to two minutes now. They need to start pulling at one point...
61km to go: There's a split in the peloton, with Ineos Grenadiers on the front. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is among those who have been caught out.
61km to go: Filippo Ganna is pulling on the front to make something happen. It started on a right hand bend, with Tobias Foss powering away.
60km to go: The gap is growing. Milan is definitely in there, he's going off the front in order to try and get back.
59km to go: Milan was actually on the front trying to bring the front group back all on his own, which is not something you usually see.
56km to go: The split is 30-ish seconds, and it doesn't seem like there are that many big names in the GC in that second group, but Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) and Domenico Pozzovio (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) are in there. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) is definitely behind.
55km to go: What's left of the peloton, let's call it the group of favourites, is just 13 seconds behind the break, and 24 seconds ahead of the second group. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) are in the front one. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is in the second group.
53km to go: The top three on GC is definitely at the front of the race - Pogačar, Martínez and Thomas.
51km to go: It might be the flattest stage of the Giro, but this has been a bit more exciting than it might have been. It's going to come back together now, but is that it?
49km to go: I said they were coming back together, but there's still a gap there. It's surprisingly wide. 10 seconds still!
48km to go: Nairo Quintana (Movistar) being caught out by crosswinds feels like it's 2015. He's in the second group with Einer Rubio, who is ninth overall.
45km to go: The gap is 11 seconds between the first two groups, but it still hasn't quite got back together. The longer this goes on for, the more difficult it seems...
43km to go: The groups have got back together. Phew. Will that be it for crosswind fun?
42km to go: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) went straight back to the front, as if to say "I'm back". The gap might be undone, but everyone has spent rather a lot of energy.
40km to go: Juanpe López (Lidl-Trek) is in the second group of the road, along with Domenico Pozzovivo. They're 30 seconds behind the front.
38km to go: It is now back together again. 45 minutes until a bunch sprint, I'd say...
35km to go: The peloton looks more regular now. However, with the break caught, will someone try a late attack?
33km to go: No moves yet. The peloton is stretched out across the width of the road, like an enormous Sunday club run.
31km to go: Scrap that. Martin Marcellusi (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè) shoots out of the peloton to form a late breakaway with Dries De Pooter (Intermarché-Wanty).
28km to go: The peloton seem non-plussed by the breakaway duo. Their advantage is 22 seconds.
25km to go: Soudal Quick-Step are leading the chase in the peloton. They'll be all in for their sprinter, Tim Merlier, today. The Belgian has one win to his name so far at the race, and one relegation, which was dealt to him on stage 11.
23km to go: The breakaway duo's gap has now nudged out to 33 seconds. Can they stay away? Probably not.
20km to go: A crash in the bunch has caused a big split. Around five riders hit the floor, with the back half of the peloton held up by the bundle. Nobody looks to be seriously injured.
18km to go: Among those who went down were Will Barta (Movistar) and David Dekker (Arkéa-B&B Hotels). The peloton is now strung out, but those at the back shouldn't have too much of an issue getting back on.
16km to go: Marcellusi and De Pooter have just a 19-second advantage. Alpecin-Deceuninck are leading the bunch now, still in search of glory at the race. Kaden Groves will be their protected rider in the sprint.
15km to go: De Pooter bids his breakaway companion adieu and tries his luck alone.
11km to go: They're showing a replay on the TV of Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) rather barging a Bora-Hansgrohe rider out of the way. Seems unnecessary.
9km to go: Well, Dries De Pooter has had his fun now. The peloton is all back together. Lot of waiting now. The peloton is spread right across the road, with GC and sprint teams all muddled. It looks calm, but can almost guarantee that it isn't.
7km to go: As I said, it looks calm, but they're going at well over 40km/h. Ineos Grenadiers, Soudal Quick-Step, dsm-firmenich Post NL, Groupama-FDJ, Bahrain-Victorious, UAE Team Emirates and Lidl-Trek are all present at the front.
5.4km to go: Apparently, the road gets tighter with 4.5km to go...
5km to go: The pace is on now. The teams at the front are absolutely going for it, including UAE and Ineos. Oof this is tight.
4km to go: Ineos are really putting the power down at the front to look after Geraint Thomas. You wonder what the sprint teams make of this. Big corner, I think everyone got round safely, but it is strung out.
3.5km to go: The road has opened up a bit more now, but the peloton is really strung out. Geraint Thomas and the rest of the GC riders safely through the 3km to go banner.
2.5km to go: If you're not at the front now, you're not winning, surely. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) are both there.
2km to go: It's Jayco AlUla who are at the front. Is it Caleb Ewan's day?
1.5km to go: Big right hand turn, bunch sprint to come...
1km to go: It's Lidl-Trek on the front, is this Jonathan Milan's day again?
500m to go: Lidl-Trek still there, the sprint is opening up
JONATHAN MILAN WINS STAGE 13 OF THE GIRO D'ITALIA
That's the third victory for the Italian Lidl-Trek rider at this Giro, he has strengthened his grip on the purple jersey. Full race report to come.
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