Two of Garmin's men are in trouble with the rapid first hour of racing - Maurilio Fischer and Matthew Wilson...
Christophe Le Mevel is in the hard-fought escape and giving Garmin hope for the day...
GIROESCAPE
Saxo Bank is setting a gentle pace right away, and the escape will gain eight minutes during the stage...
Green wheels last week, Pink wheels today - Oscar Gatto is the epitome of bicycle fashion...
Peter Stetina is loading up with bottles of cool water - today is very hot..!
GIROGARMINWORK
Stetina hands a bottle to Wilson who's got back to the peloton, but the tough Aussie will soon quit the race...
Yaroslav Popovych grabs his feed bag from a Radio Shack soigneur...
Sivstov is in the escape as it climbs the Passo Tonale - he's a major threat to the upper ranks, as is Le Mevel and Bakelandts...
Sabatini leads the Liquigas team on the Tonale Pass - they are worried about the escape changing the shape of the G.C...
GIROCHASE
The peloton is flying up the easy gradients of the Tonale Pass - and closing in on the escape a little...
GIROSCENERY
Contador seems to be smiling as he descends the Tonale...
GIROMAGLIA
Sivstov is trying to get away, as is Dupont...
Pablo Lastras leads the escape down the Aprica Pass - one of them will win the stage with the peloton still four minutes back...
Giovanni Visconti has crossed the line first but is arguing with runner-up Ulisse...
GIROSPRINT
Visconti claims victory on stage seventeen...
GIROPENALTY
Diego Ulisse is declared the winner after a contentious sprint...