Giro d'Italia stage 7: Grosseto > Fiuggi, 264kms

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Huge crowds packed the streets of Grosseto to see stage seven begin...

Marco Bandiera is again leading the early escape away - this time he has company from Nicola Boem, Pier Paolo de Negri, and Nikolay Myhalov...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

Despite his injury, Alberto Contador can still smile and joke with his mate Luis Leon Sanchez...

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Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

The view from behind - Tinkoff is protecting Contador as the peloton chases into a full-on headwind...

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Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

The view from the front - Sergio Paulinho drives the Tinkoff train with Contador safely in-tow...

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Bandiera leads the escape towards the first feed-zone with a nine-minute lead...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

A long day lies ahead - Ryder Hesjedal stretches his muscles out...

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Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

Calvin Watson is making sure to eat plenty on such a long stage...

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Peter Weening stops to fix his seat-post - and talk to the owner of Orica-Green Edge, Gerry Ryan...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

Christopher Juul-Jensen, the Irish-born Dane, is carrying plenty of bottles for his thirsty teamates...

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Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

Luca Paolini had a lucky escape when he jammed his shoe into the back wheel, skidded to a halt from 60-kmh, shredded a tyre, but stayed upright..!

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De Negri leads the escape towards the second feed-zone, and their lead is still nine minutes..!

Cannondale-Garmin take over the chasing with about 75-kilometres left...

Benat Intxausti's role as team leader seems to have changed to that of a domestique...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

A lean-looking Richie Porte chases back to the peloton after a roadside halt...

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Maxime Bouet is a hard-working man - here he's pushing Rigoberto Uran along...

Bouet now shows his flexibility by back-handing a bottle to Uran...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

Marco Coledan chases for Trek now - the end is in sight, about one hour away..!

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Rick Zabel chases for BMC - the escape is doomed now...

Contador is riding right at the front two hills from home - but his face shows the strain he's under...

Giro d'Italia - Stage 7

For some reason, Tinkoff and Michael Rogers are setting a brutal pace in the last 10-kilometres...

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It's a different sort of sprint into Fiuggi with a mixture of climbers and rouleurs fighting it out - Ulissi, Gerrans, Felline and Lobato...

Giro d'Italia 2015

Diego Ulissi wins stage seven - now doesn't he look happy..?!