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\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAfter yesterday’s close call, Dylan Groenewegen was likely hoping for a day of recovery in the gruppetto.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere was a party atmosphere at the start in Formia ahead of the first mountain foray of the Giro. Here, a man plays a scetavajasse, a traditional Neapolitan percussion instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPlenty of fans out, sporting their merchandise and happy to pose for our photographer, Chris.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBefore the GC fight, formalities with local dignitaries.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nYou can never wear too much pink at the Giro, right?<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere’s something about this shot that feels very Neapolitan, maybe it’s the facial expressions and passion towards the peloton as it prepares to depart Formia.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTwo Tudor riders head to the start, ahead of the first real uphill challenge of this year’s Corsa Rosa<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA sea of colours, the technicoloured peloton rolls out of the coastal city and towards the mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWherever the Giro d’Italia goes, the legacy of Il Pirata is never far behind.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe might have already included one peloton-wide image, but to cycling fans, they’re so easy on the eye that you can never have too many.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGoing slower than it might look, Formia put out the balloons and all things pink for the Giro peloton<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTwo more Giro icons celebrated here, in 1986 and 1990 winners, Roberto Visentini and Gianni Bugno, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNetcompany-Ineos’ Thymen Arensman guarded by teammate Jack Haig en route to the Blockhaus. The Dutchman is more than likely his team’s lead GC hope now.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNeighbours of an apartment building come out to wave the riders by during the seventh stage of the Giro’s 109th edition<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe road sign to the Blockhaus, worn away by tourists’ stickers and likely mountainous weather.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTim Rex chaperones his Visma-Lease a Bike leader Jonas Vingegaard as he draws closer to his first major mountain test of the Italian Grand Tour.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAfonso Eul\u00e1lio’s wounds from his stage 5 crash are clear to see, but the maglia rosa still on his back will make the pain disappear for now.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nVingegaard is in full flight, inhaling the mountain air as he extends the gap between himself and his GC rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nGiulio Pellizzarri is joined by teammate Jai Hindley and his Western Australian compatriot Ben O’Connor as the slopes of the Blockhaus and Vingegaard’s pace begin to take their effect.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFour of Movistar’s squad power towards the mountain summit. The grey clouds rolled in on a handful of riders GC hopes today, and Enric Mas could be one of them, now six minutes behind Vingegaard.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMeanwhile, Felix Gall’s GC hopes soared, as the Austrian came out of stage 7 as one of the few with positive vibes despite Vingegaard’s mountaintop raid.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEul\u00e1lio displayed plenty of grinta <\/em>to only give up three minutes of his lead to the Dane on stage 7.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSpare a thought for Diego Pablo Sevilla too, he was one point short of keeping hold of his King of the Mountains classification. No guesses for who will be targeting tomorrow’s breakaway, though.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA swift punch in the air as he sealed the stage win. Vingegaard was in a clinical mood on the Blockhaus.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBack to the drawing board for Pellizzari. The home favourite lost 1:05 to the Dane on his first key GC test.<\/p>\n\n\n
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(Image credit: Chris Auld)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHot drinks for the riders on arrival at the summit finish. No rider will be wanting to catch a cold during the first week of a Grand Tour.<\/p>\n\n\n
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