. . . and welcome to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of stage 7 of the 2008 Giro d'Italia, a mountainous 180km leg from Vasto to Pescocostanzo.

We have a new race leader in Italian national champion Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step), just in time for the first summit finish of this climb-heavy Giro.

European correspondent Andrew Hood predicted yesterday that the first half of today's stage would "almost certainly prompt a breakaway," and as usual he was spot on. Vasil Kiryienko (Tinkoff) had an early go only to be retrieved, but the pursuit and subsequent high pace split the peloton in two, leaving a 30-something mob out front and maglia rosa Visconti in the second group. Gabriele Bosisio (Team LPR), Filippo Savini (CSF Group Navigare) and Vasil Kiryienko (Tinkoff) then jumped out of that leading group, pursued by Emmanuele Sella (CSF Group), who didn't last long. Meanwhile, the maglia rosa group was dawdling, and after 30km the gap was reported to be eight minutes.

Hostilities open with a Cat. 3 at Valico di Macerone at 118km. Next up is a Cat. 1, Rionero Sanntico, at 131km. That's quickly followed by a Cat. 2 at Pietransieri with 14km to go before the final charge to the summit. The Giro doesn't rate climbs at the finish, simply ranking them as summit finishes. This one isn't very long or hard, just 2.8km at an average grade of 6 percent. While the stage will be challenging enough, the final climb will likely reveal who won't be in contention for the maglia rosa when the Giro ends June 1 in Milan.

Savini and Lastras Garcia can't match the leaders' pace and drift back. The leaders have a one-minute advantage over the 32-man lead group.

The leaders hold a margin of nearly 90 seconds over the lead chase - and 9:30 over the maglia-rosa group. Maybe Visconti is weighed down by all those jerseys he owns now . . . the Italan champion's jersey, the white jersey for best young rider, and the pink denoting the race leader.

The former race leader provided some insight yesterday as to what we might expect to see further on down the road. "Now the others have to prove something," he said. "Some people want to win the Giro, but you'll see that they won't even get to wear the pink jersey. (Alberto) Contador and (Andreas) Kloden have saved a lot of energy. You’ll see that in the time trial they'll leave everyone minutes behind."

. . . the cast of characters keeps changing. With 118km to race the leaders now are Joan Horrach Rippoll (Caisse d'Epargne), Felix Cardenas (Barloworld), Fortunato Baliani and Emmanuele Sella (CSF Group Navigare), Simon Spilak (Lampre), Gabriele Bosisio (Team LPR) and Vasil Kiryienko (Tinkoff).

Alberto Loddo (Tinkoff) and Belarusian Yauheni Hutarovich (Francaise des Jeux) have called it quits.

World champ Paolo Bettini, like Pellizotti, says Contador is a man to watch. Quoth the Cricket: "Contador is in great form, he's getting better every day."

. . . the sleeping peloton awakens and cuts the gap down to 8:15.

If you've ever ridden a bike that didn't fit, you'll have some sympathy for Liquigas' Daniele Bennati, who is cursed with short legs, long arms and a long torso. Cannondale to the rescue: The team's bike sponsor worked with him to create a custom carbon SuperSix, and as soon as he got hold of one, he won a stage with it. Tech editor Matt Pacocha has the story.

. . . VeloNews has a man on the injured reserve list: cartoonist Jef Mallett, who recently underwent surgery for some torn tendons in the groin and then decided to add a hernia op' to the menu. Says the scribbler: "My Scottish heritage; gotta get my money's worth, I guess." Never fear. He's already back at the drawing board, supported by a bottle of Oxycontin. Get well soon, Jef.

. . . the lead group has rolled through Carovilli with a margin of 3:45 over the second group and another three minutes on the maglia-rosa group. Lunchtime awaits at Miranda.

. . . the Cat. 3 climb at Valico di Macerone, at 118km.

. . . let's recall who's running the show today:

Overall (after 6 stages)

1. Giovanni Visconti (I), Quick Step, 27:14:04

2. Matthias Russ (G), Gerolsteiner, at 0:00

3. Daniele Nardello (I), Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, at 1:22

4. Alan Perez Lezaun (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 4:42

5. Francesco Gavazzi (I), Lampre, at 5:34

6. Matteo Priamo (I), CSF Group Navigare, at 9:07

7. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, at 9:08

8. Danilo Di Luca (I), Team L.P.R., at 9:15

9. Morris Possoni (I), Team High Road, at 9:16

10. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas, at 9:16

. . . are Joan Horrach Rippoll (Caisse d'Epargne), Felix Cardenas (Barloworld), Fortunato Baliani and Emmanuele Sella (CSF Group Navigare), Simon Spilak (Lampre), Gabriele Bosisio (Team LPR) and Vasil Kiryienko (Tinkoff).

The maglia-rosa group is 5:30 down, led by Saunier Duval.

Ciao to the Valico di Macerone - next up, the Cat. 1 Rionero Sanntico at 131km.

We're left with a six-pack up front after three hours of racing.

Five left at the head of affairs. Nice day for a race, so far, with temps in the 60s.

. . . to the maglia rosa.

. . . Astana, Saunier Duval and Quick Step are leading the maglia-rosa group up the Cat. 1.

. . . and 2:25 to the favorites.

Out with the tongue - he's finding out just how heavy that pink jersey can be.

Sella's driving it.

. . . no word as to whether the race jury resolved that issue. But we do have Andrew Hood's chat with Astana director Sean Yates, who was not amused.

Baliani setting the pace for the break now.

. . . is nearing the top of the Cat 1 at Rionero Sannitico.

Sella's on the front again, hunting KOM points.

Cardenas summits next, followed by Baliani.

. . . at 1:54. High Road's Kanstantin Sivtsov's in that four-man group.

. . . as the winner of stage 6 at the Tour de Georgia.

. . . for our five leaders.

. . . at 6:19.

. . . Sivtsov (High Road), Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre), Juan Manuel Garate (Quick Step) and Jurgen Van den Broeck (Silence-Lotto) are hunting the leaders.

Alexander Efimkin (Quick Step) and Mauricio Ardila Cano (Rabobank) join the four chasers.

We still face a Cat. 2 at Pietransieri with 14km to go before the final charge to the summit.

. . . on the front of the main group.

Zoom!

A slight dip now before the big hill.

Word from Astana is that the decision on Leipheimer's lost seconds will be made after the race when the race jury has a chance to check the video.

With 25km to go for the leaders, the chasers are at 3:40 with the peloton nearly six minutes in arrears.

. . . is lending a hand in the chase.

Cardenas is an old hand worth watching. He's won one stage in the Tour and three in the Vuelta, but has yet to collect a Giro victory. This could be his best chance.

The Killer Klub.

. . . are Felix Cardenas (Barloworld), Fortunato Baliani and Emmanuele Sella (CSF Group Navigare), Gabriele Bosisio (Team LPR) and Vasil Kiryienko (Tinkoff).

. . . Kanstantin Sivtsov (High Road), Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre), Juan Manuel Garate (Quick Step), Jurgen Van den Broeck (Silence-Lotto), Alexander Efimkin (Quick Step) and Mauricio Ardila Cano (Rabobank).

The first chase is at 3:40 with the maglia-rosa group at 5:48.

They're still looking sharp.

Kiryienka is the rider who slid out in stage 3 and did a Pete Rose into the curb, with his bike bouncing into the peloton and KO'ing Brad McGee and Stuart O'Grady with broken clavicles.

Alessandro Spezialleti is driving and it looks like he's doing some damage.

. . . is about to get sucked back in as Di Luca's team pushes the pace.

Astana's Andreas Kloden is riding Di Luca's wheel. Alberto Contador is up there, too.

He's being paced by Bettini. Nice to have the rainbow jersey for a tow truck.

. . . as Bettini slowly brings the race leader back toward the bunch.

. . . is looking sharp. Think he might steal a march on the Killer?

Right out the back of the lead group. Four minutes back to the peloton.

. . . are the four leaders, Bosisio, Cardenas, Sella and Kiryienko. Behind, Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval) tries a go. He won two stages in the Giro last year.

And Piepoli is rippin' it. Behind, Bettini has brought Visconti back.

That big group of faves in the 10-minute range. And he's taking a gap.

. . . just saying howdy. The two are tied on time, and the Gerolsteiner rider is holding Visconti's white jersey for him.

Di Luca attacks! Ricco, Rodriguez, Contador follow, and they quickly catch Piepoli.

Hasta la vista for the Spanish champ.

Behind, Di Luca appears to be struggling - but Contador ain't.

The Sauniers are punching it with the Killer at the back.

. . . as behind, Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Andreas Kloden (Astana) and Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre) leap out of the main group.

. . . summits at 3:04 back.

The leaders are starting to eyeball each other - and Sella punches it!

Time to get a new crystal ball, eh?

Sella's jump didn't stick - though he did get rid of Cardenas.

The main pack is at 3:17.

. . . and he has a gap.

Back in the bunch, Quick Step has its mob at the front.

Every time we see him he's at the back of the chase.

One more short climb, a short descent, then 2.8km uphill.

Bosisio is still out front all alone. A pro since 2004, he has two wins to his credit.

. . . is 2:35 behind Bosisio. Di Luca's out to take some time from the other favorites.

. . . as Menchov and Nicky Sorensen (CSC) jump out of the main pack.

. . . as Di Luca revs it up again.

He's going to take the stage in just his second career Giro start.

Kiryienko takes second with Sella third.

. . . with Contador slipping off the back in the finale, conceding six seconds to the Killer.

. . . leads the Kloden group in at 2:55.

. . . will Russ pip Visconti?

Visconti crosses ahead of Russ as behind them a weary-looking Bettini acknowledges the cheers of the crowd.

Thanks for being here - stick around for a race report from European correspondent Andrew Hoodd, photos from Graham Watson and complete results. And don't forget to come back tomorrow for more live updates from the 2008 Giro.