Giro d’Italia 2021: Andrea Vendrame wins stage 12 as Alessandro De Marchi crashes out

Andrea Vendrame celebrates his win on stage 12

Italy’s Andrea Vendrame claimed victory on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia as compatriot and former race leader Alessandro de Marchi crashed out.

Movistar’s Marc Soler and De Marchi’s British team-mate Alex Dowsett were among those to also withdraw as the riders contended with tough conditions.

Colombian Egan Bernal remains 45 seconds ahead of Russian Aleksandr Vlasov in the overall standings.

British duo Hugh Carthy and Simon Yates stay fourth and fifth respectively.

Stage winner Vendrame, of AG2R Citroen, sprinted clear of DSM’s Chris Hamilton to take victory in Bagno di Romagna.

On an otherwise quiet day in the general classification battle, Trek-Segafredo’s Vincenzo Nibali attacked late on and gained seven seconds on the main group featuring leader Bernal, climbing to 13th overall.

Israel Start-Up Nation’s De Marchi, who wore the pink jersey for two days, crashed 20km into the race and was taken away in an ambulance.

His team confirmed the rider had broken his right collarbone and six ribs, along with his first and second thoracic vertebra – and would remain in hospital for “at least one night”.

De Marchi had previously criticised the finish to stage five which saw Mikel Landa suffer a nasty crash as “a crazy circus” and “too dangerous”.

Soler, who had been 11th overall, fell shortly after the start of the stage in Siena and was forced to stop after 50km with a back issue.

Briton Dowsett’s withdrawal was due to stomach problems while Swiss rider Gino Mader of Bahrain Victorious, winner of stage six, also left the race.

Friday’s stage 13 is a flat 198km route from Ravenna to Verona, before the riders tackle one of cycling’s toughest ascents, Monte Zoncolan, on Saturday.