Stage 7 results: Cadel Evans wins a Giro mudfest classic in Montalcino

Stage 7 results
1  Cadel Evans (BMC)            220 km in 5:13:37 (42 km/h)
2  Damiano Cunego (Lampre)                 + 0:02
3  Alexander Vinokourov (Astana)           
4  Marco Pinotti (Columbia)                + 0:06
5  David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne)         + 0:12
6  Stefano Garzelli (Acqua Sapone)         + 0:27
7  John Gadret (ag2r)                      + 0:29
8  Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni)        + 1:01
9  Cayetano Sarmiento (Acqua Sapone)       + 1:07
10 Jan Bakelandts (Omega)                  + 1:10

General Classification after Stage 7
1  Alexander Vinokourov (Astana)  
2  Cadel Evans (BMC)                       + 1:12
3  David Millar (Garmin)                   + 1:29
4  Vladimir Karpets (Caisse d'Epargne)     + 1:30
5  Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas)              + 1:33

Stage 7 will head southeast for 110 km of mostly coastal roads until we hit the rolling/hilly roads in the second half of the stage passing some classic landmarks in Tuscany. The hilly portion begins at Volterra, a famous historic Etruscan site, with a 9.1 km climb at a modest 4.7% grade. The stage then continues southeast past Siena along hilly roads that are used for the relatively new spring semi-classic, Montepaschi Strade Bianche ( link fixed), that features many kilometers of dirt roads -- kind of like Italy's equivalent to Paris-Roubaix. The dirt portion of this stage is saved for the end with a 11 km of strade bianche as part of the Poggio Civitella hill climb finish (12.6 km, 3.6% average grade).

The finish is two-tiered: a very steep (max 16%) section 14km from the finish followed by a rolling strade bianche portion and then a steep paved section with the summit 3km from the line in Montalcino. The last several kms feature a quick descent and then a rolling final km past the famous Montalcino Castle with the finish at the far end of town. Montelcino is a treasure among the Tuscan hilltop towns; this will be a spectacular finish with stunning helicopter shots if we don't get the forecasted rain.

This is also Tirreno-Adriatico hill climb country so look for Stefano Garzelli, Michele Scarponi and Cadel Evans among the favorites along with Alexandre Vinokourov, Linus Gerdemann and Damiano Cunego. Those are a few picks, but there could be carnage on the wet strade bianche climb. — Steve

Pozzato predicts chaos on the Giro's dirt roads — cyclingnews
Here's a report and video of Michele Bartoli riding stage 7;
Giro, così nasce una tappa Bartoli la collauda per noi (Italiano) — gazzetta.it
  Il Giro sulle strade bianche (Italiano) — gazzetta.it
  Stage 7 Flythrough (00:36) — raisport.rai.it