It looks like at least one other casualty from the rest day:
Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) Fatigue.
Another big player in the Points Classification gone.
Today is a key stage in the General Classification finishing in Montalcino, Tuscany with 35km of gravel in 4 sectors over the last 70km of the stage. Bernal did well in Strade Bianche (March 2021) run over similar roads and Bardet has also excelled in the past.
Below is a classic image from the last time these roads featured in the Giro d’Italia (2010) when the stage was won by the then World Champion [though you can barely tell], Cadel Evans (Aus). It is not due to rain today however.
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What a visually stunning stage today…
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Evenepoel and Ciccone both looked visually stunned crossing the line.
A bad day at the office for the Quick-step and Trek 
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STAGE 11 RESULTS
- Mauro Schmid (Sui) Team Qhubeka-Assos, in 4-01-55
- Alessandro Covi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 1 second
- Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, at 26s
- Dries De Bondt (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix, at 41s
- Simon Guglielmi (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at same time
- Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè, at 44s
- Roger Kluge (Ger) Lotto-Soudal, at 1-23
- Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) EOLO-Kometa, at 1-37
- Taco van der Hoorn (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, at 1-43
- Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Ag2r-Citroën Team, at 1-59.
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GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 11
- Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers. in 42-35-21
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech, at 45s
- Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 1-12
- Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo, at 1-17
- Simon Yates (GBr) Team BikeExchange, at 1-22
- Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-50
- Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 2-22
- Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 2-24
- Tobias Foss (Nor) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 2-49
- Daniel Martínez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 3-15.
Rest of the smashed race favourites in the GC
11 Marc Soler (Esp) Movistar Team, at 3-19
12 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 3-29
13 Attila Valter (Hun) Groupama-FDJ, at 3-51
14 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 4-11
17. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 7-04
18. Dan Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 7-06
19. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 7-16
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As well as Bernal, I thought Buchmann and Vlasov were impressive today. Also Carthy had his moments and Yates never showed himself but looked comfortable at the end.
Whilst Bernal certainly looks a cut above, in many ways the race is yet to start.
For Carthy and Yates the terrain so far has not suited their strengths, that begins on Saturday with the first high mountain stage 
Lots to come 
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The problem for Yates and Carthy is that the high mountains really suit Bernal! Given the strength of the Ineos team and Bernal’s form, it will be very difficult to dislodge him now unless his back goes again or there is some unanticipated event.
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@CliveB I agree, there is nothing that they can do that Bernal cannot potentially do at least as well.
I think I was trying to look on the bright side from their point of view! E.g. Carthy and Yates have some mitigation for their time losses.
However one thing in their favour over Bernal is that both of them have recent race miles and performances, including week-long stage races this season and the autumnGrand Tours last season.
So whilst Bernal has all the weapons, he hasn’t fired them in a while (apologies for that awful analogy)
I still agree that Bernal looks likely to win but the Zoncolan will be another key indicator - good Saturday viewing!
Caruso in 3rd what’s going on there? He has hardly lost any more time than Vlasov to Bernal since Landa crashed out. Nice to see one of the ‘old boys’ up there.
Enjoy!
Cheers
Dave
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Without giving it all away. Crashes, abandons and action at the start of today. As if the release of tension and jeopardy from yesterday has rebounded. Some big names have abandoned 
It is nice to get the chance to see the start of stages on the coverage now. A different kind of action that is sometimes frenetic as the break tries to consolidate. Also an insight into peloton politics and negotiation writ large in action.
Or am I reading too much into it!
Aye, these next two climbs look good 
STAGE 12 RESULTS
- Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Ag2r-Citroën Team, in 5-43-48
- Chris Hamilton (Aus) Team DSM, at same time
- George Bennett (NZl) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 15s
- Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at same time
- Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè, at 1-12
- Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) Ag2r-Citroën Team, at 1-25
- Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, at 1-47
- Simone Petilli (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, at same time
- Mikkel Honoré (Den) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 3-00
- Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, at 4-19
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GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 12
- Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers. in 48-29-23
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech, at 45s
- Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 1-12
- Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo, at 1-17
- Simon Yates (GBr) Team BikeExchange, at 1-22
- Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 1-50
- Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 2-22
- Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 2-24
- Tobias Foss (Nor) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 2-49
- Daniel Martínez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 3-15
Rest of the race favourites in the GC
11 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 3-29
12 Attila Valter (Hun) Groupama-FDJ, at 3-51
13 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 4-11
16. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 7-04
17. Dan Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 7-06
18. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 7-16
No changes in top ten GC
No changes in Maglia wearers
Trek-Segafredo move up two positions in team classification
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TEAM CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 12
- Ineos Grenadiers, in 145-35-18
- Trek-Segafredo, at 1-51
- Team DSM, at 8-58
- Team BikeExchange at 9-35
- EF Education - Nippo at 13.04
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Very flat stage 198.8km today from Ravenna to Verona.
Weather: dry 23ºc with 12mph wind from the southwest 
Lucky they haven’t got the UK’s weather today, a very strong gusty crosswind with rain would have caused havoc!
The climbers will be very glad of a dry and an easy ride today.
My prediction is a Cofidis sprint finish win with Elia Viviani… 
Incidentally; Elia Viviani is a local, born in today’s stage finish town of Verona, so a win here today would be very special to him 
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STAGE 13 RESULTS
- Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Team Qhubeka-Assos, in -4-42-19
- Edoardo Affini (Ita) Team Jumbo-Visma
- Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
- Davide Cimolai (Ita) Israel Start-Up Nation
- Fernando Gaviria (Col) UAE Team Emirates
- Stefano Oldani (Ita) Lotto-Soudal
- Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
- Max Kanter (Ger) Team DSM
- Elia Viviani (Ita) Cofidis
- Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma, all at same time.
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My Viviani stage 13 win prediction would of been right if the eight others hadn’t have crossed the line in front of him 
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Stage 14, Cittadella to Monte Zoncolan (205km)
Saturday’s Stage 14 will bring more changes to the top GC, an exciting race to watch!
Monte Zoncolan - over 13km of climbing to the finish
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I’d have trouble driving up that.
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You’d need a 4x4 with a winch 
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It’s only the last 3k that are really challenging to ride but racing up is a different beast…
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STAGE 14 RESULTS
- Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) EOLO-Kometa, in 5-17-22
- Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious, at 26 seconds
- Alessandro Covi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 59s
- Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-43
- Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo, at 1-47
- Simon Yates (GBr) BikeExchange, at 1-54
- George Bennett (NZl) Jumbo-Visma, at 2-10
- Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar, at 2-18
- Dani Martínez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 2-22
- Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious, at same time
Others
12. Dan Martin (Ire) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 2-27
13. Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-29
14. Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo, at 2-37
15. Romain Bardet (Fra) DSM, at 2-45
16. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech, at 2-55
19. Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 3-13
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GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 14
- Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 58-30-47
- Simon Yates (GBr) BikeExchange, at 1-33
- Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious, at 1-51
- Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech, at 1-57
- Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo, at 2-11
- Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 2-36
- Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segafredo, at 3-03
- Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 3-52
- Dani Martínez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 3-54
- Romain Bardet (Fra) DSM, at 4-31
Other GC favourites
13. Dan Martin (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation, at 7-50
14. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck - Quick-Step, at 8-32
16. Davide Formolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates, at 9-52
18. George Bennett (NZl) Jumbo-Visma, at 11-48
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No changes to the jersey wearers.
More confirmation of Team Ineos superiority, every GC rider loses more time to Egan (again).
Yates suffered the lease loss but gave a strong finishing ride and gains time enough on his rivals to move up to 2nd place. Very well deserved.
Superb stage win of Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) EOLO-Kometa 
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