There are 12 days of racing left in this Giro. Anything could happen. It’s time to take stock and survey what lies ahead.

Two days ago, Ben Healy won a stage with an extraordinary 50-km solo. It was as if all of Italy were cheering him, as he time trialled to victory in his grand tour debut. Yesterday, we lost our Colombian captain Rigoberto Urán to illness. Peaks and valleys—the hardest climbs are yet to come.

This is the Giro. We’ll race the descents and attack the cols.

Hugh Carthy is just over three minutes back in the general classification, as the Italian grand tour heads towards his favorite terrain. Ben has a couple more stages marked in his race book. So does Magnus Cort. Tomorrow, the Giro reaches Alberto Bettiol's beloved Tuscany. He is getting better and better. Jonathan Caicedo, Stefan de Bod, and Alexander Cepeda have been riding like lions. They will soon need to ride like ibex.

We’re heading north towards Italy's most dramatic valleys and peaks.

Before the race resumes, enjoy this selection of images from the Giro’s first act.

Photos: Harry Talbot