DiLuca takes the win and the jersey, beating Simoni - who trails on GC by 2:34 - at the line..

Photo: Graham Watson

Liquigas leader Danilo Di Luca has emerged unscathed and on top in the Giro's first big day in the mountains, taking the stage in Briançon and the maglia rosa to boot.

Only five riders finished within 20 seconds of Di Luca, and only two-time Giro champion Gilberto Simoni was able to match him stroke for stroke on the savage slopes of the Col d'Izoard.

So far, it's looking like a head-to-head battle between the two. When Di Luca cheekily attacked a kilometer from the summit of the Izoard, Simoni, four years his senior, had fire in his eyes - a fire that one saw exactly one year ago, when it was he versus Ivan Basso.

And we all know how that ended.

The Giro's first real mountain stage provided an expected reordering, and it's a predictable list of usual suspects that now occupy the top ten places on the leader board.

That said, the mountains invariably bring their share of casualties, and this day was no exception.

Perhaps worst off are Discovery Channel and Astana, whose leaders Yaroslav Popovych, José Luis Rubiera and Paolo Savoldelli were not part of the select septet that formed on the slopes of the Colle dell'Angello, and are already out of contention.

Friday brings the first of two individual time trials in this 90th Giro d'Italia. It's quite literally a test of mountainous proportions: a 13 kilometer hill-climb TT to the summit of the Santuario Di Oropa, 1,142 meters above sea level.

Nothing like yesterday
Thursday's 163 kilometer leg from Scalenghe to Briançon was never going to be anything like the previous day, where the 34 kph average would have seen most club racers yawning.

No, a Sunday training stroll through the Italian countryside this day was not.

First up, a 21 kilometer monster with an average gradient near 7-percent, otherwise known as the Colle dell'Angello, would take riders to the race's 'Cima Coppi' (highest point) after 102 kilometers, 2744 meters above sea level, and over the border to France.

Piepoli drives an elite group

Photo: Graham Watson

Then, after a long descent, the southern face of the Col d'Izoard would be there for all to see: 14.2 kilometers long, a 7.1-percent average gradient with sections touching 14 percent, and rising 2360 meters above sea level. Working in the favour of those without fear was the final 20k dip into Briançon.

Discovery Channel's George Hincapie, Aitor Hernández of Euskaltel-Euskadi, and sprinters Robert Förster and Robbie McEwen were the day's non-starters. No doubt there would be a list as least twice that by Friday.

Of the 167 who did roll of the start on Thursday, two Frenchmen took flight after just 14 kilometers. For Christophe Riblon of Ag2r Prévoyance and Yoann Le Boulanger of Bouygues Telecom, the goal of the mission seemed to be none other than an attempt to get a head-start before the climbs.

That they achieved, as Le Boulanger, 13:48 behind race leader Andrea Noe at the start of the day, even enjoyed a brief spell in the virtual maglia rosa before the start of the Colle dell'Angello.

Riblon was dropped on the climb's lower slopes, while back in the peloton, some half-hearted attacks were closed down by Saunier Duval-Prodir. Like US Postal's pace-setting in the Lance Armstrong era, it appeared to be as much about negating any attacks as a show of strength and unity.

Piepoli provided a lot of power

Photo: Graham Watson

Cresting the summit of the Agnello, six minutes behind Le Boulanger, the first chase group had withered to a select seven: Leonardo Piepoli, Gilberto Simoni (both Saunier Duval-Prodir), Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), Eddy Mazzoleni (Astana), Andy Schleck (Team CSC) and Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo).

Not surprisingly, with strength in numbers, Stage 10 winner Piepoli was the first to attack on the Col d'Izoard, and Garzelli the first out the back. When the former dropped also off, it gave rise to a predictable though painful series of countermoves from team-mate Simoni.

Simoni tried a couple of digs on the lower slopes of the Izoard.

Photo: Graham Watson

However, as the quintet passed the lone figure of Yoann Le Boulanger, a touch over three kilometers from the summit, it was clear Simoni wasn't the only danger man.

Shortly after the maglia verde of Di Luca equipped himself with a long-sleeve jersey, 'The Killer' launched himself clear, hoping to catch his companions off-guard.

At first, it appeared to work. But Simoni and his mates weren't giving up so easily, clawing their way back into contention on the twisty downhill to Briançon.

Nevertheless, the uphill finish on narrow, cobbled streets had Di Luca's name written all over it - though an angry Simoni made him earn every cent of his victory, pushing the Liguigas leader all the way to the line.

The road ahead - The brief trip to France ends, and the 90th Giro d'Italia embarks on its first race of truth: a 13 kilometer uphill time trial to the Santuario Di Oropa.

Over those 13 lonely clicks, riders face an elevation gain of 734 meters with an average slope of nearly 6 percent. The climb's steepest in its mid-section and towards the finish, boasting sections touching 13 percent.

True, the stage before provided a more accurate reflection of just who's hot and who's not - but the chronometro never lies, and will no doubt do the same.

Results - Stage 12
1. Danilo Di Luca (I), Liquigas, 4:46:39
2. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saunier Duval, s.t.
3. Andy Schleck (Lux), CSC, 0:07
4. Eddy Mazzoleni (I), Astana, 0:15
5. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, 0:19
6. Stefano Garzelli (I), Acqua & Sapone - Adria Mobil, 2:17
7. Yoann Le Boulanger (F), Bouygues Telecom, 2:33
8. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 2:33
9. Riccardo Ricco' (I), Saunier Duval, 2:33
Overall
1. Danilo Di Luca (I), Liquigas, 56:42:25
2. Marzio Bruseghin (I), Lampre, 1:03
3. David Arroyo Duran (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne, 1:16
4. Andy Schleck (Lux), CSC, 1:25
5. Francisco Vila Errandonea (Sp), Lampre, 1:39
6. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, 2:10
7. Emanuele Sella (I), Ceramica Panaria - Navigare, 2:14
8. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saunier Duval, 2:34
9. Evgeni Petrov (Rus), Tinkoff, 2:48
10. Eddy Mazzoleni (I), Astana, 3:28

To see how today's stage developed, simply CLICKHERE to open our Live Update Window.