Wednesday's Stage 11 start time:10:55 CET (1:55 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:17 CET (8:17 AM PDT).

road.cc: Geraint Thomas and Simon MacMichael get some extra video input from Dan Lloyd and Dario Cioni as they assess whether it'll be a day for the sprinters or the break.

VeloNation: In the most widely predicted stage finish in the race so far, Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) outsprinted the rest of the peloton at the top of the climb to the Piazza del Comune in the centre of the Mediaeval city of Assisi. The Catalan winner of April’s Flèche Wallonne was led into the final half kilometre by Katusha teammate Dani Moreno, and managed to overcome counterattacks from a number of other riders to take his first victory in the race.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (Stages & results),
Tour de France - June 30 - July 22 (Stages),
2012 Olympic Games - July 28 - August 12 (Races),
Vuelta a España - August 18 - September 9 (Stages),
More...

CyclingNews: Whatever happens in the second and third weeks of the Giro d’Italia, Taylor Phinney will remain one of the main stars of the corsa rosa. The winner of the opening time trial has been thrust into the limelight. He’s been such a great talker on Italian TV with the local language he speaks very well – and also the dialect of Veneto where he lived as a teenager – that the tifosi look for him at starts and finishes as much as they do for the Italian stars.

CyclingNews: Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) continued his unbeaten streak at the Amgen Tour of California with his third stage victory in as many days in Livermore. The Slovak champion and Tour of California leader once again turned on the afterburners to win a field sprint finale, with Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Barracuda) garnering his own second place result for the third straight stage. Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) rounded out the top three.

BikeRadar: Gary Erickson is an admirable man. He remains at the helm of CLIF Bar a company he founded 20 years ago, when he could have retired ten times over.

TwistedSpoke: "We caught up with BMC Racing’s Tejay Van Garderen moments before the start of stage two in the Tour of California."

VeloNation: Matthews’ fall foils Rabobank game plan.

VeloNews: Cracked seat tube sleeve.

CycleSport: One small rider. One big climb. Why Domenico Pozzovivo is attracting attention at the Giro d’Italia.

Saddle Americana:  My original ride across the United States in 2006 furnished me with most of my fondest memories and experiences so it’s truly hard to pick just one to relate here. Instead I think I’ll highlight some of my favorite experiences with a list for potential trans-continental cyclists, in the form of some advice as to what to expect (and what not to).

VeloNews: BMC Racing’s Tejay van Garderen used Friday’s pre-race press conference at the Amgen Tour of California to address a serious topic — and to ask for help.

CompetitiveCyclist: In the shadow of Mother's Day, it's proper to acknowledge that, indeed, it's the woman who pays. It's the mothers and wives who tolerate our absence from home, nevertheless sow the seeds of joy, and then welcome us back as if we haven't just spent the morning doing very bad things. The risk is all theirs because they're the ones who'll be left putting the pieces back together if, some day, our rage causes things to go tragic.

InnerRing: You might have heard of Piaggio, the Italian scooter manufacturer and its “Vespa” model. Two wheeled transport is very popular in Italy, especially with smaller 50 and 125cc engines. The countryside is often hilly, towns and villages are never far away, and frequent good weather all combine to make this mode of transport very practical and suitable.

InnerRing: The victory salute is universal. The rider crosses the line and lifts their arms in triumph. But what lies behind this movement, is it something we do in imitation of others or is it a primal form of expression? Why punch the air or wave your hands?