From the dramatic, crash-filled finish on stage one which saw Mathieu van der Poel take victory, to Adam Yates' time trial domination in front of a packed Hungarian crowd, to Cavendish and Demare's sprint battles, to emotional breakaway victors and everything in between, the first week of the Giro has seen it all.
On the second rest day of the race, Trek Segafredo's Juan Pedro López is still resplendent in the pink jersey, holding on by the skin of his teeth atop a tough Blockhaus finish, and the GC battle is closer than ever behind him.
We take a look at the images that define one of the best opening weeks of the Giro d'Italia in history.
The Grande Partenza in Budapest saw horse riders sporting full battle attire complete with swords make an entertaining bid to keep up with the peloton.
Van der Poel took a hard fought victory in stage one ahead of Biniam Girmay.
A touch of wheels saw a disappointed Caleb Ewan hit the deck.
Stage two's time trial saw huge crowds in Budapest.
Simon Yates won the stage, three seconds ahead of Van der Poel in second. A good start for the Brit's GC campaign.
With a long, dominating sprint, Cavendish took the first sprint stage of the race.
All roads lead to Etna...
Fans line the roads on the first mountain stage of the race.
The breakaway on stage five.
It was comeback time for Arnaud Démare on stage five.
No entry! The local police control the roads on stage six .
Double trouble as Démare takes a second stage win, this time in the ciclamino jersey.
Wout Poels spotted on the road to the stage seven finish line in Potenza. 
Démare is well protected by his teammates in the midst of the peloton.
Koen Bouwman embraces his teammate Tom Dumoulin who helped him to the win in stage seven.
Stage eight saw a hilly circuit stage around the streets of Napoli.
He's still got it. Breakaway king Thomas de Gendt takes victory.
The start of the toughest stage of the race so far as the peloton heads to Blockhaus.
Jai Hindley took the eventual stage win a close sprint at the summit of the climb.
Juan Pedro López holds on to pink by 12 seconds.
