The organizer’s favourites for the race are pretty similar to those in the official preview, the only smaller surprises are Azman and Frankiny.
The first attacks launched right after the start, but it took until the first strade bianche for a group of 12 to create a gap and settle. The group consists of: Baroncini Debesay Forcellini Kaloniatis Laurance McCambridge Phelan Pickrell Potocki Seboka Stehli Van Eetvelt
There are some interesting riders in the group, but no one who should be a real threat to the favourites.
The group is able to quickly establish a bigger advantage and has a lead of about 6 minutes when they arrive at the first bigger hills.
100 km to go and the gap is down to 4 minutes. At the back of the peloton the first riders start to suffer.
With 50 km to go the group is still complete and cooperating. The gap is down to 2’46 while the peloton is melting down and now consists of 130 riders. Chances are they will retrieve the break, but there’s at least the possibility for some riders from the break to get a nice result here. It might be all speculation until the favourites start their race, but given the lack of action so far there’s not much else to do to fill the broadcast time.
Another 15 km later it’s time for a first attack from Areruya! He’s accompanied by his teammate Tesfaye Heyi. The two have a gap of only 23’’ to the peloton, but if they’re able to gain some more time this could be a decisive move given Tesfaye Heyi is still able to work for his captain.
The other favourites see the danger too! Kelderman, Boswell and Stannard have bridged the gap, while Beltran, Beltran, Buchmann, Higuita and some more of the favourites are trying to follow the move as well (as seen in the background). Meanwhile the break has split. McCambridge has lost contact while Laurance, Phelan and Stehli have a small gap at the front.
race situation – 31 km to go
Group 1
Group 2
Group 4
Peloton (124 riders)
Front of the race
<-- 12’’
<-- 1’14
<-- 30’’
Laurance
Baroncini
Areruya
Phelan
Debesay
Boswell
Stehli
Forcellini
Kelderman
Kaloniatis
Stannard
Pickrell
Tesfaye Heyi
Potocki
Seboka
Van Eetvelt
This first move is finally shut down, but as a result of counterattacks, splits and wear down the peloton is down to 46 riders. But most of the break is still in front and there are only 20 km left to chase them down.
race situation – 19 km to go
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Peloton (46 riders)
Front of the race
<-- 12’’
<-- 43’’
<-- 25’’
Laurance
Baroncini
Pickrell
Phelan
Debesay
Stehli
Forcellini
Kaloniatis
Potocki
Seboka
Van Eetvelt
The pack reels in the break with 10 km to go, but as there are only 39 riders left in front that’ll probably result in some points for the break nonetheless. Make that a group of 37, as Areruya attacks once again and is only followed by Moscon!
And on the next hill the Xero rider gets rid of the Italian as well! Areruya now has to make this attack decisive as otherwise there won’t be enough distance left to recover for the final sprint up to the old town of Sienna. Moscon still has a small gap to the rest of the peloton.
race situation – 7 km to go
Areruya
13’’
Moscon
16’’
Peloton (46 riders)
At the top of the second to last hill it seems like the first two places are settled. The gaps have increased and it doesn’t seem like the chasers are working together.
race situation – 7 km to go
Areruya
28’’
Moscon
36’’
Peloton (16 riders)
The chasing group fighting for 3rd place consists of nearly all those riders named favourites before the race: Azman, Frankiny and Hirschi Beltran Benoot Boswell Buchmann Calmejane De Plus Fabbro Higuita Kelderman Meurisse and Turgis Ndayisenga Stannard
Areruya still has a solid lead. But it seems like Moscon is not able to stay ahead of the chasers when they started their sprint to the old town of Sienna as his gap is down to 14’’.
And Areruya is indeed the first to cross the line! He was the first to attack and also showed that he clearly was the strongest rider here later on.
Behind him Moscon really cracked, so the chasing group sprints for the last two podium spots.
Meurisse
Higuita
Stannard
Frankiny
Turgis
Beltran
De Plus
Buchmann
Fabbro
Hirschi
Azman
And Stannard finishes second while Meurisse secures the final podium spot. He’s followed by Higuita, Frankiny and Beltran.
De Plus and Fabbro were quick in the end and got 7th and 8th surpassing Turgis in 9th. Azman closes the Top 10 in front of his teammate Hirschi, thus making for a great team result for Sauber. Ndayisenga, Buchmann, Benoot and Kelderman follow on 12th to 15th place. Moscon drops to 16th in the end.
[HC] Strade Bianche 
