Rated as hilly, but there is potential for sprinters to haul themselves over the hills.
Perez Arango, Williams, Flickinger and Cunha are the break
The lead peaks at 7 minutes with 70km to go, but by 40km to go it is just over a minute as attacks start coming from the bunch - Bru Pascal, Fahnert, China, Bewley and Ochoa Quintero
Further attackers included Leukemans, Ventoso and Wegmann
But they dont catch the break, and all bar Ventoso are caught. Ventoso wont last long though, and is passed by teammate Nino - a somewhat surprise attacker
Crash in the pack, Vicioso is down! All teammates bar Cunha in the break drop back, but its effectively race over
23km to go, the break of 4 still have just over a minutes lead. Paolini and Marzoli have attacked
Also going are Leukemans, Serrano, Wegmann, Van Emden, Bettini, Merino Criado, Charteau and Proni
10km to go, Paolini and Marzoli have joined the break.
They lead a chasing group of 8 by 45 seconds. (Bettini, Ventoso, Charteau, Leukemans, Serrano, Wegmann, Van Emden and Proni
Another 50 seconds back are the pack, and a task of chasing the break seems left to Acqua & Sapone. And just to make it harder, there is a big crash. Kunitski and Rast are down to name just 2 of many.
The gap between the 2 front groups is going down though, just 30 seconds, as riders from the 2nd group attack!
Bettini leads the way past the first group and into the lead, Ventoso is close, as are Leukemans, Van Emden, Wegmann and Paolini
If youre surprised at Van Emden being there, prepare to be more surprised as he carries on the attack with only Wegmann able to follow
Van Emden only has 63 hill, but his sprint is decent (73) and that is what its going to come down to. He seems to have got the jump on Wegmann initially
Bettini leads the chase - or is he just leading out Ventoso? Paolini and Marzoli are there too
The front 2 seem to have the top 2 positions sewn up though and into the final km, here goes Wegmann!
Its close, but the German is starting to edge out a gap
Fabian Wegmann wins the Reading Classic! Van Emden a still remarkable 2nd
Ventoso wraps up the podium, ahead of Bettini, Paolini, Marzoli and Leukemans
Cunha takes 8th ahead of the Acqua Sapone pair of Flcikinger and Bru Pascal - the latter must have made his way up to this group unnoticed late on
The bunch are sprinting for 16th, so only the first 5 can pick up some ranking points. They are Van Stayen, Bewley, Timofeev, Goss and Bosisio
