Looking at today’s race profile it’s definitely made for sprinters. Vaitkus is being credited as the big favorite but there are some other notable sprinters here: Grillo, Galdos, Bettini, Cooper
There were just 2 riders in the breakaway: Murphy and Johansson
With 100 kilometers left from the race they had an advantage of 10 minutes over the pack
When Molteni and Ultra Adventure took the lead in the pack it looked their advantage is melting
But it didn’t as Molteni and Ultra Adventure aren’t really the strongest teams in the pack and on the last ascent of the day the escapes had an advantage of 14 minutes, just 60 kilometers left
They entered the last 20 kilometers of the race with just only a few seconds under 14 minutes in front of the pack. Now it’s clear that the pack lost it today and it’s going to be between Murphy and Johansson for the win
M&M had replaced Ultra Adventure in the relay but it doesn’t look that they are stronger
While the pack was passing the 20 kilometers banner, the escapes reached the last 10 kilometers of the race
The fight between them had started and with 5 kilometers before the finish it looks like Murphy has the better position
3 kilometers left and it looks like Johansson was fooled by the Acqua & Sapone rider
Johansson is leading the sprint but Murphy is right in his wheel
And the American makes his move 500 meters before the last kilometer
Inside the last kilometer this looks like a certain win for Murphy
And Murphy wins Giro della Romagna after an amazing breakaway in 2!
The Swede Champion, Johansson, missed a nice chance here but second it’s still a good place
In the pack, as expected, the strongest trains are Sony Ericsson and M&M, but M&M are working for Nazon, and not for Vaitkus who was credited as the team – leader
But M&M aren’t strong enough and with 3 kilometers left, it’s Sony Ericsson vs. Molteni all the way
4 riders had a made a hap between them and the other riders in the pack: Bazajev, Grillo, Galdos and Cucinotta
But it looks like Galdos is faster than all the Sony Ericsson riders, which are now 4 in front, with Mori also coming fast from behind
And Galdos takes the last place on the podium, in front of 4 Sony Ericsson riders: Grillo, Cunciotta, Bazajev and Mori
Bettini took the 8th palce in front of Cooper and Txurruka
Results
1
John Murphy
Acqua & Sapone
4h44'15
2
Fredrik Johansson
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
3
Aitor Galdos
Molteni
+ 9'32
4
Claudio Cucinotta
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
5
Assan Bazajev
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
6
Paride Grillo
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
7
Manuele Mori
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
8
Paolo Bettini
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
9
Joseph Cooper
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Amets Txurruka
Molteni
s.t.
11
Jakub Danacik
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
12
Iñigo Landaluze
Molteni
s.t.
13
Manuel Quinziato
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
14
Mark Scanlon
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
15
Dmitri Muravjev
Sony Ericsson
s.t.
16
Damiano Caruso
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
17
Daniele Ratto
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
18
Yon Bru Pascal
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
19
Mattia Gavazzi
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
20
Massimo Iannetti
M&M Cycling
s.t.
21
Luis Perez Rodriguez
Molteni
s.t.
22
Tyler Farrar
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
23
Ahmad Haidar Anuawar
M&M Cycling
s.t.
24
Andrea Pagoto
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
25
Fumiyuki Beppu
M&M Cycling
s.t.
26
Tomas Vaitkus
M&M Cycling
s.t.
27
Benjamin Noval
Molteni
s.t.
28
Andy Flickinger
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
29
Steven Cummings
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
30
Andrea Tonti
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
31
Nicolas Vogondy
Molteni
s.t.
32
Adam Petrie-Armstrong
Vespa-Caffrey's
s.t.
33
Jean-Patrick Nazon
M&M Cycling
s.t.
34
Russell Hampton
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
35
Paolo Locatelli
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
36
Kensyo Sawada
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
s.t.
37
Luca Mazzanti
Molteni
s.t.
38
Ruslan Sambris
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
39
Chiaffredo Grippo
Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
40
Mindaugas Striska
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
s.t.
41
Bobby Lea
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
42
Wang-yip Tang
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
s.t.
43
Junya Sano
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
s.t.
44
Daniele Di Nucci
M&M Cycling
s.t.
45
Sam Bewley
M&M Cycling
s.t.
46
Joe Hicks
Acqua & Sapone
s.t.
47
Yoshiaki Shimada
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
s.t.
48
Evgeny Wacker
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
+ 10'50
49
Ananias Ananias
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
50
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
51
Peter Williams
Accumalux-Huez
s.t.
52
Couliball Moussavou
Team Ultra Adventure Pro Cycling - Sponsored by Hello Kitty
