14 pretty chaotic laps today. All over the course very narrow roads and a lot of steep sections. This definitely is going to be a crazy race.
On top of the first hill 18 riders got a gap. Most teams are in there. Some like Pirelli or Vespa even with 3 or 4 riders.
On the other side all favourites are not in this group.
But everything is back together on the 2nd climb with Vespa doing the work.
Again the top seems to be a point, where the peloton splits into some pieces. A big group is ahead of the favourites group. This time the 3 Vespa riders fall back to help Ginanni.
Behind the peloton around most favourites is another 33 rider group including Froome, Kolobnev, Dowsett and Konovalovas being 1'51 behind.
Is this already a first serious cut?
Even worse for Cherel and Casar, who are another 1'40 behind. This steep section with narrow roads really destroys most tactics as there is zero control and almost no chance of positioning or to relax a bit.
For the first time a real breakaway seems to have success. Locatelli Perez Cuapio Mourato Cappelle
Hardy joins the group one lap later.
Behind Group Konovalovas is still almost 3min behind the peloton but coming closer again.
After the 7th cross at half time another huge split. Just 22 riders in the first peloton including Kolobnev, Bellis, Ginanni, Roche, Dowsett, Cobo, Froome, Di Maggio and Costa.
Especially Rapha obviously learned from the early stress.
A group of 12 including Gautier and half his team mates is coming next.
After the breakaway was caught again, Hardy is trying it immediately again.
This time solo.
But soon enough Kadri is joining him.
Also the groups regrouped and so 63 riders are within one group once again.
Kadri seems to be strong. Easily he got rid of Hardy and is leading solo now. Already 3'29 for him with 57km or 4 laps to go.
Vespa is still doing the chasing. Another split happened in the peloton causing Roy to lose contact.
And yet another one. Pretty hard to have a good overview in this crazy race.
Kadri has 4min advance to a first bigger group including Froome, Di Maggio, Roux, Roche, Kolobnev, Dowsett, Ginanni, Bellis and Gautier.
Then a 42s gap to the Jayco riders Gerrans, Cherel, Mori, Calzati as also the Bianchi riders Cobo and Gil and CSC`s Costa.
Rapha Condor really had a good moment and so Dowsett is doing everything to avoid another fusion with the next group.
36km and still 3'46 for Kadri on the other side and the favourites are more or less isolated.
26km and Roux with the first favourites attack.
But he quickly is caught again.
Just 8 riders in the first chasing group with Ginanni, Dowsett, Bellis, Froome, Roux, Cobo, Kolobnev and Di Maggio.
40s behind Gautier, Calzati, Costa, Gil, Bono, Gerrans, Mori, Roche and Cherel. So at least Bianchi got one of their leaders into the first group again, while Pirelli and Jayco can`t be happy. Sorry for the often changes of favourites. It`s impossible to have full control there as every cross over the hill totally mixes the groups.
With 1 lap to go Roche, Calzati and Costa attack and try to join the first group.
Costa even manages this while the other two don`t have a chance.
Also Kadri seems to be totally exhausted as he lost 1min in the last 3km and is just 17s ahead.
Di Maggio with a strong attack on the uphill section.
He is able to create a small gap.
29s later Bellis comes over the top in 2nd ahead of solo rider Roux another 25s.
Cobo in 4th, while Dowsett, Kolobnev and Froome are the first group 1'30 behind race leader Di Maggio.
Ginanni the biggest loser of this last selection. He comes over the top in 10th almost 3min behind Di Maggio. He totally failed on the climb.
Bellis joins Di Maggio on the descent and is the stronger sprinter. On the other side it`s a tough uphill sprint.
Also Cobo and Roux came together and Dowsett, Froome and Kolobnev are also coming closer. The battle for the last podium spot obviously.
Big race for Rapha so far.
Di Maggio starts the sprint from the pole position but is obviously stronger. The hills really made Bellis suffer today.
And so Di Maggio takes another great victory this season.
Bellis in 2nd is surely not the worst result for him neither.
Roux on an excellent 3rd today. The French must have had a brilliant day.
And with Froome a 2nd Rapha rider also comes past an exhausted Cobo in 5th. More than Bianchi could have hoped after half of the race for sure.
Kolobnev finishes 6th ahead of the 3rd Rapha rider Dowsett. Excellent team performance.
Costa 9th and Kadri saves a top 10 result after being solo for a long time. Strong performance for sure.
Calzati and Gautier sprint for the next places. Not the best race for Red Bull but with 4 inside the top 16 they still get a decent amount of points.
Bad day for Ginanni. Obviously he lost his energy too early. Being in an excellent position until the last climb he lost many places and finishes on a disappointing 18th today.
Still better than Roy in 20th or Roche in 21st. Weak performances by these two.
Just 53 riders finished the race. Several helpers had to abandon.
