We should be in store for another epic battle between the punchuers, but lucky for the T.CS Bank – OJSC Rosneft squad, who's team plane arrived late last night, the race will start off with an easy flat section to allow the riders to get their legs under them. So lets get things underway!
It's a bit overcast as the flag waves to signal the start of the race. Some of the local forecasters are predicting rain at the finish, but who trust forecasters?
It doesn't take long before the attacks start. Teklit Pietropolli Suzuki Passalacqua Jaramillo Haavardsholm Vogt
It's a lot of cat and mouse games early as breakaway attempts are finding it hard to get some breathing room. The next big attempt at getting away are: Pozzo Parra Bustamante Westphal Van Keirsbulck Vogt Cunha Ovechkin Jaramillo Hiratsuka Likhaya Haavardsholm Teklit
The peloton actually doesn't seem worried so a few more try to bridge the gap. Lavery Scheit Gustov
But that really ticks the peloton off and they bring the breakaway back.
The next attempt however does produce our breakaway of the day. Including: Afonso Frison Hiratsuka Ovechkin Aru Matzbacher Westphal Likhaya Pirazzi Egger Jaramillo
These 11 build up a 4 minute lead heading over the first incline on the route, and after seeing so many breakaways spoil these one-day races anybody not in this group are starting worry.
Worry turns into full out panic as favourite Ginanni falls!
Vespa maintains calm as they quickly drop back and pace their leader back into the race. However it will remain to be seen how this will effect him later on.
Calzati makes a move for his Red Bull team as it looks like they are a bit scared of not having a man up in the lead group.
And he joins up with the breakaway with 92kms to go,
right before the longest climb of the day began.
And Calzati does all of the work for the breakaway up the climb, like it was some sort of punishment for coming across and joining them. But in return the Red Bull man causes Frison, Likhaya, and Westphal to drop off the back. Westphal is the only one able to rejoin on the downhill.
Back in the peloton it is Pirelli, Bianchi, Ferrari, Venchi,
and Vespa putting forth a hand in chasing.
It isn't long before the breakaway finds themselves onto the circuit climb,
and it looks like the forecasters were right as the clouds start to get dark.
1'38"
1'47"
Peloton
-->
Frison
-->
Breakaway
Likhaya
As the rain starts falling Frison and Likhaya are caught. 38kms to go.
Near the top Calzati says enough to pace making his rivals and attacks.
Jaramillo gives his all to stay in contact. Could this be the winning move?
I guess I spoke to soon, Calzati goes over his handlebars as the wet roads take their first victim. Jaramillo goes right by and takes the lead.
Calzati gets up and fights back to rejoin Jaramillo on the next circuit,
however they hold a slim minute lead on the charging peloton.
And the chorus can rejoice as Bianchi brings the breakaway back, so for once the favourite will get to battle it out for the win. And Bianchi is sick of chasing as they send Cobo on the attack.
Lapped riders start making things confusing but not for Roche as he pinpoints Cobo's wheel and drags him back.
On the downhill of the third time through the circuit there are only 19 riders left in the lead group. Notable missing are: Alarcon Costa Vanendert Lloyd Hermans
But the just rejoin the 19 man group as the hit the climb for the 2nd to last time.
Caruso isn't waiting for them though, and again it is Roche jumping on the back wheel.
Roche goes right past Caruso who is joined by Ginanni (who looks pretty good after his morning crash) and Cobo (who is showing having a strong team never hurts).
As Caruso's group rejoins with Roche they start playing mind games with each other allowing Di Maggio to reenter the picture.
As the 5 leaders hit the climb for the final time they better not stall anymore as Claey and De la Fuenta along with Vanendert would like a shot at the win as well.
And just 30 seconds behind them are the rest of the climbers making up the peloton. And one guy on everybody's radar that is in this group, Alarcon.
However the leaders are done playing games with each other as they all agree on the gentleman's way of solving this matter. Everyone for themselves sprint to the line from 1800 meters out.
David De la Fuente, Franco Pellizotti, Dimitri Claeys, Koldo Gil, and Thomas Lövkvist round out your top 10 but they where a whole level below the elite group that finished in the top 5. And the minor placing after them was just a mad scramble sprint. So check the standings below for those guys.
