Sprint finish or not? That is a question pondered by many team managers in the build-up for this race. According to the bookmarkers, the answer is yes - as Napolitano and Vantomme are listed as the two big favourites.
The first attack comes from Becerra and Manfredi. The Cisco rider was to be expected, given that his team is one of few without a real sprinter. Becerra meanwhile seems to have been given permission to leave Greipel.
Many others are trying to join however, and that eventually leads to a shutdown. Rocchetti is the man setting the pace.
Away goes a new group, and this time they establish a decent advantage. On the first climb of Manayunk Wall, they lead the peloton by 90 seconds.
Siskevicius, Senyenov, Teunissen and Baez.
Over the next few kilometres, the gap increases as the sprinter teams appear satisfied with the constellation. Possibly due to the fact that the teams represented are all among those without any of the big favourites.
Their lead reaches it's maximum at just under 9 minutes, from where the peloton gradually speeds up.
Full chase mode is activated as the peloton goes out on the final 30 km lap, when Vantomme orders his team mates to the front.
The non-sprinters are also starting to make their moves now. First ones off are Albert and Vanspeybrouck in a double move.
A slightly strange decision not to wait for the final Manayunk Wall, but still good enough for Bak and Smukulis to tag along.
Rothaus are relentless however, and the attackers quickly give up.
That show of strength clearly caused others thinking about making a jump for it to think twice before doing so, as nobody even makes an attempt on the final climb up Manayunk Wall.
Not much happens in the break either, apart from that Baez is dropped just after the climb. Not that it really matters, since the gap is just 50 seconds.
Albert meanwhile appears to have recovered from the earlier attack, as he goes again with 15 km to go.
Bak is again following, now accompanied by Stoltz.
Once again, they go nowhere as Evian now joins Rothaus at the front.
The break is meanwhile getting hauled in.
Realising that they're about to get caught, Senyenov sheds his companions with 10 km left to run.
This spurs Vanspeybrouck to try again - confident that he can break the sprinter teams' grip of control.
He quickly catches up with Senyenov, but a look back over the shoulder tells him enough to accept the fact that it's just not going to happen.
A few wheels further back, chaos erupts in the Vueling camp as Kennaugh takes a big tumble!
The Brit is swiftly helped back on his bike, apparently not injured from the dramatic fall. It's obviously a disaster for his team however, but only Viennet is sent back as help.
Perhaps a logical move from Vueling's DS, knowing how close the finish is.
On the other end of the race, Evian have charged into control as they go out on a special final lap. Anuar Aziz and Sonnery are leading Napolitano.
With Vueling gone, no team dares to challenge Evian. Instead, the sprinters all position themselves behind Napolitano.
Tzortzakis, Van Poppel, Greipel and Pedersen are also floundering around nearby as Sonnery opens the sprint at 3 km to go.
As expected, a little too early. He runs out of steam completely 1500m out, forcing Napolitano to go himself.
This acceleration proves to be a little too much for Dall'Antonia, who leaves a gap behind Keough.
This gives Haussler a lot of extra road to make up as he tries to close the gap under the red kite.
Up ahead, Keough and Avelino opens the sprint.
Docker and Avelino both appear to be empty as they even start to lose contact with the riders ahead.
Hoffman is meanwhile moving out of the slipstream to launch himself.
Before Vantomme manages to react, Hoffman has jumped up alongside him as they both put the pressure on a fading Napolitano with 300m to go.
Hoffman strikes again!
Having cleverly followed Hoffman in the last few hundred metres, Keough is dragged up to please the home crowds with a 2nd place.
Vantomme had little left in the tank and can't do better than 3rd - still ahead of a frustrated Napolitano.
Docker, Avelino and Haussler are next. None of them had the speed to cope with the best, although the latter could probably have done better with a more favourable starting position.
Drujon and Greipel are 8th and 9th, with the top 10 being completed by Van Poppel.
Closely missing out is Dall'Antonia, who couldn't quite handle the strength of the pure sprinters. Had Manayunk Wall been closer to the finish, he would probably have done better.
The unlucky Kennaugh comes home 4'05 later. Such a shame for him and his team, as he could surely have challenged the very best today.
