The San Sebastian Classic is much sought after, given it's HC status, and the nature of the route makes for an unpredictable race. Can the double climbing of the Jaizkibel and Arkale cause a big selection - or will it come down to a large group sprint?
The breakaway is full of young talents, who will be doing more than featuring in breakaways in seasons to come: Barbin, Dieteren, De Bie, Altur and Aru.
And in a race that is slow to get going, Jaizkibel #1, Arkale #1 and Jaizkibel #2 all pass with no action. 44km to go, the break lead a mostly intact peloton by 1'48.
It all has to happen on the Arkale then, starting at 26km to go.
Sure enough, the race finally kicks off. Kolobnev, Mendes and Ben Nasser go first.
Meanwhile the breakaway has been thinned down to De Bie and Barbin
After his first move went nowhere, Ben Nasser tried again. This time many of the big guns followed - Roche, Froome, Bellis, Efimkin, Ginanni, Mendes, Costa and Kolobnev.
Ventoso also attacked, but they struggled to create a gap as the Arkale summit was reached.
De Bie and Barbin still hold a lead, while descending towards the 20km banner we have Kolobnev being chased by Ben Nasser, Bellis and Mendes, but barely ahead of the peloton.
Those 4 are caught, so is De Bie, with Barbin barely clinging on.
There are some new attackers: Gautier, Vansummeren, Sinkewitz, Wegmann, Barredo and Hoogerland.
Kessler and Preidler both close this down as Volkswagen impose themselves.
Barbin has now been caught too, as Rovny now becomes the latest attacker.
Again that goes nowhere, as the race hits a small incline with 12km to go. Finally we have a move from Flugel!
And this creates an interesting 10 man group, as the race enters the final 10km.
Flugel Roche Ginanni Sinkewitz Hoogerland Efimkin Ben Nasser Mendes Costa Gautier
Their gap is small though, with the chase being taken up by most of the favourites to have missed the move: Bellis, Wegmann, Barredo, Kolobnev, Froome and Vansummeren
8km to go, Ginanni, Efimkin and Roche are really pushing this lead group of 10. The gap looks small, but it is up to 27 seconds.
Approaching 5km to go it does seem to be going up. Kolobnev, Ventoso and Vansummeren attack to try to close it.
The gap now is coming down again, despite Efimkin's best efforts to keep it going.
And with 3.5km to go it is all back together!
All that's left now is the final sprint, and with no time for organisation, this is bound to be messy.
Kessler takes an early lead, with Efimkin, Roche and Flugel all towards the front.
But it doesnt seem like Flugel is going to latch on to Kessler's wheel. Instead Roche has nipped on to Flugel's wheel!
Just as well Kessler was not used as a lead out as Flugel is soon ahead of him. Ginanni, Ventoso, Hoogerland and Costa are all going well.
Ventoso storms into the lead, he is perfectly suited for this kind of finish, can he win a 2nd HC classic.
Ventoso won in Manx International, the home race of Bellis. The Brit was absent there but is very much present now, and moves up alongside Ventoso.
But having been able to ride Flugel's wheel up to the final kilometre, Roche now produces a devastating kick.
There are riders all over the road. Zsolt Der is surprisingly going strong and looking to challenge for 4th place.
The win will go to Nico Roche, as he strengthens ING's push for promotion.
Ventoso holds off Bellis for 2nd - and it is very tight behind that.
It is 4th for Flugel from Ginanni, Der, Hoogerland, Costa, Pineau and Taborre.
Of some of the bigger names, Efimkin faded to 17th, Sinkewitz could only manage 19th, and there are two big disappointments with Froome only 22nd, and Kolobnev back in 25th.
