Route needs no further introduction. It's hilly and the usual suspects are the favourites to take the win. We're getting closer and closer to the end of the season and this will be the penultimate throwdown for these riders with Japan Cup still coming up. There's a lot at stake besides the win. Also promotion and relegation are topics of today's race.
Activity was fierce to get away in the break. First rider to try was DeClerq. That didn't work.
Next rider to start a wave of attacks was Tom Veelers. Also a no-go.
ING in particular was setting the pace high from the get-go. Here's another failed attempt to get away started by Brändle.
Next attempt looked a bit more solid. Dufrasnes attacks across to five others, who after his arrival becomes 9. They are Ciccarese, Haugard, Hasnaoui, Beltran, Edmondson, Maslennikov, Konte, Gougeard and Veelers. The pack also controls this move though.
Edmondson tries again however and gets a good gap, some riders stirs up the mood of the pack by also attacking.
They come across as we now have eight riders in front.
They get about 48 seconds before Matthias Brändle decides that he does want part of the break.
Too little too late for the Austrian though as his wave was cancelled out by the peloton and the eight guys in front are riding away. Finally, 50 kilometres into the race. They are Morton, Quevedo, Strgar, Traksel, Vichot, Scheirlinckx, Teklehaimanot and Edmondson.
Cresting the first peak of the day, the Mongardino. Lots of climbing left.
The pack is lead over by ING and Vladimir Efimkin, 5'34 back.
In the valley before the longest climb of the day, the Monzuno, the lead is up to 5'42.
It has already come down one minute as the break hits the foot of the categorized part of the climb.
As the lead riders came over the top the rain set in. The pack is still going very fast down the descent having shaved off another minute from the deficit since the last time we checked. 62 to go.
The now treacherous roads claims its first victim, Vasil Kiryenka, an important helper for Kolobnev. Also Izagirre of Hollister hits the deck in the descent.
Meanwhile Carlos Barredo has gone on the attack and already got himself a gap to the peloton.
With 48 kilometres to go Barredo is over two minutes ahead of the peloton and about half a minute behind the break. Good news for Tinkoff and Hollister here is that Kiryenka and Izagirre have managed to come back to the pack, towing De Baat with them. No riders behind the pack now.
We are very close to the fina circuit now and the lieutenants are coming out. Here is Matthias Kessler, Aleksandar Flügel's main man, putting some pressure on.
Barredo has made the junction to the 8 in front as we hit San Luca for the first of five times. Gap to the pack is 2'26.
As the pack crest we see the massive figure of British Champion Alex Dowsett at the front. Froome's lieutenant is about to turn up the pace.
Let-down for Quevedo as he now crashes in the following descent and ends his breakaway carreer for the remainder of this race.
We have hit the foot of San Luca for second time and it's weird to see Barredo, who you would think is the strongest Amex rider here, not doing any relaying. Pack only 1'49 behind now.
ATTACK!
It's Nicolas Roche! An attack from 28 kilometres out!
He gets across to the break almost instantly but Teklehaimanot is not there anymore. He has gone into a solo lead!
Radio Tour: CHUTE!
IT'S ALEKSANDR EFIMKIN! Very bad news for Cisco as they drop men back immediately.
Up front Roche has been reeled in and another Cisco rider attacks! Taborre! Teklehaimanot is still out front.
Roche goes again from the foot of San Luca eventhough there's still two full ascentions left.
He catches and drops Teklehaimanot and moves into a solo lead with two laps to go.
But it's not just anyone doing the pace in the pack. Sinkewitz' lieutenant Schreurs is putting on pressure. Ginanni, Froome, Sinkewitz, Flügel. Also Ben Hasser is there, sitting right behind Flügel, right in front of Dowsett.
Another crash in the descent and it's WWE's Sergio Paulinho. They still have veteran Jerome Pineau, but that's a big blow as he is not coming back.
Also here is Aleksandr Efimkin with just one team-mate. He is two minutes behind the peloton. Game over.
Penultimate time up San Luca for Roche, but it's no other than Francesco Ginanni at the head of things in the peloton!
It's three of the five big guns, excluding Efimkin and Roche, Ginanni, Froome and Flügel now putting the power down at San Luca as we are coming into the final lap!
Not even Zaini in fourth position can keep up as he lets open a gap to the three!
Mendes and Sinkewitz are caught behind and tries to attack across!
Mendes goes into the red zone but Sinkewitz powers on! Can he get across?
There's been another split in the pack coming over the top. Karpets, Izagirre, Knees, Cousin, Betancourt, Salerno, Huzarski, Monsalve, Ventoso and Teklehaimanot are behind the peloton, which now only consists of 20 riders with the likes of Zaini, Mendes, Ben Nasser, Gautier, Hoogerland, Schreurs, Dowsett, Kolobnev and Lövkvist.
Sinkewitz is about 20 seconds ahead of the 20-man peloton, 22 seconds behind the Ginanni Group and another 27 behind Roche, who is still leading solo.
2,800 metres to go we are close to San Luca and the front becomes a four man group.
2,100 metres and the road starts to rise as Ginanni takes to the front once more! Sinkewitz is just behind but him coming across looks a tall order.
1,100 metres and Ginanni puts in a deadly kick!
As he is lapping a rider only Froome seems thereabouts. Flügel and Roche cannot keep up any longer.
Last 200 metres and Ginanni should have this one sown up!
He does! Victory for Francesco Ginanni and Vespa in an inspiring race! Froome takes second place.
Roche also had a brilliant race and holds off Flügel for third in spite of his early attacks.
Sinkewitz takes fifth place with a small gap to the next riders. Ben Nasser takes 6th ahead of Zaini. 8th place is Mendes ahead of Gautier and Schreurs who rounds out the Top 10.
So a win for Francesco Ginanni in his home-country. He was always the big favourite and he delivered!
