The Strade Bianche is ready to start and so are the riders. Who will win today? A sprinter, a roleur, a puncheur or somebody surprising?
Biggest favourites are Ulissi and Van Stayen but when seeing the startlist we could extend the list to 20+ riders as in the preview.
25km raced and a group of 15 riders in the attack. Will the peloton allow such a huge group with almost every team being in here meaning that only a few might be interested to chase them down?
Some teams behind not interested to allow it obviously.
Metinvest (Ignatiev), Kenya Airways (Ben Nasser), Venchi (Van Stayen), Puma (Kelderman), Bacardi (Ulissi) and CSC (Ventoso) to name a few teams without a rider in front doing some work here.
The peloton was able to keep the group at ~1min for a long time. But now with 50km being raced they allowed a bit more as it`s 2min right now.
Also we have 16 riders in front now as Krauss was able to jump into the breakaway. Now also the full list with the previous 15 riders. Meersman Lagutin Klimiankou Khederi Cheung Alaphilippe Diaz Tratnik Mohoric Penasa Duchesne Barbero Hirt Signorini Stoenchev
Let`s count the teams not in the breakaway.
We already mentioned Bacardi, Puma, Venchi, Kenya, CSC and Metinvest.
Other than that no Oz Cycling and Repsol. All other teams are in front.
So no surprise that those two teams also head to the front now as the breakaway has already a 4'14 gap with 120km to go.
Seeing that some sprinters like Ferrari/Andriato for Repsol and Nolan Hoffman for Metinvest are doing the pace, those teams probably expect a too hilly finish.
Venchi, Kenya, Bacardi and CSC are the main teams doing the work in the more important phase now as the gap is almost at 5min with 85km to go. But they got it under control and it might melt soon.
Problem for the breakaway that some riders don`t want to help. In especially the 3-4 riders at the end of the group don`t do anything.
So 65km and only 3'45 left.
The hardest part is still ahead. Lots of hills and actually no single flat piece in between. The highlight surely the final climb.
Quite weird here by CSC as one of their leaders and actually THE leader I thought in Ventoso is doing the work. Also Kenya with Gasparotto and Wegmann in the chasing.
CSC obviously goes for Cobo then, while Kenya is going all-in for Ben Nasser.
30km left and we see the first attack. And it`s no one else than one of the strongest PCT riders and so far one of the riders of the season in Van Stayen.
Immediately one rider follows: Ulissi.
So the two biggest favourites going first.
Only 37s gap for the breakaway to the recent attackers, that opened a 20s gap already. But several teams have highered the pace behind. In especially Metinvest, CSC and Meiji have to be named.
The duo is seeing that they won`t have a chance against those and fall back into the peloton waiting for another opportunity.
Meiji`s earlier work was preparation for another attack. Zaini is followed by lots of riders now: Van Stayen Ulissi Ben Nasser Roy Acevedo Di Maggio Ignatiev
So more or less some of the strongest in the peloton.
24 riders in the front now. It`s a mix of former breakaway and new attackers.
But the peloton is not far behind with 16km to go.
Cobo though is afraid of such a strong group and tries to jump to them.
In the end though everything runs together again. So who is next?
Actually a surprise. Some of the former breakaway riders, that were at the front go again. Might be a last desperate attempt but still. After such a long day, it`s showing good strength to still be able to attack. Penasa,
Duchesne and Mohoric.
Behind Penasa in front actually 10 riders are able to open a gap including the former attackers, who were still in front of the peloton and one new rider in Kelderman.
But once again no chance and they are caught. Only Penasa in front but already the next attacks.
This time by some roleurs: Ignatiev Baugnies Kump
First two were able to create a gap while the big peloton is 23s behind. 6,7km only for the duo and they might have the biggest engine from all riders.
Once again no!
All attacks failed so far. Too many teams with high interest to join the right move and as so far at least one team missed the move there was always one team to chase them down again.
Ignatiev not done yet as he goes again with 4,7km to go. He is followed by Ben Nasser, Ulissi and Zaini.
A bit later some more riders realize, that this might be a chance: Cobo Van Stayen Zeits Kelderman Betancourt Baugnies
With 3km to go only 6 riders though really created a gap. Those are the first 6 mentioned.
But one rider is reaching the gates of Siena first and it`s Van Stayen. Behind him still 6 riders as Baugnies jumped to them.
The peloton though not far behind and more or less all big names are in the first rows.
Ben Nasser looks strong and is closing the gap to Van Stayen.
From behind a surprisingly strong Okrouhlicky instead of his leader Roy and Ventoso also able to move forward.
Nobody is able to follow Ben Nasser. That said, he still is 2nd only as Van Stayen still ahead.
A view around the corner proves, that it`s only a fight for the 3rd now with Ulissi, Cobo and Zaini in the best positions. On the left though Acevedo coming fast as also Mancuso, Zeits, Betancourt, Baugnies, Visconti, Okrouhlicky.
Di Maggio, Kump, Kelderman and Ventoso a little bit further back.
But nobody is able to beat Van Stayen. His training really paid off so far and is really is strong this season. Big win for the Belgium.
2nd for Ben Nasser, which is a nice result obviously in such a starter field. Great result for Kenya Airways. In the end he was the strongest of the next group and gapped them quite a lot.
The sprint of the beaten riders is won by top puncheur Ulissi.
Behind him Cobo and Zaini with a nice result for their teams.
Biggest surprise though is Acevedo as 6th already!
Di Maggio with a huge sprint on the last meters finishes as 7th ahead of Betancourt, Zeits and Mancuso.
