This was my first report and unfortunately I never double-checked if I had taken each screenshot, therefore we're missing a few important ones. Also, it's not the best. Sorry
Sunny conditions with not too much wind to speak of here today in Sri Lanka, the riders all look well prepared and ready for a great day of racing in this, the inaugural Kandy Cycling Classic!
It takes until the peak of the first real climb for the two-man break to from after many flurries of attacks, however luckily for the locals there's a home rider from the home team in there along with a Bolivian of all people: Sisira and Zurita, both capable climbers in their own right.
The pack want to keep the leading duo within catching distance, however, and after a lap the gap is 3'30. No teams notably leading the pack, Euskatel and Hugo Boss the only teams with even two domestiques doing some grunt work.
The gap is dropping, but Alizadeh keeps the faith: he's trying to bridge to the escapees, who now have just two minutes.
Contact halfway up the climb for Alizadeh as he joins Sisira and Zurita, but they've only got 2'06 now.
As we reach the summit the break's gap is at 2'40 with the added assistance of Alizadeh, and back in the pack Sørtveit decides this break thing is quite fun, that or he just drew the short straw when the team didn't want to work. He'd catch up fairly easily.
CHUTE, CHUTE! No, it's not a train but a crash, causing some "uncomfortable" positions for some riders. Luckily none have to immediately abandon - except, it seems, Kratochvila, who had to climb into the team car on the spot. They are: Kratochvila Wu Girardi Ortega Rodas Silva Fernandez, Herrada Ludvigsson Ivars
Over the crest of the third ascent of the climb the break play some games, I've no idea why but they take turns dropping and returning, the gap is now 5'47 on the Porto-led peloton, who are still 155-strong.
The pressure is on as UBS and Compal are turning screws now, Ratiy here is the first big name dropped from the now 40-man favorite's pack.
Now as the group splits and becomes 27: Pinot, Ji and Talansky have to let go.
The penultimate time up the finishing ascent and Aeropostal's eggs are firmly in the Duarte basket, with the diminuitive Venezuelan, Rujano himself dishing out the pain. The home team's chances are now with their man in the break (who have only 1'20) as Yates drops off the pack. And oh dear, what is Rujano doing? He's dropped his leader!
The break is caught and then there was 16 - Marquez, Brenes and van der Hugenhaben the latest to be dropped. Darwin would be proud. The leaders are now: Amador Cunego Martin Shikai Ricco Contador Dekker Machado Valls Cataldo Rujano Denifl Nazaret and surviving break members Sørtveit Sisira and Zurita
as we reach the summit, just 26km still to race, and only Martin has a teammate. How could this influence things?
Top favorites Machado and Amador have neutered the descent and dropped Cataldo, however the leaders have now got 1'30 on the chasing group of Marquez, Atapuma, Frohlinger, Brenes and van der Hugenhaben.
No sooner are we on the final climb and Amador attacks! Contador, Dekker, Denifl, Martin and Machado react.
Amador gets a gap with 11km left, with 20 seconds to Contador, Cunego and Martin. Everyone else looks at each other, they're a further 30 seconds behind!
Cunego wants to go solo, Martin is right on his wheel and Contador has to let them go!
They catch Amador and then immediately sit up - it's all back together - including the original break members! 8km to go and 2'19 to Cataldo - your winner will be one of these 15 men.
The work of Machado and Amador really hurting many under the 5km kite - here we see Dekker struggling - one of many.
Who's got the most in the tank? 2km to go and no attacks - Machado and Amador leading a strung-out group. The favorite in a sprint would be Martin - but it's all about if you've got anything left to give here.
1km to go and Amador still in the lead tailed by Machado, Cunego, Shikai and Martin.
Three names who've kept quiet - Valls Rujano and Zurita come hard and fast from behind as Amador still leads with 500m to go.
300m and who'd have thought it? Rujano and Zurita look like the strongest with hard workers Machado and Amador a bike length back.
In the last few hundred metres it's Rujano who has the most left as early breakaway survivor Zurita fades a bit…
And the order remains to the line! Rujano and Zurita the unlikely duo - an initial domestique who dropped his leader leads home an early break survivor who packed a punch! Cunego rounds out the podium ahead of Machado and Martin for the top 5. We can't confirm the rest yet.
Deja vu for Denifl? Disappointing as ever, you might say - he's 10th, leading home the split group that formed in the final km.
