Hello and welcome to Italy for a the Italian National Road Race Championships. A flat route lies ahead, with the sprinters no doubt the big favourites for today.
A group of 4 riders managed to break the elastic of the peleton after a fast and furious start to the race. Valerio Agnoli (EST), Diego Rosa (LSP), Edoardo Zardini and Cristiano Salerno (KAR) were the riders present, and working well they quickly opened up a 3 minute gap.
The pace from behind was relentless and as the gap dropped to under 1'30", a group of 5 riders made a move to try and join the quartet off the front. Dario Cataldo (VTB), Davide Villella (AEG), Manuel Belletti (GEN), Giovanni Visconti (CPM) and Pippo Pozzato (FRS) were part of the chase, and would soon bridge to form a large group of 9 off the front.
The peleton knew it was very dangerous and it was Greig and Generali setting the pace to bring back the leading group on the road.
Grupo compacto with 15km to go! The pressure from Generali was enough to bring is all together again, and it was looking like it would be sprint finish today...
Well that is what we thought anyway, but Daniel Oss (AKM) has other ideas! Attacking with 10km to go, he would quickly open a 20-30" gap over the lead out trains.
With no teammates and clearly unhappy with the pace of the other trains, we see Ivano Lo Cicero (VDL) attack to come across to Oss. He is a big favourite that cannot be given too much room...
Approaching the flamme rouge and the pair would have 45" in hand over the main group. The winner would come from one of this pair.
Oss would be no competition to Lo Cicero, as the Valio rider would lead out the sprint and wouldn't be challenged.
The Italian tricolour is going to be having a bovine make-over next season!
Jacopo Guarnieri (GGF) would win the bunch sprint for 3rd place, crossing the line 46" down on our winner today.
Yesterday's Road Race was a fantastic race to watch, and we could only hope for the same today in the time trial.
A number of favourites lined up on the starting ramp, and only the strongest would come out as the winner in the end.
Of the early starters, Manuele Boaro (GEN) was the fastest, setting a very good benchmark for the rest of the riders to try and better. Coming home in a time of 1h18'41", he would be 2'52" ahead of teammate Mauro Finetto (GEN).
The first man who could topple Boaro's time was Andrea Dal Col (VTB). He started very well, taking the fastest time at all checks, but would come in 10" down on the Generali man. His time wouldn't be enough -- 1h18'51"
Vincenzo Nibali (PEN) would be next out on the course, but again, just like Dal Col, he would struggle to better the time of Boaro. A time of 1h18'48" would mean that he would be 7" slower than our early pacesetter.
With only 3 riders left out on the course, the time of Boaro could be enough to give him a surprise podium at the end of the day. Sadly it wouldn't be the top spot, as Alfredo Balloni (KAR) would smash his time into tiny pieces. Catching Nibali out on the course, the Karcher would better the time by 2'21" to post a time of 1h16'19".
Defending champion Adrian Malori (TKS) was the second to last man to finish the course, and was behind Balloni at all the checks out on the route. With a lot of time to make up approaching the finish, he would have to settle for at least a podium place, as he came in 54" down on Balloni with a time of 1h17'15".
And so it would just be Elia Vivani (GEN) left who could deny Balloni the Tricolour jersey next season. Like Malori though, he would struggle to match the pace of the Karcher man, and would cross the line in 3rd place, 1'12" down. His time of 1h17'31" would only be enough to push teammate Boaro off the podium, and he would have to settle for bronze.
Italian National Championships 
