We get underway in this climbers classic. A full 189 riders on the course, though we are sure that number will become much fewer as we get to the finish with all of the climbing.
163 km
Just one kilometer into the race we see our first attempt to from a breakaway with Vendrame making the move and Tzortzakis right on his wheel.
153 km
Four more are able to come across, and we have our break of the day now including Kennett, Froome, Hirschi and Schoffmann.
The peloton will be thrilled with this group as there really aren't any dangerous climbers to make the breakaway threatening.
51 km
We will give ourselves one last look here at the breakaway as we are on the flat part of the course, really very little has happened to this point and that will remain true until we start our climb to the finish.
15 km
With 15km of climbing left in this race, the breakaway has been consumed mostly from tempo set by Affonso and Van der Velde who are working for the ISA - Hexacta duo of Berhane and Ji.
13 km
It wouldn't be a proper report from me if I didn't show Laos champion Destribois doing the work on the front for Berg Cycles.
10 km
Good work, job done for Destribois who has thinned the field down to 70 riders remaining. Lehtinen takes over the pace-making for teammate Andrew Talansky who must be feeling good to be putting someone up front with this field.
7 km
Enough riding tempo though as the punchuer in the field has decided it is time to spice things up. Beltran has made a very strong attack, Penasa tries to follow the wheel, but is unable to stay with the Colombian.
6 km
The attack can't stick though as Chiarello does the job of pulling it back, the top riders now all sitting up front in a group of still 55.
The biggest name dropped (I'm sure much to the continued frustration of his manager) is Garby.
4 km
The tempo really cooled off, allowing some riders (including Garby) to catch back up, however Beltran is quick to ensure there is more action again as he launches another devastating attack.
2.7 km
With most of the support riders quickly burned in this attack, it is the heads of state that pull it back, led by race favorites Pluchkin and Tenorio.
2 km
And because of that move we are down to only 11 riders left in our leading group.
Pluchkin
Tenorio
Uran
Beltran
Roglic
Carapaz
Martin
Nerz
Talansky
Berhane
Schelling
No one has any team support in this group, so everyone is only able to look after themselves.
1 km
We go under the 1km kite and there hasn't been any action, just a tempo being set strong enough to keep anyone else from being able to join this group. They are spread out pretty well across the road, so it hasn't been too hard.
400 m
As we start what is now going to be a painful sprint for the finish, five of the riders put in a gap on the rest. From left to right on the screen we have:
Pluchkin
Martin
Berhane
Uran
Tenorio
With Martin currently in the front.
100 m
It's Berhane who seems to have found the legs for that extra gear and surges ahead with only 100 meters of uphill remaining. Behind, a very strong finish is coming from Nerz who has caught this lead group.
fin
Natnael Berhane the Eritrean champion takes victory here in Kenya, a fantastic performance and the only man with the legs left to really put in a sprint.
Behind the fight for the podium is very contested as Tenorio takes 2nd, ahead of Pluchkin. Uran just misses out taking 4th today.
Continuing at the finish we see the great last effort from Nerz move into 5th, with Martin holding onto 6th place.
A terrific performance by Talansky to finish 7th here, with Carapaz in 8th and Schelling finishing strong to get into 9th.
Our most aggressive rider of the day, Beltran takes 10th after really starting off all of the fireworks on the climb. As Roglic finishes just outside of our top 10 and will probably be disappointed with his day.
