The season starts for the Pro Continental division, and also for some Continental teams here in Australia. The race is expected to be won by sprinters, but never rule out a late attack to try and catch out the pack in races like this.
Favourites
FLA
RES
SPR
ACC
Ewan
75
71
83
81
Guarnieri
75
75
81
80
Bonifazio
79
75
80
80
Manninen
74
75
81
80
Swift
73
69
83
81
Saber
75
72
81
79
Silvestre
78
71
80
81
Van Asbroeck
75
72
80
78
Lander
77
72
79
77
Vesely
73
68
81
80
Rowe
78
70
79
80
Four riders get away almost as soon as the green flag is waved. They're soon joined by a couple of others, and thus forms our six man break of the day.
At the halfway stage, multiple teams share the load. Podium Ambition, Xero, Polar, Minions, Centovalli, Berg, Lierse, Bakkafrost and Mapei have all helped out to chase the break.
The break's lead is down to 28 seconds with 30 km to go.
Majoral is caught a couple of kilometers later.
Simpson and Garcia are caught next, with 22 km remaining.
Drapac is among the first three riders dropped. He would make it back though.
The break is caught with 19 km left. Podium Ambition, Polar, Bakkafrost and Lierse are controlling the peloton.
Stauff, Svab and Riabuschenko are dropped. They wouldn't make it back.
Podium Ambition and Polar remain at the front, with Mapei swarming behind them. The pack has spread out considerably.
Here we go! A flash of red as Saber, wearing the Moroccan NC, makes an attack with 4 km left. He has two top 5 finishes in the last two years, so can this change of strategy get him onto the podium?
The sprint trains are in place as the pack continue to chase Saber. It's Podium Ambition lining up for Ewan, while Minions have train ready for Vesely. Further back, Guardini has his leadout in place as well.
Saber is caught as we enter the final 2 kilometers. It didn't work out for him. Does he have the legs to sprint to the line now? Sixteen riders have created a gap to the rest at the front.
Nelson with a great leadout, but his leader is a long way back! Things not going well for Podium Ambition and their sprint train. Hodeg still leading out Vesely, while Guardini has no one left already.
Ewan with a huge burst of pace moves to the front of the group under the Red Kite, Vesely, Reinhardt and Itami have latched onto his wheel. Manninen and Guarnieri are making up ground through the middle.
Guarnieri leads with 500 meters to go. Behind him, the situation is like this:
Avelino
Ewan
Guardini
Vesely
Itami
Manninen
Boeckmans
Reinhardt
Ewan's early burst seems to have caught up to him already!
Boeckmans is rapidly catching Guarnieri. Just 300 meters to the line now. Behind them, it is Itami, Reinhardt, Manninen and Guardini as the likely contenders now.
It's Itami's time now to reduce the gap to the lead duo. 200 meters left.
Itami into 2nd as we enter the final 100 meters. Can the GCN rider pull off an amazing finish?
It is not enough, as Guarnieri holds on to win this race back-to-back and start off the season in the best possible way for his team!
Itami runs out of road, and has to settle for 2nd. Boeckmans is 3rd.
Reinhardt takes a fantastic 4th place for CT team Centovalli.
Manninen claims 5th.
Vesely finishes 6th ahead of Guardini.
Ewan will be very disappointed with 8th. Avelino finishes 9th.
Nelson's great leadout gives him a 10th placing, but it is perhaps only a small consolation for his team to have two inside the Top 10.
Saber, Lindeman, Grosser, Favilli and Keukeliere, in that order complete the Top 15. This means that both Podium Ambition and Mapei have three riders inside the Top 15 while Minions and Swisslion have two.
Today's winner - Jacopo Guarnieri.
A bright start to the season, as the win came down to the wire. The riders on the podium will be quite happy with the start, while some riders a few more places down would've expected a better result.
That's all for now. We'll be back with action soon.
