Welcome to the Strada Appia Antica! We have a beautiful day here in Rome today. Wind is blowing at around 30 km/h, which will provide an extra challenge for the riders. The race starts in one of the old town squares in Rome. The riders are ready and the race in underway!
It takes less than a minute for the first attack to go. Walsleben, Bar, Monk, Major and Toupalik are the riders that make their escape across the bridge of the river.
We are only a good 20 km into the race. The breakaway have quickly built up a nice gap at 5'32'' as they start the first climb of the day. It's a long flatish climb for the most part, but it does get a bit steeper towards the end.
Back in the pack we have eBuddy, Andorra, Grieg-Maersk and Moser - Sygic taking the responsibility of chasing the breakaway.
The breakaway are now on the 3rd climb of the day. It's easier than the previous with even some downhill inbetween. The gap to the peloton is still growing, 6'42'' right now, but still a long 164 km from the finish back in Rome.
We come back on the 4th climb where we see the peloton now. The gap has started falling and is at 5'46''. We see that Generali have also sent a man to the front, to assist in the chasing. 144 km to go.
We have fast forwarded a bit as we see the escappes on the penultimate 7th climb of the day. It started rather gently, but we are just about to start some of the steeper sections here. The gap is 3'41'' with still 85 km left.
Now on the last and probably most difficult climb of the day. It's the shortest at 3.6 km, but it's the steepest average at 6.2% and with 170 km in the legs already, the riders are sure to feel it. The gap to the breakaway has fallen just under 2 minutes and the peloton have them in their sights on this climb.
The peloton is hitting the 10 km long cobblestone section, the Appian way, for the first time. The peloton is still intact, but we now see an acceleration from Menten, followed by Van Hooydonck, Cavagna and Kuroeda Shiki. The breakaway's gap is just over a minute now.
Walsleben has now made his decision to push on from the breakaway. Cavagna has bridged over to the other escapees. Kuroeda and Van Hooydonck are inbetween.
The riders have come off the cobbled section. Kuroeda and Van Hooydonck are back in the peloton now. The breakaway is still 40'' up ahead as the riders go up the short hill after the cobbledstone section. The peloton has reduced to 75 riders, but all the favourites are here. 39 km to go.
Meanwhile up the road the original escapees plus Cavagna have reeled in Walsleben, but now Bar is trying his luck with an attack.
It's lively back in the pack also. The pace that was set by eBuddy apparently wasn't too high, it's Anderberg with an attack! van der Poel followed at first, but seemingly changed his mind and dropped back. Still 35 km left.
Anderberg is being cheered on by a big crowd on the streets of Rome, but he might have misjudged his own strength. He's 32'' ahead of the peloton, but still 38'' behind the next group on the road.
Up front Bar has been caught by the others. There's still some power in the breakaway. They extended the gap to 1'15'' over the peloton and the attacks haven't stopped. Walsleben is giving it another go!
Anderberg has been absorbed by the peloton. The eBuddy duo of Ariesen and Kaczmarek have been doing an excellent job. 28 km to go.
After a few, but just a few quiet kilometres we get an attack from one of the favourites. Summerhill with a big attack! Gerts and Blythe try to follow. The gap of the breakaway was reduced by 30'' in a flash due to that attack. 22 km left.
Summerhill's attempt is shut down by Grieg, but he probably also wasn't interested in towing Gerts and Blythe with him anyway.
We questioned why van der Poel didn't go with an attack earlier. Well he was waiting for his own chance and here he goes! He's almost made contact with the escapees, who still have a 32'' lead. Just as we're about to enter the Appian way for the last time. 16 km left.
It doesn't even look like an acceleration, but Summerhill can push down some serious power on the cobbles. The American has even tucked in to make himself as aero as possible, as he looks to get away for a 2nd time.
Gerts is the rider that is able to respond here as they both look to breeze past some of the breakaway riders. Those are two dangerous men up the road.
Summerhill and Gerts blow by van der Poel as well. Summerhill is doing the riding on the front right now, they have a 24'' gap over the main group which is lead by:
Gaday Pedersen Polanc Wisniowski Bewley
There is some organisation in the main group. Some of the super domestiques are doing turns at the front. Gaday and Pedersen were at the front and now it's Per at the front. But the gap to the front two is growing with 10 km to go. 44'' is their advantage.
Summerhill and Gerts are done with cobbles and their advantage is 1'07''. Gerts has been doing his turns as well, looks like they're gonna make it. 5.5 km left.
Gerts accelerates on the last small uprise, but Summerhill puts the power down and holds his ground. A terrific performance from both of these riders!
The next group on the road that will fight for the podium is as follows:
Bewley either hasn't given up on the win or he simply doesn't wish to sprint for 3rd. He attacks with just under 3 km left and he makes a gap between him and the others.
The front two are still working together even as they head under the flamme rouge. Bewley is going as hard as he can behind them. They still have a 20'' gap, surely that is enough?
They launch their sprint with 500 m left. They're neck and neck, but Summerhill has the inside line. Who will be the strongest?
They looked equally strong, but then Gerts just ran out of steam and Summerhill powered past him by a comfortable margin. An oustanding win by the American! A perfect record on the cobbles this season!
Bewley ends a clear 3rd. Did he miss the trick by not following the front two or were they simply a bit stronger than the rest today?
Stallaert comes in 4th.
Wisniowski is 5th. He won't be happy with this result.
We have riders coming in one by one. The next one is Polanc in 6th.
Senechal is 7th. Probably a good result for him, given the amount of climbing on this course.
Then we have Blythe just managing to outsprint Teunissen for 8th spot.
Strada Appia Antica 
