The CT and some PCT are back for another hilly race, which will see the best punchers of the former battling it out to try to get their names into the history books. It's a lovely day for cycling, so let's get this party started!
Favourites
FL
MO
HI
ST
RS
SP
AC
Eiking
71
69
81
78
74
68
76
Jensen
71
70
80
77
73
66
76
Edmondson
70
69
79
75
72
70
76
Dyrnes
68
72
78
73
73
65
77
Eriksson
72
67
78
78
74
65
76
Teuns
68
75
78
73
73
66
72
Lagane
70
70
77
70
71
75
77
Duchesne
70
67
77
73
72
69
79
Morin
70
65
78
75
73
69
76
Lafay
66
75
77
72
72
63
74
Villella
72
65
77
72
74
65
80
Zordan
67
73
77
72
72
65
74
Grossschartner
67
74
77
72
73
62
72
Hindley
71
72
76
75
72
67
73
Mayer
68
69
77
65
72
72
77
A calm start sees the peloton allow eight riders to get away in twos and threes. They unite after a handful of kilometers to form the day's break:
Tafjord, Tirol, Manada, Bordeaux, Ekoi and Gjensidige are all sharing the load at the front. 90 km remain.
The gap stands at 2'50" with 60 km left.
25 km. The peloton is reduced to 68 riders. Their pace has brought the break's lead down to 1'33".
Welch is caught with 13 km to go.
With 10 km to go, the peloton has increased in size to 82 riders, with all the favourites still here. Their deficit is down to just 40 seconds. Tirol, Bordeaux, Strava and Gjensidige are leading them on.
Obando is caught a couple of kilometers later.
18 riders get a gap to the rest of the group another kilometer later:
Rodriguez, Lafay Dyrnes Grossschartner Jensen Eiking Teuns Schelling, Hindley Rota Edmondson Goos Aru, Zordan Destribois, Moazemi Schleck Obando, holding on despite his breakaway efforts.
The undulating course has taken a toll on the pack it seems!
With 4 kilometers to go, the break still hold a 44 seconds lead on the chase group. Can they hold on till the end?
Schelling doesn't want that to happen, and launches the first major attack of the day.
He is caught with 2 km to go.
The break is caught under the Red Kite. So close for them but it isn't meant to be! There's a bit of a gap after the first 10 riders in the group and the six breakaway riders. Teuns and Dyrnes are at the front.
Edmondson makes his move with 700 meters to go. Eiking counters immediately!
Jensen takes over at the front, with Lafay coming through strongly on the inside. Edmondson is already fading fast. 400 meters left.
Lafay moves into the lead inside the final 200 meters. He also has the inside line. Grossschartner is making up ground.
Lafay still leads with a 100 meters to go. Jensen is also holding off a charging Grossschartner.
Grossschartner is getting ever closer for the 2nd spot. Lafay looks to be in the clear now.
And indeed he does it! Lafay wins in San Marino, continuing his team's great start to the hills this season.
Jensen had enough at the end to stay ahead of Grossschartner for 2nd.
Teuns takes 4th ahead of Eiking.
Edmondson's early move didn't pay off as he has to settle for 6th. Dyrnes and Rota come through after that.
Zordan is 9th with Schelling finishing 10th.
Destribois is the highest placed rider for a PCT team, narrowly edging out Goos for 11th.
Schelck is 13th, with Aru and Hindley behind him.
Doubey is a rather lonely 16th.
Niu is 17th.
Helme edges out Jele for 18th.
Thoerpanus is 20th makes in three Kraftwerk riders and two from the day's break in the Top 20.
Today's winner - Victor Lafay.
Victor is, poetically, the victor today! He is joined on the podium by Jensen and Grossschartner, all of whom will be quite pleased with the result.
