We're in Rome, the capital of Italy, for a unique race on the PT calendar. The first half will need the riders to survive the hills while cobbles prowess will be necessary to be able to make the decisive moves in the closing stages. Let's see who comes out on top in this one.
Favourites
Mtn
Stam
Res
Cob
Spr
Acc
Wisniowski
69
75
76
83
73
76
Pedersen
63
78
80
83
78
77
Gerts
66
76
80
82
72
70
Per
68
74
75
82
74
74
Altur
63
75
70
82
72
68
Senechal
61
79
74
82
69
74
Kamyshev
57
81
75
82
66
60
Kasperkiewicz
66
75
77
81
59
67
Teunissen
61
77
73
81
67
69
Stallaert
60
76
68
81
79
76
Theuns
67
76
73
80
77
76
Anderberg
64
77
76
80
60
73
Tiller
65
76
75
79
74
73
Sulimov
64
77
71
79
65
71
Ferreira
57
74
70
79
71
69
Vanbilsen
50
78
72
79
71
69
Polanc
74
78
73
78
67
75
ac
Six riders form the break on the first climb of the day. They are:
Bush Harrison Nieuwenhuis Yatsevich Salazar Sweeney
Halfway through the race and the peloton trail by 3'46". It was up at around 5 minutes at the maximum. Jura, Evonik, Rabobank, King Power and Grieg are leading the chase.
50 km to go for the break who still lead by 3'17". The climbs are done and we have the flat and cobbled sections to go. In fact, we are at the start of the first cobbles section. Only three riders have been dropped from the pack so far.
Four riders attack with 45 km remaining - Kasperkiewicz, Menten, Wisniowski, Altur. King Power with the double dip here.
De Gendt and Anderberg are chasing.
Neilands and Basso are away a couple of kilometers later.
Teunissen, Stallaert, Swift and Vermeersch are the next to attack. 40 km left.
Yatsevich is dropped from the break.
Yatsevich is caught with 37 km to go.
Wisniowski is away and chasing after the break on his own.
Wisniowski catches the break soon after. All the other attackers are together now, to make it a 12 rider group.
The chase group is caught by the pack with 30 km to go.
This is followed by the peloton catching the break. 23 km remain. Gaps have started forming in the peloton. Vanbilsen and Ferreira are the big names on the wrong side of the split.
16 km to go and we're on the last cobbled section. Gerts takes the opportunity to attack. Wisniowski and Salzmann are chasing. The peloton is down to 55 and trail by 37 seconds.
11 km. All the attackers are caught. The peloton is down to just 16.
Kortsidakis is just behind them, and ahead of the next group.
Anderberg, Kamyshev, Sulimov, Teunissen, Stallaert and Basso are dropped just a kilometer later.
Altur and Kasperkiewicz are the next to lose contact.
Anderberg has done well to make it back to the front group in the meantime.
Salzmann is dropped. He is followed by Polanc. 6 km to go.
Anderberg, Theuns and Per get a gap with 5 km to go.
Gerts, Pedersen, Wisniowski and Senechal are all that's left of the next group.
Anderberg is away on his own. Per and Theuns have been caught by the next group. 2 km to go. The Aker man leads by 34 seconds.
Final kilometer and Anderberg has extended his lead to 49 seconds! The next group of six are still together.
Anderberg takes a comfortable but in no way an easy win!
500 meters to go for the next group, where Per is at the front.
Per has enough in the tank to stretch his legs and confirm 2nd.
Pedersen outsprints Wisniowski for 3rd. Great race for Aker still. Defending champion Senechal is 5th this time.
Theuns edges out Gerts for 6th.
Polanc is 8th.
Altur is 9th.
Kamyshev is 10th.
Sulimov makes it three Tinkoff riders in the Top 11. Kasperkiewicz will perhaps be disappointed with 12th today.
Stallaert wins the sprint for 13th as a wildcard, ahead of Teunissen and Salzmann.
Basso is the next MOL rider in 16th.
Garcia Cortina is 17th. Kortsidakis is 18th.
Bester follows his teammate through in 19th. Vermeersch completes the Top 20, just ahead of Tiller.
Today's winner - Hampus Anderberg.
Anderberg displays amazing resilience to come back from being dropped with 10 km to go, and take the win with a strong attack in the closing stages! Per and Pedersen complete a strong podium, and one that we may have to get used to on the cobbles for a few years to come.
