The bookies think that Kamyshev has good chances, probably due to his strong team. Otherwise, it’s quite the expected favorites list.
Loads of attacks in the first kilometers of the race, but Aker, Tinkoff, Los Pollos and Grieg soon take control of te peloton. 11 men have 2’30 and Simmons between them and the peloton with 180 km left. They are Antonijevic, Jurado, Alexander, Jarc, Tanfield, Krul, Groselj, Honore, Kvist, Rojas and Cardona.
Quite surprisingly, ELCO joined the chase.
The favorites teams keep the break well in check, and the gap only is 2’53 at the foot of the Salita di Velletri, with 104 km left.
And at the summit, we’ve some action! Chokri and Karatzios try a long range attack!
Klaris, Goldstein and Eekhoff are able to keep the attacks in check for now.
Right after the descent, the cobbles begin! 78 km to go, the gap is 1’16.
Ouch, a puncture for Wisniowski! The world champion was well positionned, so no worries. Not the same for Stork, who’ll have a hard day on the cobbles. Quintana and Matte are dropped along him.
At the 70 km mark, we have another attack by De Witte. Senechal goes with him out of the pack, in what is the first move by a favorite!
They quickly join the break, which has a 1 minute on a pack consisting of 75 men.
The Minions are all over the place! Sweeck attacks next, with Muhindo and Ovsyannikov in his slipstream. The Minions already have Alexander and De Witte in the break!
36 km left. The gap still is around the minute, with 17 men at the front, but the favorites don’t seem able to control the attacks: Chokri, Poljanec and Ulloa are next to accelerate!
Finally, other favorites are on the move: Per feels he has something to play and he attacks with 30 km left. De Gendt leads the chase.
6 km later, the race begins to be a bit messy. Ariesen attacked too – Aker must have something in mind – as te peloton goes though half of the break. The other half only is 16 seconds away.
A more serious attack follows: it comes from Anderberg.
He easily takes 14 seconds on a group of 6: Per, Theuns, Pedersen, Stallaert, Stavrakakis and Senechal. Summerhill couldn’t follow.
Siric and Fenn try to get out of the pack, 15 seconds behind them.
Anderberg is taken by the chasing group 18 km from the line. Behind them are Hnik, Yechezkel, Kortsidakis, Siric, Fenn, Salzmann, Zepuntke and Vermeersch. Wisniowski is quite isolated in the 3rd group.
In the leading group, an acceleration from Stallaert dropped Stavrakakis and Anderberg. They have 34 seconds on the chasing group.
Stavrakakis and Anderberg manage to come back quite quickly. Behind, some 43 men regrouped. Notably, Kamyshev, Zepuntke and Wisniowski are here.
Pedersen! The Dane accelerates and takes a 20 seconds advantage with only 11 km left.
He manages to keep his lead on the cobbles. If he survives the coming steep and short climb, he might be able to go all the way to the finish line.
Wisniowski’s group still is 21 seconds behind the 6 chasers.
But letting Pedersen go away isn’t an option for the World champion. The peloton came back fast, and he immediately attacks, brining Salzmann and Summerhill with him.
Pedersen resists! He begins the last 5 km with 11 seconds on a group of 11: Sulimov, Kamyshev, Senechal Wisniowski Summerhill Salzmann Siric Per Zepuntke Theuns Stavrakakis
Anderberg and Tiller are 54 seconds further back. With 3 riders in the chasing group, Tinkoff seem in a good position, if they play it smart.
Pedersen is brought back at the foot of the hill. Wisniowski immediately attacks.
He gets alone with 3 km left!
Flamme rouge! Kamyshev, Per and Siric are coming back at the world champion.
700 m. Siric is the best sprinter here. Could he upset everyone?
He hit a wall and Wisniowski remains in the lead.
200 m and no real change. Kamyshev still is coming fast tough.
Wisnowski wins Roma Maxima!
Exploit by Siric who comes in 2nd!
Per resists to Kamyshev in 3rd.
Stallaert, Salzmann and Theuns come next.
Senechal, Summerhill and Pedersen are 8th to 10. That must be a disappointing result for the Dane.
In the other hand, Stavrakakis has a good 11th. Zepuntke and Sulimov are next.
Anderberg is 14th, ahead of Jansen.
What a day here in Italy! I hope you were as entertained as I was. See you soon.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
