Carlos Alberto Betancur received an early 22nd birthday present in Bologna when he won this year's Giro dell'Emilia, finishing 24 seconds ahead of Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) and Rigoberto Uran (Team Sky) on the tough uphill finish of the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.
The Acqua e Sapone Colombian could celebrate his first professional victory atop the San Luca after making an important move in the closing laps, his dare paying off and delivering Acqua e Sapone a vital victory on home turf.
After 18km a group of five riders - Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek), Davide Ricci Bitti (Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli), Sergio Laganà (De Rosa – Ceramica Flaminia), Luca Solari (Androni Giocattoli – Cipi) and Alexander Zdanov (D'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo) - got away and built themselves a lead of 8:26 after 47km of racing.
Under the impetus of Liquigas-Cannondale, which was working for Vincenzo Nibali, the quintet was eventually caught, with Denifl the last to surrender at the beginning of the second of five finishing circuits. It was then time for Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago - CSF) to go it alone, which he did for a lap before being joined by Robert Kiserlovski (Astana), Betancur and Oliver Zaugg (Leopard Trek).
As the bell rang for the last lap - and the final 10km - the leading group split as Brambilla and Kiserlovski lost contact, while Zaugg continued with Betancur, the pair deciding to go for broke on the final climb. For the latter the plan worked to perfection, holding strong to take a solo win ahead of the quality field.
| 1 | Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Acqua & Sapone | 5:05:05 |
| 2 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:24 |
| 3 | Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
| 4 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) Miche - Guerciotti | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
| 5 | Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre - ISD | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
| 6 | Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:00:28 |
| 7 | Riccardo Chiarini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | 0:00:31 |
| 8 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
| 9 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Leopard Trek | 0:00:33 |
| 10 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | 0:00:39 |
| 11 | Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:40 |
| 12 | Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Geox-TMC | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
| 13 | Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Sky Procycling | 0:00:42 |
| 14 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:00:47 |
| 15 | David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Geox-TMC | 0:00:53 |
| 16 | Fabio Taborre (Ita) Acqua & Sapone | 0:00:54 |
| 17 | Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Pro Team Astana | 0:01:02 |
| 18 | Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:01:15 |
| 19 | Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) d'Angelo & Antenucci - Nippo | 0:01:18 |
| 20 | Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Miche - Guerciotti | 0:01:19 |
| 21 | Daniel Martin (Irl) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Geox-TMC | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| 23 | Federico Canuti (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 0:01:35 |
| 24 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| 25 | Emanuele Sella (Ita) Androni Giocattoli | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| 26 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Pro Team Astana | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox | 0:02:17 |
| 29 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| 30 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Leopard Trek | 0:02:59 |
| 31 | Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:03:18 |
| 32 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:04:49 |
| 34 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
| 35 | Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
| 36 | Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
| 37 | David Gutierrez Gutierrez (Spa) Geox-TMC | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 | Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| 40 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| 41 | Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| 42 | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Pro Team Astana | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| 43 | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| 44 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
| 45 | Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
| 46 | David Lelay (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:05:36 |
| 47 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
| 48 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:06:08 |
| 49 | Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek | 0:09:22 |
| 50 | Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
| 51 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
| 52 | Damiano Margutti (Ita) De Rosa - Ceramica Flaminia | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
| 53 | Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
| 54 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
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