As we pick up coverage after 66 kilometres of racing, a four-man break has a lead of 5:27 over the main peloton. Patrick Lauk (Astana), Simone Andreetta (Bardiani-CSF), Guillaume Bonnafond (Cofidis) and Grégory Rast (Trek-Segafredo) escaped in the opening kilometres, and have steadily increased their lead since.
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) was briefly part of a counter-attacking group that attempted to bridge across, but Movistar's policing of the peloton quickly brought that move to heel.
The escapees are currently trundling through the province of Pavia. The route of Milano-Torino is largely flat until the race reaches its denouement around Turin. The riders will face twin ascents of the short, sharp climb of Superga, with the finish line situated near the Basilica at the summit. The hilltop finish has been a staple since RCS Sport revived and re-imagined the race in 2012, and the Superga finale is perhaps the most visually striking in all of cycling.
From a sporting standpoint, too, the climb offers a fitting conclusion, as the peloton winds from the banks of the Po to the sanctuary overlooking Turin. 4.9km in length at an average gradient of 9.1% and with pitches of 14% halfway up, the climb to Superga has been conquered by Alberto Contador (2012), Diego Ulissi (2013), the since-suspended Giampaolo Caruso (2014), Diego Rosa (2015) and Miguel Angel Lopez (2016) in recent seasons.
108km remaining from 186km
The gruppo is happy to grant the escapees their freedom for the time being, and the gap remains north of five minutes.
Team Sky has decided to field Gianni Moscon in today's race despite the news that Sebastien Reichenbach (FDJ) is to lodge complaints against Moscon with both the police and the UCI following his crash at Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday. According to Reichenbach, who fractured his elbow in the crash, Moscon deliberately forced him onto the ground. Reichenbach believes Moscon did so in retribution for the Swiss rider's part in highlighting Moscon's racist abuse of Kevin Reza at the Tour de Romandie in April. Moscon has denied being the cause of Reichenbach's crash.
FDJ Marc Madiot told Le Parisien that he would sue Moscon for damages if the investigation confirms that the Sky rider deliberately caused Reichenbach's crash. Speaking at the start in San Giuliano Milanese, Moscon told Tuttobiciweb and other Italian media: "I'm serene. And I've got no intention of sitting on my hands: I'm going to defend myself."
Speaking of sitting on hands, Moscon's Sky team released this comment to some British newspapers: “First and foremost, we wish Sebastien a quick recovery from his injuries. With regards to the circumstances around the crash, it is right and fair that the full facts are established and that those involved first have the opportunity to provide their own view through the proper channels.”
94km remaining from 186km
Rast, Lauk, Andreetta and Bonnafond has gone through Casale Monferrato and have reached the feed zone at Pozzo Sant’Evasio, still with a lead of more than five minutes over the peloton.
While the Quick-Step triumvirate of Dan Martin, Philippe Gilbert and Julian Alaphilippe are all riding Milano-Torino as a warm-up for Il Lombardia, the favourite for Saturday's race has opted out of the action this afternoon. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) impressed at both the Giro dell'Emilia and Tre Valli Varesine, but did not start today, preferring to spare himself for Il Lombardia. The Sicilian scored a fine solo victory in the race two years ago, and is looking to end his 2017 campaign on a similar high.
87km remaining from 186km
The peloton is steadily shaving back the break's advantage, which has now dropped to 4:45. The race reaches Turin and the finishing circuit with 29.6 kilometres to go, and crests the summit of Superga for the first time with 19.5 kilometres remaining.
Superga has, of course, been a feature on the Milano-Torino route long before the finish line was moved to the summit. It traditionally featured as the race's final climb before the old finish on the Motovelodromo Fausto Coppi in Turin. Marco Pantani was hit by an oncoming car as he descended Superga during the 1995 edition of Milano-Torino, and missed virtually the entirety of the 1996 season after breaking his left leg in two places.
Superga resonates in Italian sporting history for reasons beyond cycling, of course. In 1949, the Torino football team was among the 31 people killed when their plane crashed into the wall at the back of the Basilica di Superga on May 4. Il Grande Torino won five successive championships, and the victims of the tragedy are remembered by a poignant memorial at the rear of the basilica.
75km remaining from 186km
There has been an infusion of urgency in the main peloton, and the break's lead drops to 3:50.
Cannondale-Drapac, Movistar and FDJ are all prominent at the head of the peloton in pursuit of the four escapees.
As well as Moscon, Sky's team includes Diego Rosa, Sergio Henao, Wout Poels, Mikel Landa and Michal Kwiatkowski. The Pole has already won Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo this season, but he downplayed his prospects of completing a hat-trick of Italian triumphs this week. “I wish I could perform like I did at Strade Bianche or Milan-San Remo, but the season is really long and I don’t feel I can be there for the victory in these races, although I’d love to be good at Lombardia and Milan-Torino because they are beautiful races," Kwiatkowski said at the start. "Maybe I can in the future, but Sky have other strong riders here like Mikel Landa, Gianni Moscon, Sergio Henao and Diego Rosa. Let’s hope we have a good race.”
Cannondale-Drapac and FDJ continue to lead at the head of the peloton, though it's interesting to note a delegation from Quick-Step Floors maintaining a watching brief just behind them.
52km remaining from 186km
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) showed his form by tracking Vincenzo Nibali's attack in the finale of Tre Valli Varesine and placing second behind Alexandre Geniez (AG2R La Mondiale) in the two-up sprint. The Frenchman told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he extended his season to October expressly because the route of Il Lombardia mirrors that of 2015, when he placed third behind Nibali and Dani Moreno in Como. “I got sick and abandoned the Tour de France. I was annoyed and I even thought about finishing my season there, but then I won the Tour de l’Ain in August and I saw that the Lombardy course was more or less the same as in 2015. I went to see it again on Monday, it’s beautiful,” Pinot said.
50km remaining from 186km
The urgency continues to grow in the peloton as FDJ wind up the pace. The break's lead is now at 2:40.
Lauk, Andreetta, Bonnafond and Rast continue to collaborate well at the head of the race, but they know they are fighting a losing battle against the FDJ-led peloton.
44km remaining from 186km
There are a lot of big names in the peloton this afternoon, though riders reach this late stage of the season with varying degrees of motivation. Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) showcased his form with a dominant victory at the Worlds time trial, and it will be fascinating to see if the Dutchman can play a significant role this afternoon or at Il Lombardia on Saturday. He drops back to the team car to collect some bidons, suggesting Wilco Kelderman or Sam Oomen might have freedom in the finale.
40km remaining from 186km
FDJ are still massed at the head of the peloton as the race approaches the final 40 kilometres, but delegations from Bahrain-Merida, QuickStep and Movistar are all moving up behind them. 2:40 the gap to the break.
36km remaining from 186km
The four leaders reach San Raffaele Cimena outside Turin with their margin slice to just 2:17. The 20-year-old Lauk has been especially active at the head of this move. The Estonian rides for Pro Immo in France, and has been a stagiaire with Astana since August 1.
33km remaining from 186km
With a shade over 20 miles to go, the break's lead stands at precisely two minutes. Lauk continues to showcase his talents on the front. Astana have Fabio Aru, Luis Leon Sanchez and Jakob Fulgsang in their line-up today, though 2016 winner Miguel Angel Lopez is not present, having already brought the curtain down on his season.
29km remaining from 186km
FDJ have relinquished their position at the head of the peloton, and now Movistar, Astana, Katusha, Sunweb and Trek are among the squads vying for the first positions as the race approaches Turin and the entry to the finishing circuit.
28km remaining from 186km
Although Trek have Rast in the break, they have now hit the front of the peloton, working on behalf of Bauke Mollema. The four escapees have an advantage of 1:20.
25km remaining from 186km
Bahrain-Merida and Cannondale-Drapac now power the peloton, and the break's lead drops to 25 seconds. The pace will continue to ratchet upwards as the race approaches the first of two ascents of the climb to Superga.
The road to the top of Superga is a narrow and twisting one, hence the competition for positions at the front of the bunch. It's interesting to note that Tom Dumoulin has sat up at the rear of the peloton, and looks likely to pull out of the race before they even hit Superga, no doubt with an eye to Saturday's Il Lombardia.
23km remaining from 186km
The break hits the base of Superga with 23 seconds in hand on the bunch. Andreetta and Bonnafond immediately pull away from Lauk and Rast, though they surely won't last too long.
23km remaining from 186km
The race doesn't go all the way to the top of Superga on the first passage, instead swinging off around 500 metres shy of the summit, but this first ascent will whittle the peloton down to size.
Dayer Quintana (Movistar) accelerates at the head of the main peloton and he brings a small group with him. They pick off Lauk, while Diego Rosa leads the bunch for Team Sky.
The Dayer Quintana group can't get away as Sky set the tempo. Pello Bilbao (Astana) puts in a dig, but he can't snap the elastic either.
22km remaining from 186km
Bonnafond is the lone survivor at the front of the race, but the repeated accelerations in the bunch are taking clumps off his advantage. He has just 8 seconds in hand as he struggles against the gradient.
21km remaining from 186km
The break formally ends as Bonnafond is recaptured by the peloton.
A number of riders have been jettisoned off the back of the peloton under the weight of Rosa's forcing. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step) is among those to be dropped.
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is climbing strongly towards the front of the peloton, while Astana are also well represented.
21km remaining from 186km
2015 winner Diego Rosa continues to lead the peloton, but Movistar are eager to send riders up the road to test Sky on this finale. Winner Anacona (Movistar) attacks, but he is marked by Bilbao and Rosa.
20km remaining from 186km
Anacona, Bilbao, Rosa and Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale) have opened a gap over the rest of the peloton on the upper slopes of Superga.
David Gaudu (FDJ) bridges across to the leaders with a mammoth acceleration. This now five-man group of Rosa, Bilbao, Gaudu, Latour and Anacona has around 10 seconds in hand on the peloton, but more riders are trying to come across.
20km remaining from 186km
Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) was among those trying to get across, and just as the chasers bridge up to the leaders, the Frenchman launches a vicious attack and goes clear alone. Shades of his acceleration at the Bergen Worlds eleven days ago...
19km remaining from 186km
Julian Alaphilippe swings right to descend Superga with a lead over Rein Taaramae (Katusha-Alpecin), who is just ahead of a group of around 25 riders or so.
19km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe is not waiting about on the descent, though he would surely have preferred some company on a raid like this.
Alaphilippe has his teammate Dan Martin in the chasing group, mind, and his solo effort here is forcing Team Sky, FDJ and others to marshal the pursuit.
17km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe seems committed to this lone move as he swoops down the descent of Superga and back towards the Po.
Although the peloton has been whittled down very significantly in size, there is still some significant firepower in the chasing group.
16km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe almost overshoots a pair of bends on the descent. He manages to stay upright, but that has undoubtedly cost him some momentum.
14km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe hunches onto his top tube every time the road straightens out as he battles to maintain his advantage over the chasing group.
12km remaining from 186km
Fabio Aru, Thibaut Pinot and Dan Martin are among the riders still very much in contention in this chasing group of 30 or so riders, which is around 10 seconds behind Alaphilippe.
11km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe has a buffer of 18 seconds over the chasers as the road flattens out at the bottom of the descent off Superga.
10km remaining from 186km
Astana lead the pursuit of Alaphilippe with Fabio Aru in mind. Movistar have plenty of bodies in this chasing group, while Diego Rosa, Gianni Moscon, Pinot, Rigoberto Uran and Dan Martin are also all present.
9km remaining from 186km
Luis Leon Sanchez is working on the front for Astana, and he has cut Alaphilippe's lead to 11 seconds.
8km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe reaches the banks of the Po once again with just a handful of seconds in hand on the pursuers. He won't hold this lead onto the base of the final ascent of Superga.
7km remaining from 186km
Alaphilippe sits up and stretches his back as Astana lead the chasing group back up to him. There are 25 riders or so in contention as the race approaches the final climb.
7km remaining from 186km
Nairo Quintana remains well placed towards the front of this group. For Sky, Wout Poels and Diego Rosa appears to be riding in support of Gianni Moscon.
6km remaining from 186km
After his lone raid off the front of the race, Alaphilippe has now seemingly re-purposed himself as a domestique for Dan Martin. The Irishman is tucked onto Alaphilippe's wheel on the approach to the climb. Astana continue to lead the reduced peloton.
5km remaining from 186km
Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale) is another danger man in this group, which is almost on the lower slopes of Superga once again.
Luis Leon Sanchez leads the front group on to the final haul up Superga. The indefatigable Alaphilippe sits in third wheel.
4km remaining from 186km
Rudy Molard (FDJ) accelerates off the front of the group as the gradient begins to bit. The Frenchman has opened a small gap, but there will surely be a reaction behind.
4km remaining from 186km
Italian champion Fabio Aru leads the chase with a rasping acceleration that only Egan Bernal (Androni) and Vuillermoz can follow.
Mikael Cherel is the AG2R rider, in fact. Cherel, Bernal and Aru join Molard at the front. Gaudu and Uran bridge across soon afterwards to form a leading group of six.
3km remaining from 186km
Cherel attacks alone and opens a lead over the rest of this front group.
3km remaining from 186km
Cherel is pegged back, and almost immediately Uran and Gaudu go clear.
2km remaining from 186km
Uran's acceleration split the leading group of six riders. Only Gaudu could follow initially, but the Colombian kicks again and he is alone at the front of Milan-Torino.
2km remaining from 186km
Uran is alone in front. Gaudu and Aru are chasing around 10 seconds back. Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) has accelerated from the main peloton, and is trying to bridge up to Gaudu and Aru.
2km remaining from 186km
Uran is seated and turning over a sizeable gear as he enters the final two kilometres. Adam Yates has joined Aru and Gaudu in the chasing group.
Thibaut Pinot accelerates from the peloton, and is joined by Quintana in the third group on the road.
1km remaining from 186km
Uran has established what looks like a winning lead, especially as Aru, Gaudu and Yates can't seem to strike up a decent working alliance behind him.
1km remaining from 186km
Adam Yates jumps away from Aru and Gaudu, setting off in lone pursuit of Uran.
Aru kicks clear of Gaudu and grinds against the slope alone in third position on the road.
1km remaining from 186km
Uran's lead over Yates is some 22 seconds as he hits the flamme rouge. Aru is a little further behind the Briton, while the main peloton has splintered further down the hillside.
Yates is beginning to make some inroads into Uran's lead, but the Colombian is betraying no real signs of struggling just yet.
Yates dances against the slope and hits the final 500 metres with a deficit of 15 seconds on Uran.
Aru is still third on the road, while Quintana has picked off Gaudu, and is in pursuit of the Italian champion.
Uran looks over his shoulder with 300 metres to go and sees Adam Yates closing in upon him...
Yates drags himself from the saddle once again. He is still closing in on Uran, but he might just run out of road.
Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) wins Milano-Torino.
Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) passes the basilica 9 seconds later to take second place. Fabio Aru (Astana) holds off Nairo Quintana (Movistar) to take third.
David Gaudu (FDJ) finished 5th, 31 seconds down on Uran, while Wout Poels (Sky) placed 6th. Daniel Martinez (Wilier-Triestina), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale) and Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo) rounded out the top ten.
Result:
1 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 4:24:51 2 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:10 3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:20 4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:28 5 David Gaudu (Fra) FDJ 0:00:31 6 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky 7 Daniel Martinez (Col) Wilier Triestina 0:00:33 8 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:00:35 9 Pierre Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:43 10 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:53
Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) had to fight hard to hold off Yates, and will hope today's win augurs well for Il Lombardia at the weekend. "I was a little worried about Yates catching me because I’d suffered a lot to get up here," Uran says. "I wanted to do well today because I’m feeling good. I like racing in Italy and I like this race, it suits me. I’ve been trying to win Lombardia for a few years now, let's hope I can do it this year.”
Third-placed Fabio Aru (Astana) was also bullish about his prospects in the Race of the Falling Leaves. "I’ve been feeling better and better since the Giro dell’Emilia and Tuesday’s Tre Valli Varesine, and I wanted to do well today too," Aru says. "Now I’m focused on Il Lombardia, it’s a race I love."
Egan Bernal (Androni Giocattoli) finished 16th but sealed first place in the season-long Ciclismo Cup competition. Androni Giocattoli also won the team prize and so have secured a wild card invitation to the 2018 Giro d’Italia.
Bernal will switch to Team Sky in 2018.
“I had a good race. I live nearby and so wanted to do well,” the 20-year-old said.
“I felt good and was up there on the first climb but they rode it hard. I recovered on the descent and went after Aru when he attacked and split the group. When they started to attack each other I didn’t have the legs to go with them and I had to ride at my own pace.”
A full report, results and pictures from Milano-Torino are available here.
Result:
1 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 4:24:51 2 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:10 3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:20 4 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:28 5 David Gaudu (Fra) FDJ 0:00:31 6 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky 7 Daniel Martinez (Col) Wilier Triestina 0:00:33 8 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:00:35 9 Pierre Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:43 10 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:53
Thanks for joining our live coverage this afternoon on Cyclingnews. The full report is available here, and we'll be back with more from Il Lombardia on Saturday.
