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Milano-Torino 2017

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120km remaining from 186km

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

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

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.

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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

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. 

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50km remaining from 186km

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. 

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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

23km remaining from 186km

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. 

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21km remaining from 186km

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. 

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20km remaining from 186km

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.

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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.

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Although the peloton has been whittled down very significantly in size, there is still some significant firepower in the chasing group. 

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Luis Leon Sanchez leads the front group on to the final haul up Superga. The indefatigable Alaphilippe sits in third wheel.

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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.

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Thibaut Pinot accelerates from the peloton, and is joined by Quintana in the third group on the road.

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1km remaining from 186km

Aru kicks clear of Gaudu and grinds against the slope alone in third position on the road.

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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:

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.

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.

 

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