Greig Leach

As the breakaway hit the Cape Berta, one of the short step climbs ahead of the two bigger and infamous climbs that come with just a few kilometers to the line, it was Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani CSF) whose pace thinned out the break. Seven members of the break were already dropped and it appears that Serge Pauwels (MTN-Qhubeka) and Julien Berard (AG2R) will shortly join the others. It was only Pirazzi's countryman, Matteo Bono (Lampre Merida) that could hold the Italian's wheel. It would be a tall order for these two to stay away, but now it is only about 40 kilometers left to race.