It was a Cannondale one-two as Moreno Moser won the Strade Bianche ahead of team-mate Peter Sagan.
The first race in the Italian festival of cycling which also features the Roma Maxima, was a 188km race from Gaiole in Chianti to Siena which includes eight sections of dirt roads. There were some very big names including twice winner Fabian Cancellera, Andy Schleck, Peter Sagan and Ireland's Dan Martin in the 132 riders who started.
Saramotins (IAM), Belkov (KAT), Ermeti (AND) and Schar (BMC) escaped and had built up a 9.45 lead after seventy kilometres.
That was down to 3.30 when Juan Antonio Flecha decided to try and chase down the escapers.
A group of 35 riders including four Cannondale riders, three of who were protecting Peter Sagan were trying to stay out of the crashes which were befalling a number of riders including Stefan Garzelli.
Into the final twenty kilometres and Flecha was less than two minutes behind the front quartet.
The former Team Sky rider was caught with 17.4kms to go and Moreno Moser started the charge to the front group who were 1.10 ahead.
Moser dropped Flecha and made his way up to Michael Schar and then Belkov as Cancellera and Peter Sagan kept an eye on proceedings with 8kms to go.
Into the narrow streets of Siena town and Morent Moser was up the hill and away and he won in a time in 5.01.53 with team mate Peter Sagan who also punched the air when finishing five seconds back, coming second ahead of Nocentini and Cancellera.
Steve Cummings was 61st and the only Brit amongst the 79 riders to finish the race.
Speaking to Eurosport's Daniel Lloyd, Moser said: "It was a great victory. I had wanted to win this race and I won it."
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