Team Sky's Rigoberto Uran won the tenth stage of the Giro D'Italia
A visit to the Austrian border on a 167km stage from Cordenons to the uphill finish Montasio was the fate of the riders minus Argos Shimano's John Degenkolb, who had withdrawn.
After only eight kilometres, Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling), Giairo Ermeti (Androni Giocattoli), Fabio Felline (Androni Giocattoli), Wilson Marentes Torres (Colombia) attacked but were soon brought back by the peloton led by race leader Vincenzo Nibali.
The next attack, which came after the riders had passed through Casara della Delizia, was a stronger one and saw British legend David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) away in a group containing Daniele Bennati (Team Saxo-Tinkoff), Kenny Dehaes (Lotto Belisol), Elia Viviani (Cannondale Pro Cycling), Tiago Machado (RadioShack Leopard), Yaroslav Popovych (RadioShack Leopard), Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Sharp), Maarten Tjallingii (Blanco Pro Cycling Team), Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli), Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Oscar Gatto (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia), Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) and Pavel Brutt (Katusha).
With forty kilometres gone, the escapers which dropped to thirteen were 1.40 ahead and twelve kilometres later and with speeds for the first hour averaging 49.5kph, the gap went out to 4.15.
By the time the feedzone was reached, the escapers had been allowed another three minutes by the Astana led peloton and that went further out to 9.15 on a warm day with the rain holding off.
Ellia Viviane took the first intermediate sprint at Paulard after 102kms, followed by Ligthart.
Team Sky took over at the front of the peloton on the climb up the Passo Cason di Lanza, with its 16% gradients, which came after 117.4kms.
It was there that the race leader suffered a chain drop which held him up as Sky kept the pressure up on the front of the peloton and also where Jackson Rodriquez went away spliting the leading group apart.
David Millar was one of the riders shelled out of the escaping group whilst last year's winner Ryder Hesjedal struggled at the back.
With 25.4kms to go, Rodriquez, who had a lead of 3.33 back to the peloton, had to change his bike twice was joined by Serge Pauwels of Omega Pharma Quick Step before the final climb to the summit of Altopiano del Montasio which started in the village of Pian della Sega.
This climb includes four kilometres of a climb with gradients at 20% and just after the 10kms to go mark, Rodriquez and Pauwels were swept up and . Evans,Wiggins, Gesink, Nibali, Wiggins and Uran were in the lead group.
Team Sky's Rigoberto Uran got away and took the sprint points at Selle Neava with 4.4kms to go. Nibali took the three seconds as Uran increased his lead at the front to fifty seconds.
Nibali was behind Pozzovivo and behind the race leader was Sir Bradley Wiggins, who said he was in his best ever condition, despite descending like a girl on Sunday, and Cadel Evans.
Nibali and a group with Evans and Betancur, caught Pozzovivo with 1.5kms to go and they were now 19 seconds behind Uran.
Uran was not be caught and won in a time of 4.37.42. AG3R's Carlos Betancur came in 20 seconds down and Vincenzo Nibali was third 31 seconds back, whilst Wiggins came in tenth at 1.08.
Vincenzo Nibali keeps his leaders jersey with a 41 seconds lead over Cadel Evans. Uran is third 2.04 back with Wiggins fourth at 2.05.