Barloworld's Robert Hunter was part of a 150 km breakaway with team mate Daryl Impey and Estonian rider Janek Tombak (Mitsubishi-Jartazi), broke off at the first intermediate sprint; the trio was only caught with 40 km to go.

Several strong attacks were launched in the finale of the race, but there was always a Team Barloworld rider in the action, with first Christopher Froome and then Carlo Scognamiglio in the moves. A group of 30 riders, including Calcagni, broke away in the first lap of a local circuit with 15 kilometres to go and then the Swiss rider confidently won the sprint ahead of Italia's Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep) and Belgian rider James Vanlandschoot (Mitsubishi - Jartazi).

GP Pino Cerami winner Patrick Calcagni said: "Actually I started [the sprint, editor] very early and just continued to ride full gas.Suddenly I was at the front and I managed to keep that position."

Calcagni continued by saying: "I rode Gent - Wevelgem and my legs didn't really felt good at the start. In the sprint everything was ok again."

Quickstep's Giovanni Visconti said after the race: "I could have won. It was pretty close. It is already my third second place tis year. Maybe I should have started earlier."

Mitsubishi - Jartazi rider James van Landschoot said: "When we past the finish for the first time I was dropped by the peloton. I was even thinking about abandoning the race but I decided to continue the race and I came back to the group again. I started my sprint a bit to early."