The Breakaway
Firstly we see Fausto Masnada's power to get in the day's break. As we can see it didn't take long, just a couple of accelarations were enough for him (and likely the 10-men group to get away, and quickly started establishing a gap.
Passo del Turchino
In the peloton the Passo del Turchino was raced in a very strong pace already, Naesen took 6.05W/Kg for almost 4 minutes in the group, meaning there was a strong pace throughout this little climb.
Masnada's solo move
Masnada rode 15Km solo, attacking on the Capo Berta and carrying the flag for the breakaway until the lower slopes of the Cipressa. He averaged 5.64W/Kg during this period which included a descent in the middle. Very impressive but there wasn't any chance of his move succeeding with a charging peloton behind.
Capo Berta
Capo Berta was also raced in an immense pace in the peloton, wearing out the sprinters. 6.98W/Kg had some sprinters suffocated, Naesen took 3:41 at that pace in the climb. Very impressive 25Km/h in a 7% climb.
Cipressa
The run-in to Cipressa was a mad one, the climb seemed controled but the pace was furious as the descent is known to be very dangerous. Naesen took 10:16 minutes to go through it at an average of 6.26W/Kg, a rhythm that some sprinters managed well but the fatigue was starting to build up a lot.
Poggio
The Poggio was an impressive feat, with the times reaching almost the climb records, we have Naesen's power output to really showcase the brutality it was. The climb isn't a steep one, the riders averaged over 37Km/h to get over it. Naesen averaged an amazing 7.09W/Kg through the climb. In his file the accelarations made by the Deceuninck riders are well visible. Alaphillipe's attack proved an almost all-out sprint up the climb's steepest section, where the power was impossible to keep matching until the end. He had made it through the Poggio in front.
Gaviria and Démare both featured around the middle of the chasing peloton if we can call it that, the Colombian averaged 5.95W/Kg and the Frenchman 5.61W/Kg. And the fatigue is visible on both of them, the attack in the peloton is still visible on both their files but it is very easy to see that both didn't have close to the power required to be up in the front group. They looked for the wheels in the final meters of the climb after the accelaration.
Run-in to the finish
If it wasn't enough already Naesen's numbers continued to be impressive all the way to the line. 490 watts for the last 3 minutes shows it was no cat-and-mouse to the line. He launched his own attack but stopped shortly seeing it wasn't causing an effect, and then Matteo Trentin's attack is also visible as the chase was furious over to him. Mohoric's attack was a strong one and there you see no spike cause Naesen always remained on the wheel of Sagan as he closed it down behind Alaphillipe. In the end he was able to put out pretty much his top numbers in the sprint, and couldn't beat Alaphillipe but did enough to a first ever podium in a monument.
Alaphillipe on the other side managed 1180 watts in the final sprint, for a 63Kg rider it's an impressive number. His Tirreno Adriatico sprint win was no fluke, and he managed to hold off everyone else for an amazing win.
Overall view
In the end an impressive display of power after such distance, noticeable just what it takes for a rider to be able to contest such a race.
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