The race began to liven up on the first of the 16.5km laps, with several American riders setting a fierce pace on the first 4.3km climb to Fiesole, and Britain's two-time junior world champion Lucy Garner, riding in her first senior world road race at the age of 19, was among those to drop back.
The 17.4km climb to the 1,501m-high 1,501m-highhe Colombier wasummitcted tofshake up the top of the general Colombieration but, wash expectedoasson Hagen and Richie Porto working hard, Team shakeet a fierce pace at the front of the peloton to negate any potential attacks.
Osana tried to do a Make A Stand and lead all the way - he set up a fierce pace only to give way at the top of the hill.
Bog Warrior - ridden by Bryan Cooper, replacing the injured Davy Russell who was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital with a spontaneous punctured lung - set a fierce pace that took its toll on the rest of the field.
That will not be easy to achieve, for too often in the past at summer tournaments England have shown the effects of a hard domestic season played at fierce pace.
At the other end, Mellouli is setting a fierce pace, with Lurz and Giannotis looking strong just behind him.
He scored at a fierce pace, as he always does, but without undue risk until he was dismissed.
As the race progressed at a fierce pace, Britain's tactics became clear: a reluctance to get riders into the moves being made off the fractured front of the group, in favour of an ambition to control proceedings throughout.
I often mark the passing of time by sporting events, and now that Wimbledon's over, and the Dew Tour is under way, we are well into summer and it's fleeting at a fierce pace.
