Image 1 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) on the podium (Image credit: Stephen Farrand) Image 2 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale). (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 3 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 4 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) chalks up win number three of the season. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 5 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) on the podium in Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 6 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) delivers again. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 7 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) grabs the win. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 8 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) can't stop winning. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 9 of 31 Taylor Phinney (BMC) leads the early break in Camaiore. He would spend 165 kilometres off the front. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 10 of 31 Moreno Moser (Cannondale) prepares for action. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 11 of 31 Taylor Phinney (BMC) went on the attack early on in Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 12 of 31 Andy Schleck (RadioShack Leopard) reports for duty at the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 13 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins in Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 14 of 31 Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) was second at the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 15 of 31 Michele Scarponi (Lampre Merida). (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 16 of 31 Moreno Moser (Cannondale). (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 17 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) flanked by Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) on the podium of the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 18 of 31 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) on the podium at the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 19 of 31 In the bag. Peter Sagan (Cannondale) closes in on victory. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 20 of 31 The irrepressible Peter Sagan (Cannondale) grabs yet another win. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 21 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) beat Diego Ulissi and Rinaldo Nocentini. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 22 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 23 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) was an emphatic winner of the GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 24 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) on the podium in Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 25 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) is off to a flying start to the 2013 season. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 26 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) salutes from the podium in Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 27 of 31 Peter Sagan (Cannondale) goes through the old routine. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 28 of 31 Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) on the podium at GP Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 29 of 31 Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) finished second behind Peter Sagan in Camaiore. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 30 of 31 2013 GP Camaiore: Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida), winner Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale). (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 31 of 31 Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox). (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) continued his fine start to the season by sprinting to victory to win the G.P. Camaiore, beating Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r-La Mondiale) into second and third.

A select twelve-man group formed on the final of six ascensions of Monte Pitoro, featuring Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Michele Scarponi (Lampre Merida) and Denis Menchov (Katusha), but they were unable to shake Sagan, and once Nibali’s attack on the descent was snuffed out, there was an air of inevitability about the finish.

Aided by teammate Moreno Moser, Sagan duly delivered in the sprint, powering away to claim a convincing win ahead of Ulissi and Nocentini. It was the Slovak’s third victory of 2013 and a start reminder of his abilities just over two weeks before Milan-San Remo.

“It was a win that had a great contribution from my teammates,” Sagan said afterwards. “I could feel my condition improve lap after lap, and I took some morale from that. When it all came back together on the last climb, Moser was exceptional in closing down the attacks and bringing it to a group finish,” Sagan said. “At that point, it came down to me to bring out my best and win.”

The race was illuminated early on by a break featuring Taylor Phinney (BMC), Stefano Agostini (Cannondale), Maxim Belkov (Katusha) and Alessandro Proni (Vini Fantini Selle Italia and Pedro Paulinho (Ceramica Flaminia). They built up a lead of six minutes at one point, but the repeated climbs of Monte Pitoro took their toll and they were swept up after spending the opening 167 kilometres off the front of the bunch.

The stage was then set for a frenetic final lap, with Italian champion Franco Pellizotti (Androni-Venezuela) opening the attacking on Monte Pitone with a fierce attack. When he was brought to heel, Darwin Atampuma and Francesco Reda went on the offensive, but Cannondale’s Moreno Moser was active in tracking the moves, and ultimately Scarponi led Sagan, Stefano Garzelli (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) and a select leading group over the summit.

Andy Schleck (RadioShack Leopard) had been dropped by that point, but the Luxembourger did succeed in finishing his race, the first time he has done so since Liège-Bastogne-Liège last April.

With three wins under his belt already, Sagan is an early favourite to shine in the spring classics, but before that, he has another important Italian appointment on his agenda on Saturday at Strade Bianche.

“Camaiore was the right race to get back into my rhythm and improve my condition,” said Sagan. “I really like Strade Bianche and I’d like to get a good result there. It’s a special race, similar to a Belgian classic, and so you need a bit of luck to come through. I don’t want to raise expectations too much: we’ll see how I feel on Saturday and how the race pans out.”

Full Results