Thomas Lovkvist of Team Columbia won the Montepaschi Strade Bianche race, formerly known as the Eroica.

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• Race Result

The Swede finished four seconds ahead of Fabian Wegmann of Milram after 190km of demanding racing in the hills south of Siena.

Martin Elmiger of AG2R La Mondiale was third, a further two seconds adrift, with Britain's Daniel Llyod of Cervelo a creditable ninth.

The race includes sections of farm tracks in the Chianti area of Tuscany and has already become a special event because it recreates the atmosphere of the heroic, pre-war style of racing.