Instead, it was not until the end of the first hour of racing that the breakaway had been instigated. Five riders broke the confines of the peloton at the mark, consisting of mountains classification leader Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), José Serpa of Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela, Astana rider Kevin Seeldraeyers as well as Movistar Team's Branislau Samoilau and Matteo Montaguti representing the Ag2r-La Mondiale team. The quintet held a lead of almost six minutes on the stage's first climb, the Passo Valparola, but their advantage was cut by the time Rabottini had extended his mountains points lead, by cresting the summit first. Liquigas-Cannondale and Euskaltel-Euskadi were the prominent teams on the front of the field, with Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Mikel Nieve eventually attacking off the front, replacing Montaguti as the fifth member of the breakaway, as he had been dropped. All five were later caught before the Passo Giau, where the Liquigas-Cannondale squad were again leading the reduced peloton. As was expected, the Passo Giau defined the remainder of the stage.