Peter Sagan was the big favourite to win today's Milan-Sanremo and his Cannondale team did their best to make a hard race for the Italian captain. In the end he played an anonymous role in the finale and after finishing 10th, he admitted not to be feeling as good as he did one year ago.

Cannondale Pro Cycling’s Peter Sagan came into 105th edition of the race as the hot favorite. The young Slovak was second last year, and has ridden impressively thus far this season, winning races both solo and in big sprints.

But as is the case, with lots of on-form riders, and a long distance between the start in Milan and the finish in San Remo, much can happen over the course of the race.

The first big thing to happen was not the seven-man break that rolled out 15km (9.3mi) into the day. It was the weather. The cold, damp start turned to drizzle, then a cold rain. Besides the added danger, the right clothing and regular eating are essential, and the race can easily be lost due to inattention to these small details.

The break rode to a ten-and-a-half minute lead after 100km (62.1mi). Ten minutes isn’t enough in most conditions, but the worsening rain could change the equation.

Cannondale collaborated with several teams to reduce the gap. As the peloton reached the foot of the Cipressa, the first of the final hills, with 27km (16.8mi) remaining, the break was down to two riders with a 1:33 gap. Cannondale’s Alessandro De Marchi went to the front and set a hard tempo with Sagan on his wheel. De Marchi’s pace ate away at the gap in front and shed riders out of the back.

Then Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali attacked. Nibali has finished third at San Remo before, but everyone knows he can only win if he’s solo or in a small group. Therefore, none of the contenders changed their on-the-road tactics.

After climbing and descending the Cipressa, Nibali had caught and passed the final remnants of the break and had a 50-second lead on the Cannondale-led chase. The next appointment, the final climb of the day, the Poggio.

Nibali’s lead was nibbled at on the flat roads to the final 3.7km climb. Starting this last rise, the Astana rider had eleven seconds on the field. Starting this last rise, the Astana rider had eleven seconds on the field that was quickly being erased.

Sagan is there, fellow pre-race favorite Fabian Cancellara of Trek is there, attacker Philippe Gilbert of BMC is there, super-sprinter Mark Cavendish is there, as well as defending champ Gerald Ciolek of MTN-Qhubeka.

The lead group barreled up the Poggio, and then flew down the wet, switch-backed descent.

Into town, Katusha set the pace. In the final 200 meters, Sagan got on Cavendish’s wheel, but gets boxed against the barriers. Meanwhile on the left-hand side, Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff saw daylight. He streaked up the left side for the win. Cancellara takes second ahead of Sky’s Ben Swift. Sagan faded to tenth.

After second last year, the Slovak was disappointed. “This is not the result I expected but I suffered a lot the cold and the bad weather. It was not easy to perform as I wanted after a so hard day. In the finale, I suffered more than last year. Anyway, I have to accept this result – even if I’m disappointed. I did my best with this condition and, with my team, we managed the race we wanted. We have nothing to regret. I want to thank my teammates because they supported me in a such great way.”