Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) stamped his authority all over Friday's 13th stage of the Giro d'Italia, but allowed breakaway companion Jose Rujano (Androni Giocattoli) to take the stage win.
The decisive move was made with nine kilometres to go of the 167km stage between Spilimbergo and Austria's fearsome Grossglockner climb, with Rujano the only rider able to follow Contador's almost gentle attack.
An earlier 16-man move animated the stage, which had built a five-minute gap over the peloton as it crested the category two Passo di Monte Croce Carnico after 80km, where the race crossed from Italian to Austrian soil.
On the penultimate climb of the day - the 12 per cent Iselsbergpass - Astana's Robert Kiserlovski made his move for freedom from the leading group, and quickly built himself a lead of a minute on the short descent from the Iselsbergpass and the lower slopes of the Grossglockner.
But it was almost inevitable that the race would come back together on the day's final climb up to the finish, and as riders were shelled out of the back of the bunch, just two remnants of the breakaway - Colombian climber Cayetano Sarmiento (Acqua e Sapone) and Rabobank's Pieter Weening, who wore the leader's pink jersey earlier in this race - were still clinging on up front.
With 10km to go, Sarmiento went it alone, but it was short lived as Rujano set off the real fireworks. The diminutive Venezuelan was joined for a short time by overall contenders Michele Scarponi (Lampre) and Euskaltel's Igor Anton, but calm riding from Contador brought him back up to the front, and then off the front with a casual acceleration. Scarponi tried to hold the Spaniard's wheel, but only Rujano could follow, and from then on in to the finish, it was a two-man show.
Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Scarponi and 2009 Giro champion Denis Menchov (Geox) made suitably grim faces as the rain poured down, but it seemed nothing could dampen Contador's spirits as he danced on the pedals ever further away from them.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
On the line, Rujano had to check behind him several times that Contador was indeed letting him take the stage victory, while Contador put another minute and a half into his other rivals, and looks like making this Giro look like a cakewalk, now leading Nibali by 3-09 overall.
Stage 11 winner John Gadret finished third on the stage, 1-27 back, but managed to pull back a few more seconds on his rivals, and must now be considered a podium contender if his climbinbg form is anything to go by.
Brit Russell Downing (Sky) continued to battle on in his first Grand Tour having suffered from a cold all week, he finished in a small group safely within the time cut.
The Contador show, meanwhile, looks like it could easily continue on Saturday's 14th stage between Lienz, in Austria, and the summit finish back in Italy on the Monte Zoncolan.
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
USA Cycling unveils 2025 National Championship schedule with 17 chances to claim the Stars and Stripes jersey
Tech of the week: A shockingly expensive steel bike from Colnago, a surprisingly affordable carbon bike from Pinarello, DT Swiss energises our cycling lives and Pog's bars are now yours to buy
