Nairo Quintana claims Tirreno-Adriatico title

Colombian Quintana, who has been twice Tour de France runner-up, always looked well placed for a second title in three years as he headed into the last leg with a 50-second lead ahead of FDJ's Thibaut Pinot.

Dennis, though, was able to make an impact on the leaderboard as he clocked 11 minutes and 18 seconds over the 10 kilometres race.

The Australian's time was enough to beat Jos van Emden's mark by three seconds, while Quintana crossed in 11mins 59secs for seventh place.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas finished fifth overall, having come eighth in the time trial where fellow Briton Steve Cummings, of Dimension Data, had made the fourth fastest ride.

Quintana said on the Movistar team website: " With all rivals we had to face and such a tough course, it's a really prestigious victory to take. It's a tribute to all those supporting me and my team-mates, for the help they offered me all week."

There was also a moment of drama on the 10km race finale around San Benedetto del Tronto when Bora-hansgrohe rider Peter Sagan had to swerve off the main road onto a cycle lane as he approached a pedestrian crossing, where someone was walking across with a dog.

The Slovakian 2016 world road race champion was, though, able to swiftly return to the course and go on to complete the time trial.

Sagan said on his team's website: "I was lucky there wasn't an incident with the lady who crossed the road with her dog - it was funny really. I didn't brake because I was in my time trial position. I saw her really late, so the only way to avoid her was to go off road."