Into the third of our road race heats. and Germany and Australia top the billing. Herklotz the big name, with the Aussies have both Morton and Haig.
There'll also be chances for Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, China and South Africa.
Rwanda and Austria also have chances too, while it may be harder for the likes of Greece, Latvia, Hungary, Ethiopia and San Marino.
The first attack is from San Marino, Maccagli, alongside Shapira of Israel.
De Plus, Girdlestone, Mugisha and Altanzul join them.
Finland and Austria don't like this though, and chase up Fuji.
The hard pace is such that much of the break are caught, one by one. Indeed, only Laurens de Plus survives out front.
Paolo Scarponi attacks towards the top, and as one of the world's best descenders, takes the opportunity to demonstrate that at the Olympics, and use the descent to cross to the front.
Finland's chasing is rewarded as Helme also bridges across to the move, and Jianhua Ji adds a Chinese presence. We finally have an established break of the day, of these 4 riders.
Through the Fuji Speedway circuits mid-races, we see some action from Latvia and Greece, Blums and Mavrikakis.
Blums survives onto the first climb of Mikuni, but hasn't much of a gap.
Up ahead, Ji and Scarponi are proving to be the strongest of the breakaway, looking to hold on to their advantage.
21 riders remain in the peloton over the top - most remarkable survivor being Philippines' Ronnilan Quita. Latvia have Blums and Surgis. Austria have Brandle and Preidler - but not Denifl.
Leaders like Shikai, Meintjes, Bennett and Areruya are all there - the latter having support from Ndayisenga. Australia, Italy, Belgium and Germany all with a few numbers.
A little attack by Areruya off the lake. Haig and Herklotz looking to follow.
No gaps, but it serves to keep the chasing group away - with the lead riders from Tunisia, Ethiopia, Hungary and Greece, currently pacing it here. As well as Denifl being in this group, there are other strong climbers from the top teams too - the likes of Arndt and Bongiorno; Keinath and O'Connor. As well as Vosekalns who might not have expected to be 3rd Latvian on the road.
The action on the Mikuni 2nd climb is then more seeing some of these riders trying to attack back up. Including Preidler who has found himself dropped earlier on the climb; and Khederi of Tunisia.
Vervaeke, Ndayisenga, Buchmann, Brandle and Teuns are dropped from the front; as have been Sergis and Schultz, plus Helme of the early breakaway.
16 remain, including Ji and Scarponi, now caught - so this is the front of the race. And Quita is still there as the 16th rider!
16 riders, 11 nations. Team leaders of Herklotz, Cattaneo, Morton, Wellens, Shikai, Meintjes, Bennett, Areruya, Blums, Scarponi and Quita.
Haig, Ji, Penasa, Formolo and Nerz are the teammates left - and Formolo drives the pace on the front.
Blums is not daunted by the company, he attacks with Haig
Herklotz and Meintjes kept it on track, but now Areruya counters - attacking in the same place as the previous lap.
Herklotz rides across to him.
9 chasers left behind, 8 nations as just Haig and Morton are together now. We've lost Nerz, Penasa, Formolo, Ji and Quita.
Areruya and Herklotz open up a 50 second lead, this is looking good.
Dare the others chase hard, or do they focus on 3rd-6th?
Scarponi tries a little attack with 4km to go but doesn't have the legs anymore. Good on him for trying though!
Meintjes picks it up!
Herklotz is driving hard at the front, Areruya battling to stay with
We've lost Scarponi and Blums now behind, Meintjes still paces
Just over a kilometre to go, and the lead of Herklotz and Areruya suddenly does not look so big.
The turn, and the charge to the line. Bennett and Shikai in the unwanted two positions right now.
But Bennett now surges forward as they close in on Herklotz and Areruya
Well, they close in on one of them.
Joseph Areruya ignites the after-burners, and leaps away for victory!
George Bennett will take 2nd place! They're in national colours today, but that's a 1-2 for the Xero team!
Wellens will take 3rd. Herklotz almost cracked out of the Olympic Final but does cling on to 4th. Haig and Morton will take 5th and 6th. One space left.
It's so close. Cattaneo looked to have it, but a bike throw on the line, and Meintjes takes it!
South Africa qualify, Italy and China do not. All by the narrowest of margins.
Blums defeats Scarponi to secure a Top 10 finish. In the background, Quita is going to finish 12th.
Austria the next country with their first rider to finish. They would have expected a lot more than Brandle (21st) being their only finisher in the Top 30. Helme the leading Finn in 22nd, Kenyeres the first Hungarian in 25th
Giannoutsos the first Greek, taking 40th, just ahead of Sendeku for Ethiopia, and Hasnaoui for Tunisia.
