It is a bright and sunny day here in Sweden but the wind is blowing at nearly 50 km/hr. The riders will need to be wary of the conditions, on top of the challenging profile. It is hard to look beyond the strongest punchers as today's winner.
The early kilometers sees a six man group try to form the break. They are Nooytens, Wetterhall, Eit Al Abdia, Reza, Gaviria and Skala.
They don't make it very far and come back to the pack.
Navarette and Bouglas have now attacked in the hope of getting a gap. Ovechkin, Sergent and Novak try to bridge the gap.
Once again, this group fails to stay ahead of the peloton.
Finally, after nearly 25 km of racing, Van der Hoorn, Sergent, Mulberger and Pushpakumara form the break of the day.
30 km later, and it is Iberia and Strava pacing the peloton. The break's lead is 4'20".
Schreuers has taken a tumble, away from our cameras. The peloton is riding the circuit for the fifth time. Schreurs gets help from his teammates and eventually makes it back to the peloton.
Villela has to retire! He was caught up in that fall involving Schreurs.
The break starts the climb for the seventh time, leading the peloton by 2'55". The peloton's lead vehicle is visible in the distance.
We're on the descent for the eight time now and the first riders have been dropped on the climb. They are Venter, Wohrer and Wang.
More riders are now being dropped from the pack.
Pendleton's and Newton Foundation are leading the chase for the moment. 28 km left and the deficit is 1'17".
Up ahead, Mulberger has a gap to Sergent and Pushpakumara. Van der Hoorn is further back.
20 km left now. It is still Pendleton's and Newton leading the peloton forward. The gap to the front has stabilised around the 75" mark.
Van der Hoorn trails the trio by 15 seconds in the break.
We are starting the climb for the last time before the climb to the finish. Van der Hoorn is caught and the break is just 35" ahead. The peloton still has more than 150 riders!
Under the 10 km marker and Sergent is caught. Hugo-Boss, Strava, Evonik, Newton, Pendleton's and Aegon have all put riders at the front. The break's advantage is down to 19".
And we're back together just a kilometer later.
8 km to go and Hugo-Boss have the front locked out.
3 km. Van Garderen lead them onto the climb to the finish. McCarthy and Ponzi are also well placed. Schreurs, Koretzky, Gautier and Klemme are some way behind.
2 km. Still no attack! Ponzi, Tsatevich and Bakelants are in the best position now.
1.5 km left. Instead of the expected attacks, they are now sprinting for the line! It has come down to a drag race among the strong men of the hills. They go in formation as:
Skuijns
Bilbao
Mudorra
De Bie
Siskevicius
Bakelants
Vanendert
Ponzi
Van Garderen
Tsatevich
This looks more like a Mardi Gras parade than the finish to a bike race!
1.2 km. The first two rows are as below:
Skuijns
Bilbao
Van Garderen
de Bie
Bakelants
Ponzi
Schreurs, Koretzky, Gautier and Klemme are still struggling to get into a good position.
800 meters. Bakelants and Ponzi still lead them. de Bie, Van Garderen, Mudorra and Skuijns are in the second row. Bilbao is fading while McCarthy and Lutsenko are coming through strongly on the left and Pichon on the right.
Skuijns has got a gap to the others in the second row. Mudorra has started to tire. 500 meters left.
We're inside the final 200 meters. Skuijns is charging up the inside in a late bid to win. de Bie has also accelerated. McCarthy and Lutsenko are also finishing strongly.
100 meters. The three front-runners are side-by-side as they approach the line. Bakelants has the smallest of advantages.
50 meters and Skuijns is ahead!
Skuijns wins in Sweden! A come from behind victory in the last 500 meters gives the Latvian his first win of the season! Bakelants holds on for 2nd. Ponzi is 3rd.
de Bie is 4th.
The fast finishing McCarthy is 5th, followed by Van Garderen and Lutsenko.
Mudorra takes a brilliant 8th!
Gautier made up a lot of ground and finishes 9th.
Pichon outsprints Koretzky for 10th. Bilbao is 12th, giving Hugo a massive points haul. Vanendert ensures the same for Strava with 13th. Smirnovs is 14th and defending champion Anuar Aziz has to be content with 15th.
