Cobbles be bubbling for the CT (and a few PCT) teams as we reach the cobbled hills of Geraardsbergen for the annual running of this race. The riders will cover the same cobbled hilly circuit for 10.5 laps, with the winner decided on the final cobbled incline. Let's see who comes out on top today.
Favourites
***
Last name
First name
Country
Age
FL
HL
ST
RS
CB
SP
Zepuntke
Ruben
GER
31
72
69
79
72
82
72
Hvideberg
Jonas Iversby
NOR
25
78
70
74
74
76
65
Van Lerberghe
Bert
BEL
32
74
66
75
74
77
75
David
Tom
NZL
34
72
73
73
71
76
68
**
Last name
First name
Country
Age
FL
HL
ST
RS
CB
SP
Lecourt De Billot
Olivier
MRI
31
75
69
74
73
75
61
Moulingui
Clenne Morvan
GAB
29
74
71
71
71
78
65
Roosen
Timo
NED
31
74
71
71
73
75
66
De Witte
Mathias
BEL
31
74
68
75
72
75
71
Van Moer
Brent
BEL
26
76
70
76
78
71
58
Noppe
Christophe
BEL
30
75
69
74
73
73
75
*
Last name
First name
Country
Age
FL
HL
ST
RS
CB
SP
Nielsen
Joanis Albert
FAR
31
75
67
71
75
74
73
Kaislavuo
Jesse
FIN
31
73
70
73
73
73
67
Muhindo
Jimmy
COD
28
74
67
74
71
75
68
Schäppi
Martin
SWI
28
72
67
74
72
76
66
Nareklishvili
Beka
GEO
28
72
66
73
73
77
64
Marzuki
Nur Amirul
MAS
32
70
74
71
72
74
72
Hofstetter
Hugo
FRA
30
74
70
71
71
73
77
Centrone
Ivan
LUX
29
74
71
72
67
76
53
Two riders form the early break - Sheffield Sinkeldam
They are soon joined by Okbamariam, Bush, Blythe and Huera.
Six becomes eleven as Ballerstedt, Orins, Klahan, Diaz Suarez and Lamperti also join in on the breakaway fun!
Orins and Lamperti are dropped soon after.
They are caught with 140 km to go. The peloton trail by 6'40" and have 120 riders in the group.
We're now on the second hill of the fifth circuit. The peloton has massively reduced to 59 riders. All of the favourites are still here though.
Up ahead, Huera has just been dropped from the break.
Klahan is dropped with 94 km to go.
Huera is caught with 91 km and 4.5 circuits left. The peloton are at 61 riders.
Bush is dropped next with 62 km left.
Okbamariam and Sheffield drop the remaining breakaway riders with 55 km to go.
Their sojourn would last for 11 kms.
Bush is now caught by the 50 rider peloton. They trail by 3'3". Tafjord, Lotto, Duvel, Minions, Worth-MODYF and Glanbia have all placed men at the front.
As we speak, Sinkeldam, Ballerstedt and Blythe are dropped from the break.
Diaz Suarez is also dropped 2 km later.
36 km to go for the break which has further reduced to just 31 riders. Nareklishvili is the only strong rider dropped. All of the break except Okbamariam and Sheffield have been caught.
The latter is immediately dropped! He would be caught with 26 km remaining.
Noppe is the first to attack from the pack. He's definitely not a top favourite but can definitely throw a surprise!
Noppe is caught 2 km later. The gap to Okbamariam is 1'36".
Here come the favourites - Van Lerberghe and Ringheim attack another kilometer later.
Van Lerberghe and Okbamariam are reeled in a kilometer later but Ringheim has stayed away.
Marzuki, Zepuntke, Molingui and Van Lerberghe, again, get away from the pack with 16 km to go.
The four later attackers are caught with 12 km to go. Ringheim is caught a kilometer later. The peloton has 28 riders left.
Six riders make the jump with 5 km to go - Roosen, Kaislavuo, De Witte, Zepuntke, Hvideberg and Marzuki.
David, Molingui and Orue are in E2.
Molingui catches the leaders a kilometers later while the other two from his group are caught by the 21 rider peloton.
De Witte, Zepuntke, Hvideberg and Marzuki distance the others in the lead group soon after.
The seven riders come together again. Just 3 km left to ride! The next group on the road consists of Miltiadis, Van Lerberghe, Centrone and Hofstetter (ignore the thousands of dropped riders).
De Witte leads the front group past the Red Kite. E2 remains the same as well.
Ringheim, Zhupa and Darbinyan make up E3.
Marzuki and Hvideberg lead with half a kilometer left! Then it's Zepuntke, De Witte and Kaislavuo. Molingui and Roosen have been dropped.
Marzuki is well ahead with 300 meters left. The others have run out of steam!
Marzuki takes a famous win! This will be widely celebrated for a very well liked rider!
De Witte makes it a PCT 1-2.
Hvideberg fades a little at the end but still takes an excellent 3rd edging out Zepuntke and Kaislavuo.
Molingui wins the sprint for 6th ahead of Miltiadis and Roosen. Then it's Ringheim and Van Lerberghe, both early attackers, who's strategy didn't work today. After that comes Centrone.
Hofstetter is 12th.
Richardson, Darbinyan and Schappi complete the Top 15.
