The organizer’s favourites consist of a mix of purer cobblers and cobble-hill hybrids.
We have a fairly big break today: Drouin and Ryuki Kuypers and Verstrynge Jurado and Mraouni Grossschartner and Losch Erdenesuren Kolev Lyu Sheffield Siddikov Sinkeldam Wandahl
The 15 leaders got a maximum gap of 5 minutes and arrive at the circuit with a 3 minutes lead. They have 9.5 laps to go. Lyu, Grossschartner and Wandahl are instantly dropped which is no surprise given their total lack of cobbles skill.
The three made it finally back to the front just in time to be dropped again the next time the break hits the cobbles. Jurado and Erdenesuren had punctures and lost contact too.
With 62 km to go the yo-yoing at the front has an end and the break is down to 12. The peloton is 2’19 behind and already down to 72 riders. But this group was split some times too.
At the fifth last cobbled climb there is the first attack from the peloton: Kaislavuo, Sanogo, Van Lerberghe and Benoot get a gap.
With 31 km to go the four attackers have made it to the remnants of the break, so we now have a leading group of 14. The first real chasing group is already 2’14 behind.
But what are the leaders doing? As soon as the four joined the break nobody wanted to lead anymore. Only 3 km later the gap is down to 42’’!
But then the gap gets stable. With 15 km to go a heavily reduced leading group enters the penultimate cobbled climb. Mraouni is the only one remaining of the initial break. The 4 later attackers are still with him. The peloton is down to 36 riders with more riders on the edge of being dropped. But all favourites are still there.
At the top of the climb all attackers are brought back and the new peloton is down to 19 riders. Kasperkiewicz attacks over the top of the climb. Zepuntke, Daniel, Moulingui, Teggart and Jacobs are the first to react.
Those six are joined by Debesay, David and Gamper, so we have a group of 9 in the lead with 10 km to go. Another group of 10 is 33’’ behind.
Debesay attacks over the top of the last non-cobbled climb and is now the sole leader. His eight former companions are 12’’ behind. Another 22’’ behind is another group of favourites with
Debesay (at the lower end of the picture) enters the final climb with a 33’’ lead. Kasperkiewicz leads the chasers (ignore the lapped riders in between). Owen, Benoot, Dewulf, Stallaert and Pithie are nearly back in this group.
When entering the last cobbled sector with 1.5 km to go the lead is down to 26’’. Kasperkiewicz leads the chasers again after a longer turn from Teggart. Benoot is the only one of the five riders mentioned who actually made it to the chasers.
With 800 m to go Kasperkiewicz joins the leader. The seven chasers (minus Benoot again) are 8’’ behind, led by Jacobs, Daniel and David.
But Debesay has some power left and gets a gap again with 300 m to go.
The Eritrean celebrated early, allowing Kasperkiewicz to nearly get him in the end – but it’s still enough for Debesay!
Behind them Jacobs completes the podium, followed by Gamper, David, Zepuntke and Teggart in 4th to 7th. Then it’s Daniela and Moulingui. Stallaert wins the sprint for 10th.
Congratulations to Debesay who got rewarded for his brave attack!
[C1] 1 Jour de Dunkerque 
