Welcome to the Geraardsbergen-Bosberg race. It’s a rainy day in Belgium let’s pray for as few punctures as possible!
Martinez is the first attacker of the day as he leads biggish group away right from kilometre 0!
As a consequence a very interesting move has unfolded as a fifteen(!!!) man group has created a gap of over a minute to the pack. There are some huge names in the group: Kaislavuo, Hansen & Gautherat Blackmore, Martinez& Pringle, Drizners & Raccani, Wilksch & Antunes, Teggart & Marte, Campbell, Monk, Luehrs. A minute ahead of them a trio consisting of White, Huby and Teutenberg is trying to work together.
With 179km to go there’s a double Tafjord puncture in the break whose advantage to the pack is sitting at almost two minutes now.
One the third ascent of the climbs the gap has widened to 2’35 but disaster strikes for Monk who takes a puncture and has to extend energy to make it back to the front, which he does quickly.
With 114km to go the race keeps being tough to the point that when the pack goes over the ascent a group of 5 riders separate themselves these are: Eekhoff, Kozhatayev, Gougeard, Insausti & Mestric. Some very interesting moves being pondered across the circuit it seems!
With 108km to go the big break has been eaten by the main pack, which is reduced to 72 riders. Out front Blackmore, Gautherat, Teutenberg & Marte are all scattered with around a minute to the favourites. Behind them Touze, Costiou and Gayral are launching an attack.
2km later another attack is launched, this time it’s Sangulin, Drizners, Insausti, Forbes, Mestric, Kozhatayev
Carr also wants in on the action as tries to follow a move that Van Lerberghe has made to try and catch up to the teams up front.
With 96km to go Sanogo has a mechanical but his team is there to bring him back to the pack.
Out front with 70km to go the group has been reduced to 10 men but they have edged themselves an over 2 minute gap that is quickly getting churned down tho!
And with 65km to go the break is swallowed up and new counter moves are made by some of the same parties.
Teggart tried to set up an attack with 53 to go but nothing really comes from it. That pack has been reduced to 38 riders .
And the pace has taken its first major toll. Insausti has been one to try audacious moves today and can no longer keep up as he is distanced with 40km to go for him. Front group is reduced to 24 riders.
And the action keeps coming, after 20kms with quite a few test attacks a lot of big names are starting to get absolutely destroyed. Some not by their own fault and one of those is Campbell who catches a really unfortunate puncture. In frame we can also see De Witte, Mestric and Vogt also seems to be capitulating.
With 15 to go, those four get contact again and it seems like we have the 19 riders who will share the spoils in front of us: Eekhoff, Roosen, Jung, Sheffield, Sanogo, Monk, Hennis, Boros, Forbes, Campbell, Richardson, Teggart, Nielsen, Basso, De Witte, Vogt, Mestric, Visser, Major.
Monk is the first to move in this new situation, Eekhoff and Campbell tries to follow. The trio has a small gap for a few kms but it’s not the decisive move as they are reeled back with 8km to go. Mestric is spent and has been dropped from the front.
Sanogo utilises a stalemate to make a move as they approach the climb for the final time and it looks like a move that could send ripples through the front group.
There’s traffic as the favourites reach the top Roosen who pulls back the Ivorian. The group is reduced to 10 riders now.
As they go under the red kite Boros is the one to lead them under it. Major is hanging on by a thread, but he is the fastest man on paper in the group. Visser is another cheeky bet if it comes down to a sprint.
And there’s no energy to sprint as Boros powers through. Roosen, Teggart and Basso are hot on his tail with 100 metres to go!
And it’s a great win for the Czech veteran and for manager marcodv! It’s a full on PCT podium as the order outlined above is also the one on the line. Campbell is fifth ahead of Sanogo and Richardson. Jung and Visser round out the top 10.
