Looking at the favorites, the game seems to like Basso more than our preview does, but with Eekhoff and Teggart sharing the top spots. Sanogo, Monk, and Kuroeda stand out as well, as the game clearly values an interesting combination of hill, cobbles, and acceleration. Minions the only ones with two of the top 10.
No surprises in the early kilometers as the goal is simply to establish a major breakaway. And that they go as 13 riders get out in front: Browning, Yamada, Pavlides, Vera Hernandez, Huby, Teutenberg, Feldmann, Johnson, Kess, Manamalage, Dalby, Hayashibara, and Lamperti. Together they get the gap to 3:11 at 135km to go.
Crossing the finish line for the second time (130km to go) is the peloton. Arenas Rodriguez, Palma, Ju, Paleni, and Yarrell appear to be the 5 main domestiques sent to control the front for their teams. This also gives us a chance to analyze the finish, which the group will attack 11 more times – including the race finish. As a reminder, the final 2km features a 0.7km section of 4 star cobbles, and then the final 700 meters is a hill maxing at 11% - averaging 7% - with 2 star cobbles for the final 600m.
An attack out of the peloton with 83km to go as they crest the finishing hill. Mestric decides that he has a better shot attempting to bridge to the break. Paprstka is willing to join as is Touze. Behind and five km later, Campbell, Nielsen, and Carr are interested in a counter attack but Carr might not have the ability to bridge. No major changes in the peloton.
With everyone officially joined together at the front except for Carr, the breakaway is officially 18 riders. Carr behind by 35 seconds and the peloton another 30 behind. 3km later (69km to go) and Carr does manage to barely grab the back of the break. At the end of the lap, Touze punctures and drops back to the peloton.
55km to go and the catch is imminent, with the large breakaway making the 28 second gap feel more like 10. Lots of Bianchi Enel riders now leading the peloton so they must fully believe in Basso. Still 130 members in the peloton though and you wonder if staying back is the best strategy until the major attacks start. 52km to go and the breakaway is fully caught.
The next major attack is taken on by Ndungu – a major surprise for the reporter. Campbell and Nielsen decide that the attack is worth joining and another group from behind agrees. Sam, Koch, Paprstka, Mestric, Carr, and Gajdulewicz are the rest to make it a new group of 9 ahead with 30 seconds gap at 40km to go. A very odd grouping especially with riders you might expect to already be dropped there.
Sadly for them, that attacks leads to nothing, but there’s another with 3 circuits to go (36km). Eekhoff and Hecht are on the move for McCormick in trail of Dewulf and Campbell. Campbell seems to be in every single move.
The constant attacks make it tough to know what groups have even broken from the peloton as that attack fails, an Arashiro flyer also falls short and now a group of 46 attempts the final climb for the 3rd to last time.
4 riders make it away here with Kaislavuo leading the way with Monk. CT draft rider Jung and Sangulin are the others following. Alaphilippe is in the middle ground figuring out what to do.
Just under the 20km to go banner and the 5 above riders are together with 21 seconds. Behind, the peloton is officially just 20 riders with a group of 56 behind and likely to connect on the cobbles but split again. In the 20 are Livyns, Hecht, Venturini, Marte, De Witte, Eekhoff, Vermeersch, Arashiro, Roosen, Basso, Romele, Costiou, Mestric, Koch, Boros, Teggart, Visser, Campbell, Kuroeda, and Dewulf. Sanogo has to be considered the biggest rider to miss out so far, but they could return.
That’s Sanogo now mid-picture with 12km to go on the penultimate climb. As predicted, the hill allowed a group to return from behind and now its 57 all together, but in various states of fatigue. Sangulin is the one on the front sprinting ahead of Teggart, Dewulf and Eekhoff at the front. Basso also likely to join them.
These are the 16 riders that will contest the stage win. Ahead are the five suggested above with a gap to 11 now containing: Sanogo, Kaislavuo, defending champion Marzuki, De Witte, Costiou, Roosen, Boros, Monk, Jung, Kuroeda, and Gayral. The gap is 20 seconds. De Witte seems to be sacrificing for Boros to bring it back.
5km to go and Marzuki is the one doing the final work to connect the two groups and it is 16 strong with just one more banner to cross under. Of course, the final 3km is punishing after such a tough race. Basso paces until the cobbles start at 1.5km to go.
Forgive the three riders getting lapped but it is Eekhoff in the lead under the kite. Basso on his left with Dewulf 3rd, Teggart, Boros, Kuroeda and Marzuki the top 7 and in best position. Sanogo following the defending champ looking strong as well.
400m to go and Eekhoff has pulled off to the side of the road hoping not to give a slipstream. He maintains the lead over Dewulf and Basso. Teggart is still attacking strong between those two while Boros also looks to have speed. Sanogo has made up the most ground though and could come through. Those 6 appear to be the ones with a shot at the win, but Monk and Kuroeda might sneak into the top 5.
The road is leveling out and the group is 5 wide with 100m to go. Boros has snuck into the lead with Basso appearing 2nd now. Sanogo, Eekhoff and Dewulf could be determined by a photo only at this point, but thankfully the line is still a bit ahead.
Boros is the champion and even gets to celebrate just a tad. Basso 2nd and Eekhoff 3rd! Dewulf 4th and Sanogo 5th, with Teggart and Monk earning the remaining slots in the first group of 7.
Kuroeda is in the foreground having finished 8th ahead of Roosen and Kaislavuo to finish off the top 10 on a brutal drip around the British countrside. Marzuki and Gayral fought well for 11th and 12th before a big group contests the minor placings.
Boros is very proud on top of the podium! What a great race from the Minion – and good teamwork from De Witte to make sure he returned to the front group in the final meters.
Lincoln GP 
