184km – Here we go, the first Spanish race of the season. Should be an interesting one, or at least I hope so. The decider will be how much pace will be set on the hills. We’ll see, let’s now just watch the race.
175km – An early break has been formed quickly. D.Rosa(AND) and D.Quintero(COL) are the escapees. The pack doesn’t seem to worry for now, they already have a minute. But surely there should be some guy wanting to join them?
171km – For sure! A.Cardoso(CJR), J.Bideau(BSE), P.Tiralongo(AST), W.Mol(VAC) & S.Klimov(RVL) all want to join, and attempt to get to the group.
164km –
They all merged into 1 group, so we’ll have a 7-men breakaway today. They have roughly 3 minutes.
115km –
While the riders enter a lovely boulevard, the gap seems to have maxed out at around 7 minutes.
90km –
First series of hills are ridden now. Belkin & MTN setting the pace in the hills, which somewhat makes sense, but Euskaltel & Movistar are missing out on the chance of setting a deadly pace. Pace still isn’t low though, but it’s too early in the race to drop guys.
Break is at 5’20.
73km – The second series of hills, about 30km of hills, is reached now. I am curious what’s going to happen next. Escapees are little more than 4 minutes ahead now.
60km –
Terrain constantly going up and down, but with this sort of pace, nobody will have trouble keeping up. WTF are you doing, Spanish teams? Break has 3’20.
53km – CCC’s leader Matsyiak crashes, CCC waits for him. With 73SP, he’s a Top 10 contender, but nothing more than that. Most tough hill, and highest point of the race, awaits the peloton now.
45km –
Nothing really happens on the hill. Pace being a bit higher, but only a few guys dropped, no good sprinters. It doesn’t look like anybody dares to place an attack. Matsyiak 3 minutes behind, probably won’t return. Escapees roughly 2 minutes behind.
27km – Well, it looks like we’ll get a mass sprint. Peloton is intact, maybe some sprinters have lost a bit of energy but that’s it. Break is under control, 1’20 ahead.
24km –
Katusha’s hope for today, Selig, has a puncture. Hope for him is gone, peloton disappearing from his sight.
10km –
Under the banner, it looks like the breakaway will be reeled in time, they have 40 seconds left. Belkin looking confident, I miss MTN in front, it looks like Ciolek is alone today.
6km –
The breakaway seems to have something left. 45 seconds left. Klimov(RVL) tries to break away from the others, but it doesn’t look like he’ll succeed on his own.
4200m –
I might want to swallow my words. He has a gap, and the peloton, where Belkin has to do it alone, is still around 50 seconds behind. WTF.
Other escapees are just 15 seconds behind. If they’d come all together, we’re going to have a really open sprint, there aren’t names that’d stand out sprinting-wise, they’re all about equal.
3000m –
Belkin train found a tough pace, but will it be in time, still 45 seconds left of the gap. Also, more important now, Tiralongo & Bideau managed to reach Klimov. The group of 4 behind is @ 20 seconds.
2000m – (sorry for missing screenshot) This is getting close! Peloton at 32 seconds now. Klimov, Tiralongo & Bideau are fighting for each other’s wheels, which kinda slows them down. The group of 4 at the back, led by Mol, are also coming from behind, with Mol going early, it seems.
1400m –
I think you could say that the groups are together, but what is it worth right now? The 3 waited long with sprinting, and therefore, Mol passes them. A few metres back, Renshaw is powerfully leading out Brouwer. In the wheels are: Dehaes(LTB), Ciolek(MTN), Boeckmans(VAC), Lobato(EUS), Rojas(MOV) and Brammeier(CSS). The latter one still has 1800m to sprint, though.
1000m –
Peloton closing in really, really fast. D.Rosa(AND) on the right seems to have the most speed left. Brouwer is about to be released though.
600m –
Diego Rosa only has a few meters left. Belkin train looks good, Brouwer now next to Renshaw. Sprinters behind the Belkins seem to be boxed in a bit, the guys on the right are all tired escapees.
400m –
Brouwer looking comfortable, almost passed Rosa by now. Ciolek & Boeckmans, who seem to do a creepy merge, both coming fast.
Finish –
 

Brouwer managed to hold on, despite Boeckmans being faster in the last meters. Boeckmans finishes second, with Ciolek in third. Lobato for fourth, and Dehaes completes the Top 5. Rosa managed to hold on to a Top 10, finishing 9th.


Results

1	Willem Brouwer	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	4h17'32
2	Kris Boeckmans	Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
3	Gerald Ciolek	MTN - Qhubeka	s.t.
4	Juan José Lobato	Euskaltel - Euskadi	s.t.
5	Kenny Dehaes	Lotto Belisol	s.t.
6	José Joaquín Rojas	Movistar Team	s.t.
7	Matthew Brammeier	Champion System Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
8	Mark Renshaw	Belkin Pro Cycling Team	s.t.
9	Diego Rosa	Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela	s.t.
10	André Cardoso	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	s.t.

Team: Belkin

Selwink wrote:
Yay, another sponsor goal achieved