There is doubting who the Kazakh's big favourite is in these post Vinokourov days it is Lipton Iced Tea's Andrei Kashechkin. However he was a big disappointment at this year's Tour de France and there are whispers that Muravjev (Sony Ericcson) and Iglinski (Vesuvio) have in truth had better seasons relative to the Lipton man.
The parcours here are fairly tough:
Things do split up in the early stages however and it is Muravjev and Gourov (Bacardi) who push this on trying to sneak away as we have seen in other nationals. The Sony Ericsson rider is strong enough to do some damage here and Kashechkin is quick to respond bridging up to these two.
With two of the three big favourites up here it really is curtains for everyone else. Clearly in great confidence Kashechkin decides to move away from these two at about the 130km to go point.
Muravjev cannot live with him and neither can Gourov and so Kash builds a good 4 to 5 minute advantage. Meanwhile Iglinski is starting to move through the field overtaking the two former leaders in pursuit of Kashechkin.
But gifting the Lipton rider five or so minutes proved a big mistake as the gap never really looks like coming down until towards the end when Kash perhaps was taking the foot off the pedal. He takes a old style type victory here to defend his national title.
