Welcome to Brussels to the 2012 U23 World Championship Road Race. The weather couldn`t be much better and many spectators came to the road side.
I am sure we can expect a great cycling race, where the wind might play a special role as it feels like a small storm here and it probably won`t stop during the race.
The course is a bit shorter than the elite race and the Muur Van Geraardsbergen must only be climbed three times, which should already be hard enough.
Biggest question mark behind the favourites. Will the cobbler dominate this race or will a group including some sprinters finish together as there is still quite a long way from the last cobbled section to the finish?
Several Nations know that the only way to have realistic success is a breakaway. So a group of 17 riders is formed including some of the better countries like Kazakhstan or the Netherlands, which have strong guys in the peloton.
Obviously such a big group is not allowed to go and in especially Germany and Belgium are not happy with it. They chase hard now with Zabel, Reinhardt and Schorn. So they are going for their cobbler Zepunkte or allrounder Arndt today.
195km to go and everything is back together. Who will attack next?
A group of 12 is formed in the next row of attacks. Still to big I guess, so some teams still chase behind.
Also this attempt failed and we are still 40km into the race. With maximum 6 men teams they must manage their efforts a lot when they want to control the race still in the final. They surely can`t keep the actual speed until the finish.
This is quite surprising. After chasing the former groups Dieteren now attacks and tries to join the six ahead. This of course puts a lot of pressure on the other favourite teams.
Slowenia, Great Britain and Latvia do the pace but allow them to go.
After a 10km solo Dieteren joins the group and makes it seven.
When the gap climbed over 5min the favourites send their riders to the front to control the peloton. Australia for McCarthy obviously and not for their sprinters, who are also doing the pace, Kazakhstan for Kamyshev and the Netherlands for Vingerling, maybe the best sprinter in the peloton.
115km and 8min gap. Soon we will reach the Geraardsbergen circuit. Belgium now comes to the front supporting the other teams in especially Australia, who is doing most of the work. With Eeckhout they surely have the by far best cobbler in this race and riding on home soil surely makes him the big favourite.
The group reaches the Muur for the first time. How much will this climb decide the race?
7min later the peloton also comes to this point. Obviously it was easier in a short group as every mistake can already destroy your race now.
Belgium really pushing hard now trying to make the race as difficult as possible for the sprinters.
Huge split in the peloton. Only 44 riders in the first group around almost all favourites. Bennett, Moser, Bouhanni, Sagan, Scully, Arndt, Zabel maybe the biggest names behind. So in especially Germany suffered on this first climb losing two fast riders. Still they have high quality in front and due to their breakaway appearance they have less work to do.
Desperated the splitted groups tried to come back on the flat part but actually they might already have lost the race.
But coming back to the group. They just climb the Muur for the 2nd time. 68km left and still 5'16 for them.
This time the Australians lead the peloton in the Muur.
The next groups couldn`t find contact again.
Again a huge split after this lap.
Another German lost contact in Reinhardt. Slowly Zepunkte is losing all his teammates. Also Great Britain lost two decent riders in Thwaites and McLay. And also Belgium lost it`s first helper in Stallaert, who belonged to the bigger circle of favourites.
Still they are the strongest squad left in this 28 rider group with 5 riders and so they are forced to do the most work next to Australia.
On the cobbles the gap is falling far more than here and it`s down to 4'15 with 58km to go. Not looking that good for the breakaway riders.
With 34km to go the group climbs the Muur for the last time today. The gap is down to 2'20 but they work together pretty well and still fight for their big dream.
Last time also for the peloton and Curfs giving everything for his leader.
On the following flat cobbled part leaving Geraardsbergen towards Brussels it`s now Kamyshev himself coming to the front doing the pace. He realizes that many riders struggle now and the group is down to 17.
Still with 5 riders!!! Eeckhout, Curfs, Van der Eynde, Adams, Van Keirsbulck McCarthy, Matthews, Howard Zepunkte, Schoch Kennaugh, Atkins Kamyshev Vingerling Vlatos Kirsch Hnik
Some riders try to fight themselves back into the favourites group. But although they are quite close the wind makes it difficult and they have problems to completely close the gap. Smirnovs, Skujins Dillier Locatelli Brandt Semple Shishelov
Actually only Skujins made it while the others still hang a bit behind. Almost impossible for these with the heavy conditions.
Australia sees their chance as they still have two sprinters here although they have worked quite a lot. Also Vingerling is still there and is a big threat for the cobblers.
The breakaway finally got caught now making it a "new" race again.
Afonso still has not enough. Just being caught he directly attacks again.
But alone in the wind he has no chance at all. Echolons now in the peloton. Everyone in the last rows can lose contact within seconds now and it`s not far until Brussels now.
12km to go and now the first attack by Eeckhout. He knows that he might be fresher than the others but won`t have a chance in a sprint against Vingerling, Matthews or Howard. Zepunkte immediately follows while the others are still waiting.
Howard is still doing the pace for McCarthy. Vingerling is a bit lost now as he is isolated for quite some time already and is missing the support that he would need to chase the duo.
8km left and more attacks. Kamyshev had to do something.
Also Vingerling is happy to be able to do something.
With Van Keirsbulck another Belgium follows them as also Skujins, who shows some great fighting today.
The crowd is loud now with Eeckhout coming solo to the 5km mark. Can he hold the gap?
Eeckhout
<20s>
Zepunkte
<19s>
Vingerling
<30s>
McCarthy
Kamyshev
Van Keirsbulck
Matthews
Skujins
Howard
Brandt
Atkins
Betancourt
Van der Eynde
Kennaugh
Kirsch
Dieteren
Hnik
Australia in a dilemma now. They missed the attacks and now Howard and Matthews seems to be empty. McCarthy has to try it by himself now.
Zepunkte found his 2nd air obviously. With 2,4km to go he created a gap to Kamyshev and is coming closer to Eeckhout.
What a thrilling final!
It`s probably to late for the trio behind. They might only fight for the 4th today as the medals seems to be gone.
With 200m Eeckhout knows that he will win the 2012 U23 World Championships. Congratulation to the Belgium, who came up to all expectations in him.
2nd will go to Zepunkte ahead of Kamyshev. So the three strongest cobbler won today although the level between them is obviously bigger than in the upcoming Elite race.
Belgium also takes the 4th today and showed their domination in the classics. Van Keirsbulck saved a lot of energy in the final and outsprints Vingerling and Skujins, who seems to be happy with the 6th after missing the split earlier.
Australia seems to be a bit disappointing after doing a lot of work for a 7th with McCarthy. Good tactic until the final, there they missed all opportunities.
Wow!!! Betancourt finishes 8th. A Columbian on a cobbled route. Even more impressive seeing that he was in the break all day but somehow kept himself in the group for the last 12km. Atkins and Brandt complete the top10.
