The Czech Nat Champs today, and while Rabon, Danacik and Konig are the three favourites. You can't help but feel that Milka's five man team should be decisive.
Rothaus also have 3 riders, and Vesely kicks off the attacks, Hochmann, Hnik and Hosek follow. All the teams with multiple riders are represented up front.
Milka are not sure if this is fair, so Paprstka attacks.
And he makes it across as the gap heads towards the three minute mark.
Rabon seems confident of his own abilites, and by extension, not so confident of Hochmann's. So Rabon is controlling the gap at 2'30" after one lap.
It doesn't look like the break will have it all it's own way. The gap after lap two is just 90 seconds.
On lap three Rabon keeps the gap at 90 seconds, but it's bad news for Sony, as Danacik falls
Over the top of the climb on lap 4 he makes it back, just as the break is caught. We are back to square 1, but now with just 113km to race.
Milka have no intention of letting this come down to individual strength, so Hosek attacks again.
Rabon immediately appropriates Hochmann to control the move.
Hnik and Vesely attack, but Hochmann pulls it all together again. Now Kreuziger makes a move.
Vesely tries to join him.
And succeeds on the downhill. This is dangerous for Rabon.
Hochmann is working hard, and keeping the gap at 35" at the halfway stage of the race.
Kreuziger really pushes it up the hill and manages to gain another minute of gap. Hnik decides he needs to be in this move, so attacks.
Hnik gets the gap down to thirty seconds at the base of the hill, but Kreuziger is really going for it, and over the top he has a minutes advantage, with 2' on the bunch. Vesely is doing all he can to just stay on his wheel.
With 3 laps to go for the peloton the lead group is now 2'30" ahead. Hochmann has now been on the front for 60km so Rabon will need to make his move on this lap, or surely Kreuziger will be too far ahead.
Kreuziger again leads the whole way up the climb. Vesely starts to let a gap appear at the very top, but should have enough to close it down on the descent.
Hochmann is dead, and while Rabon is happy to let the lead grow. When it passes the 3'30" mark Danacik decides he has to start helping the chase.
And then he decides to attack.
Rabon has no choice but to follow. Konig has been waiting all day for this, and is immediately in his wheel.
The two soon join Danacik.
Kreuziger leads through with 35km and 2 laps to go.
Hnik is at 1'06"
Konig doesn't do any work, so the three attackers are caught by the peloton again. Through the line Danacik attacks, Konig again straight in the wheel. The gap to Kreuziger though, has stayed at 3'20".
Konig tries to go straight past Danacik
Dancik isn't having that, and cruises back to him.
Rabon attacks again, this time Stybar is right on him, Milka have played this race tactically perfect so far.
Danacik doesn't like the company, so attacks again. Konig is right in his wheel again.
Konig is pushing hard to gap Dancik and allow himself freedom to go solo
Konig manages to get the gap as Rabon powers his way back to Danacik with Stybar just about following.
But Rabon sits on Danacik's wheel, but Dancik doesn't work, so Hacecky pull back the rest of the bunch.
Konig has done excellently to catch Hnik, but will he push on to help his teammate, or wait in the wheels?
Danacik puts in another stinging attack. Stybar again follows straight away.
Konig is happy to wait on Hnik's wheel, allowing Danacik and Stybar to join him.
Kreuziger and Vesely are together with 1 lap to go, does Kreuziger have the ability to drop Vesely up the final climb? He's the worse sprinter by a long way.
1'35" back, Danacik is trying to close the gap. Konig and Stybar just sitting on must be pretty irritating for him.
Rabon now manages to join the four chasers.
Danacik throws in one last desperate attack. Konig comfortably responds though.
And as Konig sits up, Rabon pulls them back. Milka have destroyed the morale of the chasers today, and all but ensured the breaks sucess.
10km to go, but the climb is running out, Kreuziger has to back up his team by dropping Vesely here.
Over the top of the hill and Vesely is just about still there. Does either of them have an attack left, or will it come down to the sprint?
Rabon and Dancik have recognised the futility of the chase, and allowed the bunch to come back together again.
With 5km to go Kreuziger is trying to force Vesely to lead out the sprint.
Vesely foolishly starts the sprint from 3km to go. With the chasers 2'30" back, he's just giving up on the win.
Under the kite, and Kreuziger is still waiting to make a move. As the weaker sprinter he needs Vesely to be completely out of energy before he tries anything.
Here he comes.
And a massively deserved win for Milka and Kreuziger, they dominated the race from start to finish, their entire team were involved in an attack, and Kreuziger timed his perfectly.
Results:
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Roman Kreuziger
Milka - Vittel
4h37'12
2
Daniel Vesely
Team Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
3
Jakub Danacik
Sony Ericsson
+ 2'26
4
Zdenek Stybar
Milka - Vittel
s.t.
5
Jakub Novak
Team Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
6
Martin Hacecký
Team B&O
s.t.
7
Leopold König
Milka - Vittel
s.t.
8
Jan Barta
Team Trilux - Falke
s.t.
9
Tomas Paprstka
Milka - Vittel
s.t.
10
Karel Hnik
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
11
Frantisek Rabon
Team Bianchi
s.t.
12
Josef Hosek
Milka - Vittel
s.t.
13
Daniele Turek
Team Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
14
JÃri Hochmann
Team Bianchi
+ 7'20
15
Saydou Sow
Control
+ 8'30
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