The only hilly stage in this Belgian Crits Series is ready to kick off. Welcome to Leuven, where the puncheurs will try to score high today. Several riders feature the list of favorites without one being outstanding, business as usual for the Crits Series. Some look stronger though:
The Dutch puncheurs are headed by Wilco Kelderman and Marco Minnard, while Wesley Kreder fooled both sprinters and cobblers yesterday (2nd). His 10 points could be quite important.
Last but not least: Sander Armee. He's not only one of the best puncheurs here, but should be also 120% motivated. Leuven is his birthplace, so he's a true local hero.
As soon as the riders enter the first climb up the Kesselberg, we have the first attacks: Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabo) and overall leader Nico Schinker! He's definitely feeling good here in Belgium.
They are joined by Guillame Blot (Topsport), Jos Pronk (Jo Piels) and Kristof Vandewalle (Lotto). The bunch is down by 55" after the first lap.
A few moments later, yesterday's surprising winner Iljo Keisse catches up to the leading group! Both Keisse and Schinker take every chance on "shaky grounds" like here in the hilly and yesterday's cobbled race.
The breakaway established a 1'50" halfway through the race and now more riders try to jump behind: Romain Zingle (Crelan), Nick Van der Lijke (Ned U23) and yet another interesting rider in Wesley Kreder (Metec).
Kreder did suprise in yesterday's criterium, sprinting for 2nd place and therefore joining the mix of possible overall winners. And he keeps being aggressive.
The bunch did react quickly though, as Kreder is a real threat. But just as the pack was going to close up, the three go again with now 27km to go!
3 laps to go and the groups remained the same yet.. of course the gaps have changed:
E1 (6) <- 37" -> E2 (3) <- 27" -> P (57)
So it's still an open race as neither the early escapees nor the mid-race attackers could create a bigger gap on the bunch.
As the chasing group catches up to the breakaway, they hold on to a 57"-gap with now 14km (and two climbs) remaining.
A few other favorites did the same: Marco Minnard (Jo Piels) joined Rast and both bridged the gap to the leading group quickly.
31" behind a strong group of 5 riders broke clear from the bunch, too: local hero Sander Armee (Topsport), Wilco Kelderman (Ned U23), Laurens Ten Dam (Metec), Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabo) and Tomas Okrouhlicky (Telenet)!
And they also close the gap quickly, making it a 16-men leading group with now 1 lap to go.
Team Luxembourg is setting the pace behind, as their top-favorites Kirchen/Einsle failed to attack yet. With 5km left, the pack is 37" in arrears.
And the gap is still at 31" as the leading group starts to sprint! It looks like this 16 riders will fight for the win, but you never know what can happen.
Okrouhlicky took the lead with Blot trying to go early as well.
Okrouhlicky looks strong. The Czech got a small gap already as Blot suffers.. on the left side of the road it's Sander Armee moving forward, while Minnard tries to do the same on the right side.
With the finish approaching, Blot eventually fell behind as the top-favorites appear to be too strong for the early escapees.
Okrouhlicky holds on to his gap, but Armee is still within reach.. A few meters behind, Minnard can't follow and Zingle, Ten Dam, Kreder and Rast join the mix.
The win will be decided between Okrouhlicky and Armee..
Sander Armee takes it! What a finishing punch he had. He could never had imagined a better scenario than winning this race in Leuven, where he was born.
Tomas Okrouhlicky will be pleased with this strong 2nd, we guess.
It's all "Oranje" from 5th to 10th: Ten Dam, Vermeltfoort, Kelderman, Kreder and early escapee Van der Lijke. Kreder might have hoped for more than this 2 points, as he could have taken the overall lead.
Team Luxembourg couldn't fulfill their expectations with Kirchen/Kirsch/Einsle finishing 35" behind Armee.
Luxembourg has a strong duo in Kim Kirchen and Sebastien Einsle. 
Grégory Rast should be Rabobank's leader here.
Wilco Kelderman and Marco Minnard, while Wesley Kreder fooled both sprinters and cobblers yesterday (2nd). His 10 points could be quite important.
Sander Armee. He's not only one of the best puncheurs here, but should be also 120% motivated. Leuven is his birthplace, so he's a true local hero.
Tomas Okrouhlicky
