193kms divided into 13 circuits near the city of Stavanger in the region of Rogaland, Norway. Before getting the race underway, your top 3 favourites from the odds-makers are Kennaugh, Hoffman, and Napolitano. It's a cold day in Norway so the riders have brought out the arm sleeves for today's race, rain is on the radar but many are questioning if it will show up before the finish.
By the start of the 2nd lap we get a group of 4 up front. Grychenko Cousin Dyrnes Roman
Great job by the CT home team Risa to get a Norwegian in the action.
The peloton is already starting to split as Evain and Vueling are pushing the tempo as they don't like this group up front. Already 35 riders have been tailed off.
However the peloton eventually gives in and allows the 4 man group to be the breakaway of the day and the 35 riders that were temporarily left behind to rejoin. But it does show that the climb could split the peloton rather easily.
Since the breakaway is the only action on the course here are their intervals to the peloton as they start each of the laps around the circuit.
Lap #4
4'10"
Lap #5
5'45"
Lap #6
7'00"
Lap #7
7'00"
Lap #8
6'00"
Lap #9
5'00"
Lap #10
4'00"
Lap #11
3'00"
The peloton keeps knocking off a minute a lap, so by the start of lap #11 it's a 3 minute lead with 3 laps to go. If they keep averaging a minute a lap it's going to be close. And the some of the riders in the peloton realize this and we get some attacks...
De Haes and Lagutin.
29 Riders are already off the back and have a very slim chance of returning to the peloton, the biggest contenders being -
Iglinski, Van Heerden Averin, Guardini, Manarelli Van der Sande Peeters, Baumann, Uugunbayar Jorgensen, Kristoff Caldeira Tiainen, Crespo Eefting, Mora
Some very valuable lead out men and a few top sprinters for the CT teams off the back already with 3 laps to go, are there more to come?
Meiji isn't happy with just one guy up front as Kwok is attacking across to De Haes and Lagutin who are hanging onto a 30 second lead over the peloton. 40kms to go, 2.5 laps.
Vueling brings him back rather easily and closes in on the other two attackers. The breakaway is still pushing ahead with a 2'15" lead.
2 laps to go. Peloton -- 46" --> De Haes/Lagutin -- 53" --> Breakaway.
And here comes the rain, 22kms to go. Second to last time up the climb.
Major split over the top! Only 17 riders are left in the peloton!
Stoltz, Keough, Breshel Lindgren, Hermans Galimzyanov, Trusov, Kozontchuk Van der Schueren, Baugnies Modolo, Santambrogio De Greef, Vansummeren Hoffman, Sepulveda Eichler
Many of the favourites are caught out and are now chasing in the group behind.
The lead group isn't going to slow down for them as they have just caught De Haes and Lagutin. What an exciting race this has turned into, the people here in Norway are going crazy.
Sepulveda is dropped from the lead group leaving Hoffman with no help.
As the breakaway starts the final lap the lead group of 18 is just 20 seconds back. The dropped favourites group is already 2 minutes back from them.
The gap grows to 3 minutes and they have stopped chasing as Sram is softly pedaling on the front. What a turn of events, everybody is stunned. The hill dropped the top favourites out of this race.
The lead group has the breakaway right where they want them but can't close the gap.
The climb does it's last damage taking out Keough and Galimzyanov on the final time up. They were so close to the finish, 5kms to be exact. But they did better than those behind them so that's a plus.
The breakaway is finally caught with 4kms to go. Again so close, but they will be rewarded with a top 20 finish for their efforts at less.
Amex may not have Keough but the do start the sprint with Breschel and Stoltz. Kozontchuk is up their for Tinkoff while Roman wants a top 5 for his efforts in the breakaway. Santambrogio for Meiji sits in 5th place. Hoffman is surprising mid-pack.
Baugnies moves up into 6th, and I guess now is a good time to say sorry for underestimating HTC tactics in the preview. Hoffman is starting to make his charge to the front, But Breschel and Kozontchuk are exploding away from everybody else.
As Baugnies goes around Roman he is joined by Vansummeren, Hermans, and Hoffman for what would be 4th place.
Kozontchuk makes his move around Breschel.
Hermans and Hoffman are closing in on Santambrogio. Making the battle for 3rd the most interesting as...
Kozontchuk takes the victory and continues Tinkoff's amazing season so far. Breschel follows for 2nd and AMEX can only wonder if they could have won if Keough had made it over the hill one last time.
Santambrogio just holds on for a podium as Hermans takes 4th and Hoffman can only manage 5th even though he was the strongest sprinter left in this lead group.
Finishing out the top 10 are Vansummeren, Baugnies, Cousin, Van der Schueren, and Eichler. HTC and BPost with a lot of unexpected points here, although their team managers will probably say they knew this was going to happen all along.
Leading the peloton in for 24th place is Kreder, 8'34" after Kozontchuk raised his arms over his head. Very disappointing for their managers. But it did make for a crazy race for the spectators so you take the good with the bad here in Norway.
Hoffman is starting to make his charge to the front, But Breschel and Kozontchuk are exploding away from everybody else.
