After all the data is analyzed your top 3 favourites are:
Abakoumov, Peeters, and Sutton.
Your breakaway of the day:
Senechal Vassdal Chavanne Cheung Williams
And that's it for the early action, so we skip over the boring chase and rejoin the race with 110kms to go...
The clouds have darken and rain is coming. The breakaway had their lead at a maximum of 10 minutes before the peloton cut it down to 6'45". And now an important message over the race radio... crash!
The race favourite Abakoumov takes a turn to fast and goes down!
Just Giogieri drops back and will try to pace him back into this race.
And he does make it back. It will remain unseen how this will effect him later in the race if it does at all. But for now it is just embarrassing for Abakoumov as an easy corner caught him off guard and took him down. His teammates are letting him hear it and are laughing it up.
200kms finished, 62kms to go. If the distance wasn't a problem than surely the rain is starting to irritate the riders as it has been coming down for the last 90kms now. The breakaway is still giving their all being 4 minutes up the road.
Out of nowhere an attack with 30kms to go.
Bikienga Belletti Nooytens
Nooytens and Belletti are showing off their stamina to the other sprinters, and are now saying "come catch us" by this attack. The breakaway is 2 minutes in front.
But this is Japanese-Korean Cycling Project's chance to shine in their home race and they aren't going to let a cheap attack beat them. So the three attackers are quickly pulled back.
20kms to go. Everybody is exhausted. The pace is extremely slow in both the breakaway and peloton.
But Evian has caught the breakaway with 10kms to go. Wait, one rider manages to slip away!
Williams is giving it once last go after being out front all day.
Hold on, they missed another one. Senechal is also giving one last push. 8kms to go.
5kms to go, Senechal is caught.
Shortly after the Evian's train blows by Williams.
The sprint opens up with 2.5kms to go. Just 1 long train:
While the other sprinters are slow to realize that the sprint is already starting.
Sonnery is alone to go for the line for himself with 1,300 meters left. That's a crazy long sprint for a guy that just rode 260.7kms! Home crowd favourite Peeters and Italian Belletti have move up behind Drapac.
Hochmann is just waiting and stalking his prey as they are under the banner. He surely has to make up for his teammate's blunder earlier in the day (as the crash seems to be effected Abakoumov as he isn't taking part in the sprint). He can't wait too long however as Awang is coming fast.
Behind Drapac has moved into 4th with Adballah and Schinker fading.
But all eyes are on Hochmann as he makes his move!
It's a two man battle for the win...
And the long sprint costs Sonnery as Hochmann storms by him to take the win in the final meters.
Behind it's a 'V' shape with Drapac at the point taking 3rd ahead of Schinker and Peeters. So the C2 home team comes to their capital and gets a top 5. I'm think they would have liked better but they do have bragging rights over their big brother PCT Meiji as Manan finishes 18th due to poor positioning.
On the outsides are Awang taking 6th, Abdallah in 7th, with Belletti salvaging 8th after what now looks like a rather stupid attack with 30kms to go. Rounding out the top 10 are Makino and Sutton. Makino in 9th will probably cover up the fact that Peeters only finishing 5th.
Surprisingly only 1 rider called it quits and it's a PCT rider, Pranata. He is diffidently going to get mocked on the plane rider back home. And the man with the foolish fall takes 33rd. But surely his team won't be too upset considering Hochmann took the victory.
