Welcome to the rainy Grand duchy for the local hilly classic. Topping the list of favourites are Hagen, Schleck and Bakelandts.
It's raining in Luxembourg and almost immediately we have the first two victims. Zahner and Aasvold go down but can continue their race.
The first 2 hours of the race are very hard. It seems like to many teams want to be in the break today as we see multiple attacks with over 10 riders. The top teams think this is too dangerous and always pull them back.
With 180 km left, two riders finally get a clear gap. They are Santander sprinter Reynes and Canecky. They quickly pull out a 3 minute gap.
Things get very intresting when there is a strong counterattack with 130 km to go. Vanendert, Frank, Albasini, Klemme, Moinard, Bobridge, Rabottini and Vastaranta all go for it. A strong group of punchers, the pack has to be carefull.
The 8 chasers work well together and quickly join our leading duo.
Another crash on the wet roads. And again it's an Aker rider. Haas this time. Luckily for Hagen, Haas can continue aswell and rejoins the peloton quickly.
Aker, Lotto and Vesuvio are leading the peloton. They stame calm but take some risks by giving the leaders a 6-minute advantag.
And we have another victim from the bad weather. Vanendert has crashed out of the leading group. A shame for him as he was, on paper, the best puncher at the front.
He showes some fighter spirit and works hard to rejoin the break with 70 km untill the finish line. The break is then 4'30 in front as Vesuvio and Aker have taken up the pace behind.
And another rider from the break with bad luck. It's
Moinard. But he didn't crash, he had a flat tire. He shows the same spirit as Vanendert and also rejoins the break.
We're about to start the last 60 km which will prove to be decisive and have the hardest hills of the route.
Anza is leading the peloton on the fourth-to-last hill of the day. Other top domestiques like Claeys, Monfort and Gastauer have started working aswell.
Hagen has lost his best hilly domestique as Haas crashed for a second time.
Schleck and Cunego are already attentive at the front.
Craven is the first to attack during the descent. He gets a 20 second advantage over the peloton but is still almost 2' behind the leaders with less than 30 km to the line.
We're on the toughest hill of the day and Frank starts to believe in a surprise. He attacks his companions but doesn't get far and only results that Canecky and Reynes are dropped.
Pozzato is the first big name to attack with 20 km to go. Ginanni and Schleck quickly counter.
But Cunego pulls them back. He creates a 23-men strong favourites group this way. Biggest names missing here is Van Garderen who is 3 groups back due to some bad positioning. Craven is also caught.
Vanendert clearly feels strong after his chase and attacks. He pulls out a gap on 6 chasers as Moinard has been dropped. The favourites are still 1'30 behind with 15 km to go.
At the top of the penultimate hill and Frank has to let go as Vanendert is caught again by Bobridge.
Trofimov makes a strong attack out of the favourites group with Bakelandts, Ponzi, Schumacher and Di Maggio in his wheel.
Only Trofimov got away and quickly joins 5 riders. Rabottini isn't here as he just attacks and is leading 15" in front.
Drama behind as Bakelandts crashes out of the favourites group!
Starting the final hill, Trofimov has joined the leader with Bobridge in his wheel.
Klemme, Vastaranta, Vanendert and Albasini got caught be the chasers who are 25" behind.
Cunego is chasing there and quickly pulls back Rabottini. Bobridge is still following Trofimov and they still have a nice gap with 1.8 km to the line.
Cunego attacked away there and joins the leaders right as the sprint is about to start.
Bobridge seems to have no energy left as he is quickly passed by the chasers. He slightly blocks Schleck that way.
Cunego has sprinted straight passed Trofimov but the danger might come from behind.
Hagen seems to be the strongest there but has troubles to even pass Trofimov. Schleck is going fast aswell now after freeing himself from behind Bobridge.
Ponzi is coming strong aswell and the 4 are now almost on a line next to eachother.
But that is only for second place. Cunego takes a dominant win showing he is still a legend and is ready for defending his Tour title. Well timed attack right before the sprint, nobody could even threaten him.
Ponzi wins the sprint for second with Trofimov taking third. Schleck and Hagen round out the top 10. Very strong finish from the Italian here.
Ginanni takes 6th in front of Gilbert, a celebrating Claeys, Pozzovio and Gesink. Bobridge finished 14th in the end, he clearly had nothing left for the sprint.
Result
1
Damiano Cunego
Lotto - Cervelo
5h52'38
2
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 12
3
Yuri Trofimov
Koenigsegg
s.t.
4
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
5
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
6
Francesco Ginanni
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 29
7
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
s.t.
8
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 37
9
Domenico Pozzovivo
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
10
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
s.t.
11
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
12
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
13
Stefan Schumacher
UBS - BMC
s.t.
14
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
15
Damiano Caruso
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
16
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
17
Marcello Pavarin
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 1'01
18
Anthony Roux
Team Bacardi
s.t.
19
Tom Diggle
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
20
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 1'14
21
Domenik Klemme
Team B&O
+ 1'23
22
Salvatore Mancuso
Team Bacardi
+ 1'36
23
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
24
Jukka Vastaranta
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
25
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
s.t.
26
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
s.t.
27
Dan Craven
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
28
Matthias Frank
UBS - BMC
+ 1'58
29
Matteo Montaguti
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
+ 2'08
30
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
+ 2'23
31
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
+ 3'17
32
Amaël Moinard
Simply Red Bull
+ 4'33
33
Marcel Wyss
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 6'50
34
Daniel Oss
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 6'59
35
Santo Anza
Koenigsegg
+ 8'29
36
Jonathan McEvoy
Pendleton's
+ 8'40
37
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Aker - MOT
s.t.
38
Bauke Mollema
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
39
Gabriele Bosisio
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
40
Dario Cataldo
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
41
Branislav Samoilev
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
42
Matthias Krizek
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
43
Ben Gastauer
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 11'48
44
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
+ 12'05
45
Ramon Sinkeldam
Project 1t4i
+ 12'12
46
Jaroslav Kulhavy
Milka - AVG
s.t.
47
Wilco Kelderman
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
48
Michał Kwiatkowski
Team B&O
s.t.
49
William Walker
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
50
Pello Bilbao
Team Bacardi
s.t.
51
Nikias Arndt
Team B&O
s.t.
52
Stef Clement
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
53
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
54
Jonathan Castroviejo
Project 1t4i
s.t.
55
Nebojsa Jovanovic
Pendleton's
s.t.
56
Jakub Kratochvila
Milka - AVG
s.t.
57
Matteo Bono
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
58
Johannes Heider
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
59
Alberigo Passalacqua
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
60
Mathieu Perget
Team Bacardi
s.t.
61
Coen Vermeltfoort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
62
Mario Vogt
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
63
Rafael Rodríguez Segarra
Santander
+ 12'55
64
Mauro Facci
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
65
Carlos Oyarzun
Pendleton's
s.t.
66
Jelle Wallays
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
67
Ioannis Tamouridis
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
68
Adil Jelloul
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
69
Aidis Kruopis
Team Bacardi
s.t.
70
Kleber Silva
Pendleton's
s.t.
71
Grégory Rast
Pendleton's
s.t.
72
Zdenek Stybar
Milka - AVG
s.t.
73
Sebastien Einsle
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
74
Maciej Paterski
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
75
Matej Vysna
Milka - AVG
s.t.
76
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
77
Jakub Danacik
Koenigsegg
s.t.
78
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
79
Travis Meyer
Wikipedia
s.t.
80
Ruben Ibanez
Pendleton's
s.t.
81
Nick Kinney
Wikipedia
s.t.
82
Valerio Agnoli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
83
Laurens Ten Dam
Project 1t4i
s.t.
84
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
s.t.
85
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
s.t.
86
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
87
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
88
Vegard Stake Laengen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
89
Andrea Palini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
90
Sebastien Reichenbach
UBS - BMC
s.t.
91
Mikel Landa
Wikipedia
s.t.
92
Pieter Ghyllebert
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
93
Alex Kirsch
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
94
Chiaffredo Grippo
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
95
Sebastian Langeveld
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
96
Thurakit Boonratanathanakorn
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
97
Nathan Haas
Aker - MOT
s.t.
98
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
99
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
s.t.
100
Mattia Pozzo
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
101
Francesco Reda
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
102
Danny Summerhill
Wikipedia
s.t.
103
Piet Rooijakkers
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
104
Wes Sulzberger
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
105
Meron Russom
Pendleton's
s.t.
106
Lorents Ola Aasvold
Aker - MOT
s.t.
107
Lars Petter Nordhaug
Aker - MOT
s.t.
108
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
109
Serge Pauwels
Koenigsegg
s.t.
110
Marek Canecky
Milka - AVG
s.t.
111
Ole Haavardsholm
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
112
Tom Leezer
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
113
Vicente Reynès
Santander
s.t.
114
Evgeni Sokolov
Team Bacardi
s.t.
115
Simon Zahner
UBS - BMC
+ 14'08
116
Laurent Pichon
Festina-Canal+
+ 14'15
117
Darwin Atapuma
Wikipedia
s.t.
118
Thomas Koep
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
119
Artemio Moschella
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 14'35
120
Florian Stalder
UBS - BMC
+ 14'43
121
Kevin Fouquet
Koenigsegg
s.t.
122
Sondre Sørtveit
Aker - MOT
+ 15'40
123
Alexander Wetterhall
Koenigsegg
+ 16'35
124
Paride Grillo
Koenigsegg
+ 16'46
125
Elia Favilli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 18'47
126
Welle Jallays
Pokerstars.com
+ 18'54
127
Jure Kocjan
Team Bacardi
s.t.
128
José Antonio Redondo
Koenigsegg
s.t.
129
Ronan Van Zandbeek
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
130
Frederik Nolf
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
131
Jocelyn Bar
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
132
Olivier Le Gac
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
133
Paul Martens
Project 1t4i
s.t.
134
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
135
Guillaume Blot
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
136
Juan Abenhamar Gallego Martin
Santander
s.t.
137
Michael Matthews
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 19'22
138
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
s.t.
139
Kevin Van Impe
Pokerstars.com
+ 22'15
140
Roman Kreuziger
Milka - AVG
+ 22'46
141
Danilo Wyss
UBS - BMC
s.t.
142
Juraj Sagan
Team B&O
s.t.
143
Arkaitz Durán
Santander
s.t.
144
Romain Vanderbiest
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
145
Aberlardo Ablenado
Santander
s.t.
146
David Boucher
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
147
Tom Dumoulin
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
148
Nikola Aistrup
Team B&O
s.t.
149
Davide Cimolai
Vespa-Aprilia Racing
s.t.
150
Imanol Erviti
Santander
s.t.
151
Cedric Lebris
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
152
Andzs Flaksis
Wikipedia
s.t.
153
Michael Mørkøv
Team B&O
s.t.
154
Erick Rowsell
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
155
Thomas Frei
UBS - BMC
s.t.
156
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
157
Chris Opie
Simply Red Bull
+ 28'58
158
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
+ 29'12
159
Jasha Sütterlin
Team Puma - SAP
+ 29'20
160
Panagiotis Vlatos
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
161
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
