One of the most interesting stages in this years Avenir. It`s completely different to the 3 mountain stages, so the outcome might have an influence on the GC but eventually it might not.
But it`s a very long stage with 231km and has also a classic profile similar to the Ardennes classics and even though it`s not very visible in the profile there is indeed the Mur de Huy in the end of the stage.
Will we see the next generation of Ardennes winners? They are not ready for it right now but who knows what is going to happen in 3-5 years.
Top favourites on a course like this are the classic specialists like Skujins or McCarthy, wearer of the KoM jersey after he was already in yesterdays breakaway.
And you also mustn`t forgot the Puma duo Kelderman/Vogt.
Let`s have a short look at their classic results this season and we see that despite their young age, they did not too bad.
MSR
Amstel
Fleche
LBL
Skujins
35
46
80
53
McCarthy (Wiki)
44
26
30
42
Kelderman
43
55
89
60
Vogt
65
117
94
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For the climbers it`s obviously not that important to win today but they should definitely try to avoid too much time loss against the puncheurs but in especially against the other climbers.
I won`t say you surely lose the GC today on a bad day. But definitely you can.
Again it took some time until the breakaway was found. But in the end those 4 riders created a decent gap. Van Baarle Atkins Altur Viennet
Not the strongest riders and more the helpers. But nevertheless an interesting group.
Aleksiev is being solo behind them and is trying to join. More or less 2min to each side but slowly coming to the breakaway.
Oz Cycling again being the team doing the early pace. With George Bennett they have a one of the alrounders here, who climb pretty well and also likes the shorter climbs. So definitely a guy, who might try something today to distance the weaker puncheurs like Dombrowski, Cattaneo etc.
Lots of mountain points to go for today. So we surely will see a new KoM leader. And the group knows that as well of course and so the competition is quite big.
Van Baarle, Altur, Viennet is the order here and so first one already equals with McCarty.
As you can see we have 5 riders in the group now as Aleksiev joined them.
Let`s have a closer look at what is ahead of the young riders. 10 more climbs and some of those are very, very tough.
In especially the Cat.3 climbs are more than tough. First the Redoute early on where some might expect the first splits.
Then in the final two incredible climbs with the Thier de Huy and then the final Mur de Huy.
Lots of different teams have interest to bring the group back. So the gap is never higher than 5'30 and is going down already with 115km to go.
Sprinting time in the breakaway and it`s the Spaniard Altur taking it ahead of Aleksiev and Van Baarle.
Reaching the first of those 10 hills but actually the easiest one. Altur, Aleksiev and Van Baarle also the order here.
But even though it`s the easiest climb, many riders are dropped already. Most of them probably don`t want to go all in and instead try to save as much energy as possible.
Biggest names are Petit and Vesely, 2nd and 3rd yesterday.
But we also have some riders in here that are better climbers like Simon and Aregger.
The breakaway is up the Redoute. The first real test today and you can see in their faces, that they really rode at their limit. Brutal climb it is.
Aleksiev, Altur, Van Baarle tends to become the order at those sprints at the moment.
Led by the team of race leader Stallaert, Bpost, and 4min behind we see the peloton going up the Redoute. With 153 riders still in there and 42 trying to come back again it`s very full here and with so many riders almost with no speed at all you see some riders even leaving their bike to run next to their bikes.
No surprise we have some splits here. Surprise on the other hand about some names behind. Arndt Pereyra Edmondson Van der Lijke
Cote de Gotale next and Van Baarle seems to be recovered the best and takes it ahead of Aleksiev and Altur.
Also Arndt seems to be inside the peloton again as some riders made it back into it.
First mid stage attacks with 65km to go. Lutsenko Kinoshita Koretzky Boswell
So still not the very best puncheurs but definitely some you must be careful with.
The gap was already down to 1'45 and so it didn`t took long until these two groups fusioned.
But also just 1'20 ahead now.
Aleksiev, Altur and Van Baarle btw. was the order at the last KoM, which was offside the TV coverage.
Rider down. And it`s unfortunately for his team MTN here, his real team WWE and also unfortunate for almost everyone: Joseph Dombrowski, one of the very best climbers and favourites for the GC.
Unlucky for the American that Team Swedbank just had highered the pace. This makes it hard for him to come back as we enter the final 40km.
Also MTN is not really sending a guy backwards to support him.
Next KoM and Korezky proves to be the strongest as he easily takes it ahead of Kinoshita and Houle. Houle? Yes. The peloton almost closed the gap and so the Canadian took the 3rd out of the peloton as he somewhat looked like he would attack.
Finally some support for Dombrowski. The team obviously realized that their GC rider is behind. Probably an issue due to the different teams riding for MTN here in Avenir.
But even now the support looks pretty exhausted and Dombrowski has to do a lot of work on his own.
But right now he is already 3min down to the peloton! That`s very hard news for him as (if I calculated correct) this is his only chance to do well here in Avenir as he will be too old next season different to Kennaugh, Lecuisinier or Olivier for example to name the trio I have in my mind right now.
Koretzky still in front with 19km to go. Pranata in 2nd but it`s Vogt going as first of the earlier mentioned top favourites even though Pranata could have been named, too, I guess.
14km to go and those three found together and have a 55s gap.
Double climb now. Cote de Saint Leonard now and third last climb.
3 riders immediately attack: Skujins Houle Ziesler
The gap is down to 36s now.
On top another Cat.4 climb and Vogt takes it ahead of Pranata. Koretzky takes 3rd but is dropped now.
Thier de Huy and again a very tough climb with high percentages.
Vogt going all-in now and had dropped Pranata who is in the next group now, where also McCarthy has joined this group.
So it`s McCarthy, Skujins, Pranata, Houle and Ziesler 26s behind Vogt and 33s ahead of the peloton, which is led by Oz Cycling with one of the best puncheurs here, Weiss.
So no question their GC rider Bennett is the team`s leader.
Almost Flamme Rouge and Vogt still solo in the lead. But nothing is secured yet as this kilometer is very hard and the riders are coming from behind.
Well. Who comes from behind? The group is not working well together and the gap became bigger.
And so the peloton also comes closer to that one with Morton attacking right now. Btw. also one of those riders, who have 1-2 years left to ride Avenir.
So who is left in the peloton as we saw some splits on the Thire de Huy?
I won`t mention all riders but the most important:
Bennett, Weiss
Cattaneo
Stallaert !!!
Elissonde, Bardet
Kennaugh
Kelderman
Kirsch, Koep
Shikai
Mat Senan
Grmay
Meintjes
Bongiorno
+1min
Olivier
Reis
Wellens
Barguil
Galta
Antunes
Even further behind: Arndt, Dombrowski, Hasta, Lecuisinier, Campero.
Vogt is going onto the hardest part of the climb and can almost feel the others coming from behind. The peloton almost made contact with the group ahead and also some dropped riders see a chance to come back and reduce their time loss.
McCarthy against Skujins in front of the first chasing group behind Vogt. Then a mix of some former group riders and the first peloton riders like Bennett or Weiss.
But the big win goes to Vogt today. What a win and as said in the preview. The riders winning stages here often have a great future ahead. So it`s not impossibe that this young guy will be on top of the Muy again during his career.
Skujins takes 2nd in a close fight against McCarty, who might have had a bit more exhausted legs in the end due to his breakaway appearance yesterday.
Weiss brings in the peloton ahead of Kelderman. So a brilliant performance from the Puma riders. Also Oz did well as Weiss` teammate Bennett comes in as 7th just behind a strong Ziesler today and ahead of Pranata.
There clearly were gaps but the officials haven`t made a decision yet about where to make those gaps as the full peloton was still pretty packed.
Unluckies guy in the world right now. Dombrowski comes in more than 6min behind and his big dream to win the GC here might be gone. A stage win it is for him now and until the mountains he can surely get a free head again.
But now let`s have a look about some time gaps that were announced and some GC riders:
Altur
