First C2 race of the season: we're heading for the Clasico San Cristobal, where the division's best puncheurs will battle for line honours.
Mendes as the obvious top-favorite, Gaimon as the defending champion here. Lejman maybe as Mendes' biggest opponent, though we have several names with real chances here!
Elfarsson is the first rider to attack the bunch right from the start. A nice way to introduce his new Icelandic team into the CT!
A few more riders like veteran Steegmans try to follow, though it must be said, that this is just the usual chaos at the beginning of such a one day race..
Steegmans, however, actually managed to be a part of the break of the day: a group of 4 riders went clear from the pack and established a 2'50" gap with still 167km remaining.
Steegmans, Esmaeli, Affonso, Aramendía
Business as usual then: the escapees build a gap up to 6 minutes halfway through the race, while the peloton would then start to go for a higher pace on the chase. Teams like In-n-Out, Severstal and Novatek sharing most of the work.
25km to go now and the breakaway's advantage is down to a minute, while we've noticed the first major split in the peloton. 50 riders remaining in the main group, no notable name being dropped.
Right at the bottom of the penultimate climb (the longer of the two final climbs), the early break has been caught! The top-teams were always in control of things today.
The first major moves now: Chérel goes with 12km remaining and there's already a notable split at the front of the bunch, with 11 more riders trying to hang on with Chérel!
The French couldn't go clear though and at the top of the climb, the new leading group consists of 16 riders:
Next attacks on the downhill sector - 7km remaining:
Rabon and Vastaranta try to escape from this elite group!
Vastaranta couldn't hang on with Rabon, who enters the short finishing climb with just a small advantage on the chasing group! Mendes showing himself at the very front of this group now that we have something like 2km to go.
And just a few moments later, the top-favorite attacks the group and quickly goes past Rabon:
Mendes with a strong kick inside the final 1.5km! Rabon can't follow, but he's still about 7 seconds ahead of a next group with Durasek, Vastaranta, Matysiak, Sinkewitz and Pozdnyakov!
Final km and Mendes opened up a comfortable gap already. He's going strong towards the victory.
Rabon still fighting to hold off the chasers, where Acevedo storms to the front with an impressive acceleration! Sinkewitz suffering, just as Vastaranta. Durasek/Matysiak apparently stronger than Lejman today..
Mendes indeed takes it, celebrating a great victory here. His team did control the race nicely and the top-favorite kept it cool to wait for the perfect moment to strike. Great timing, well deserved win.
49" later, Rabon managed to hold off a strong finishing Acevedo! The latter entered the climb too far behind in the group, as his sprint was truly impressive and could have brought him at least the runner-up here. Anyway, both will be happy with their results.
Durasek/Matysiak (4th, 6th) with a great showing as well, making up for Lejman's quiet 13th place today. Veteran Sinkewitz with a solid 5th to kick off his CT campaign.
A strong performance from Pozdnyakov to finish ahead of Vastaranta, who hadn't enough power left after his attack with Rabon.. also Juarez will be happy to finish 9th ahead of Molard.. Defending Cristobal-winner Gaimon has to settle for a 12th place this year.