The first three in this list are no surprise at all. Boasson Hagen, Bakelants and Trofimov are some of the very best classic rider in the peloton. The next in the list, Spilak though got some offseason training in the hope to attack the classics as well. And also the remaining riders have proven their worth already in several races.
It took more than 60km until the break was formed. A very fast start today as up to 17 riders tried to break out together. In the end only 5 made it and now climb the Mur de Huy for the first of three times. Eibegger Schachmann Shilov Polnicky Young
Quite some surprising teams sending a rider into the break. Tinkoff, Festina and also Movistar have a favourite for today but this way avoid the pace making. Pressure high on Aker, Bouygues, Pokerstars & Co.
Not a big surprise to see Aker, Bouygues and Pokerstars working behind. Also Good Energy for Ponzi and Red Bull for Skujins.
Those teams were responsible for a reduction of the gap. Only 1'30 are left at the 2nd Mur de Huy passing with 37km to go.
And we see a nice attack. Now the placement of Young in the breakaway makes sense as some kind of relay station as we see Van Garderen accelerating on the Mur.
Before the finish line he is joining his team mate young and Polnicky. Though another 600m later on the line he is caught again by the Aker helpers. This also means that he breakaway is down to 3 riders only.
Van Garderen surely was not going all in the last time as he goes again just a few meters later.
The Mur and in especially the high pace due to Van Garderen`s attack sees a huge split. 48 riders only in the first group but let`s see which riders are in the bigger 2nd peloton. It`s led by Volkswagen and Orange. So not a surprise to hear that Claeys is behind and apparently also Flügel. Schreurs is another big name here. Others are; Anuar Aziz Vanendert Zaini Kinoshita
Shock moment for Aker. Hagen also in the later group and actually at the end of that one. Neither a crash nor a puncture was reported. So question is if he has a bad day or if there was something unseen?
The first group splits another time and more riders find themselves dropped such as Klemme Gilbert Ulissi Ignatiev Caruso
Bakelants himself is doing the pace in the 26 rider top group now trying to avoid a fusion.
Also Pokerstars going all-in for Ginanni as Roche is at the front pacing for him catching the breakaway now with 20km to go. In the background though you see the bigger peloton almost making it.
Seeing that guys like Hagen or Ulissi are soon to be in the group again, some other riders decide to make the race harder by attacking. First is Ponzi, who is immediately followed by Bakelants. Behind them also: Trofimov Ginanni Skujins Spilak
Only a bit later the next row with: Gastauer Van Garderen Roche Sagan Froome
and another bit later some of the former dropped riders: Hagen Claeys Schumacher Gautier Machado
while Lutsenko is working in the peloton for Gilbert now.
Flügel, Ulissi, Schleck, Schreurs, Klemme, Gilbert all in the front rows there trying to catch them.
A big group of 10 riders form a new top group including:
Spilak, Ponzi, Trofimov, Bakelants, Ginanni, Skujins, Gastauer, Sagan, Froome, Van Garderen.
37s later Hagen, Claeys, Gautier and Machado while all other follow 17s later in the peloton. So all within 1min yet.
Flügel, Schumacher and Roche did attack again and jumped into the Hagen group now.
More interesting though in the front where Trofimov, Spilak and Ponzi also attacked with 10km to go forming a strong trio now.
Roche dropped into the peloton again after his earlier work for Ginanni. But it`s 3-7-6 groups now. Gaps are still not huge and when working together even the Hagen group has not lost yet. Though also from behind the peloton has not given up yet.
Last 2km and the trio still going strong having a gap. The gap between the next two groups is only half of this, so the uphill sprint can mix things up a lot.
One rider though wants to make his move before the sprint. Surprisingly it`s the weakest puncheur of that group: Sagan. But his palmares is talking different. He loves those kind of races and uses to perform huge there.
1km left and Ponzi starts his sprint and immediately opens a small gap. Spilak and Trofimov behind and also Sagan is closing it seems.
Trofimov struggles. Spilak also opened a small gap to him now but it`s still Ponzi looking strongest.
Behind we see a big fusion again. Skujins, Gastauer, Ginanni, Van Garderen, Froome and Bakelants still in front but from behind Schumacher, Claeys and for the first time Van Stayen, Bobridge show themselves.
But the race goes to the trio and the flatter part on the top gave Ponzi another advantage. The Italian takes the 2015 Fleche Wallone with a dominant performance ahead of Spilak and Trofimov. What a week for him so far after Amstel Gold also the Fleche Wallone!
What next? Liege to make it the Ardennes triple?
Huge result for Sagan. Becherovka seems to perform in more or less all races. 4th is above all expectations for them.
The sprint of the next group was a bit weird as all riders looked really exhausting seeing not many changes on the final meters.
Skujins with a nice 5th today ahead of Gastauer. So Vesuvio also doing well here in the post-Schleck era.
Van Garderen might have been one of the strongest today, which was needed after the disaster in AGR but his early moves might have cost him a better result. 7th though is still good for him in this field. Behind him Ginanni, Schumacher and a strong Van Stayen complete the top10.
Froome, Bakelants surely had hoped for a bit more as next while Bobridge as 13th with a decent result after an anonymous race.
Kadri next surprisingly strong ahead of the Volkswagen duo, Costa, Gautier and then as 19th only Boasson Hagen!
With such depth the difference between 7th and 20th is very close but riders like Hagen surely underperformed heavily. Also Schreurs (23rd), Gilbert (24th), Zaini (27th), Ulissi (30th) not helping their teams in the relegation fight.
