The Luxembourg national championships are to be held over a cobbled course the two main favourites are Drucker and Schlechter as the two best cobble specialists especially for the latter as Vesuvio has 9 of the 13 riders here but national championships don’t always go to the best rider so we’re likely in for an exciting race.
The commissaries flag drops and immediately Fritsch goes on the attack, Feiereisen, Gastauer and A. Schleck all follow him, each of them riding for separate teams today despite all being from Vesuvio.
Halfway through the race so 30km to go and this group has a 10 minute gap, so it looks like they’ll contest the finish today.
3km left and Schleck attacks! Nobody else follows, could this year’s Giro winner triumph on the cobbles today?
As Schleck hits 1.5km to go, suffering on the cobbles but so close to the win, Kirsch begins to launch his sprint behind to catch him, it’ll take a miracle though.
And Schleck wins the Luxembourg national championships! His trade teammate Feiereisen tops Fritsch in the sprint while Gastauer finishes off the podium in fourth place. The only other rider to finish is Kirsch, over 8 minutes later.
Jungels is the favourite for the time trial, although his teammate A. Schleck is looking to do the double here also contenders today are Kirsch and Heymes, all Vesuvio riders.
Drucker is the best time-trialist not with Vesuvio and he leads the race he sets the best time at every time check so far and reaches the line in 1h12’01”
Kirsch is even faster though and tops Drucker’s time at every time check finishing 24 seconds faster.
Heymes now takes the lead as the next rider through, topping Kirsch’s time by just 3 seconds.
Andy Schleck has being double champion as an incentive and finishes in 1h10’12” a full 1’22 faster than Heymes. Just Jungels to finish now.
Jungels hits the line in 1h09’03” leading at every split and takes the win today, he’ll get to wear his jersey again next season.
