Who is going to win the first PCT classic of the year? Hard to rate the sprinters really in the first race. Also most of them are really similar and small things might decide.
After 20km several riders were involved in a crash. As 2 Strava riders wait for those, it must be one of their leaders. And indeed it`s last years runner-up Baugnies. In Afewerki another solid rider for a possible Eritel sprint train was on the ground.
The others are Richardson, Hagen, Dulanjana and Bonnett. De Backer is a 2nd rider from Strava, while we have one rider giving up due to injury: Moscon. Perfect start for his pro career...
Gaspar was the first attacker of the day and despite some more attacks only one rider was able to join him in Gougeard. So it`s 2 PT riders, which makes sense seeing their leaders being some outsiders only today.
And the next crash...similar position even.
Petilli
Matte
Weiss
Silva
Canelon
Olesen
L.Keough
Canelon surely the biggest name seeing him as some similar rider as last years winner Dzamastagic.
4 teams are working mainly. 40km to go and 2min gap is under control.
Eritel for Van Heerden/Impey
Wiesenhof for Zabel
Porto - Prio for Avelino and
VisitUkraine for Vanderbiest
14km and only 45s left. From now on they will see them ahead.
Abandon! One rider stops with 1 lap to go. It was no crash but apparently he did run out of energy. It`s Eritel`s top sprinter Van Heerden. Now Impey has to step in but first the team needs to organize themselves again.
With 6km to go Gougeard is still not giving up, but it`s for nothing. Both are caught on the last lap making it a sprint finish.
3 trains of which Wiesenhof vs. Porto - Prio is the strongest while VisitUkraine is in between and also a bit behind.
Postlberger
Caldeira
Carvalho
Coutinho
Zepuntke
Avelino
Archbold
Lo Cicero
Vantomme
Schorn
Vanoverschelde
Hutarovich
Zabel
Matthews
Ulanowski
Vanderbiest
Kneisky
Appollonio
Van der Sande
Stoltz
Dzamastagic
Van Asbroeck
Petit
Bouhanni
Kupfernagel
No sign of Daryl Impey. Apparently the shock is still there and his position was not good enough before to now play a bigger role. Also others such as Pelucchi, Boivin, Sobota, Sutton, Young, Richeze, Wippert, Santos or Park are placed too far behind.
Appollonio is getting himself a great wheel after chasing through the wind for some seconds. He now sits just next to Avelino ahead of Lo Cicero.
2km left and Zabel still has 2 riders ahead of him. The sprint should start soon or they carry him over the line.
Same for Avelino though, who also has two riders ahead.
1,2km and the last corner was not in favour of those that went on the inner side. The Wiesenhof train had to slow down a bit here and the riders, that took the gamble on the longer way are now in a perfect position as they accelerate with great speed.
Those are Lo Cicero, Vanoverschelde, Ulanowski.
Zabel, Vantomme, Vanderbiest, Avelino, Appollonio, Van der Sande, Matthews all in the first rows. But the gap to the first three (Lo Cicero, Vanoverschelde and Ulanowski) is not closed yet and it`s only 700m left.
Last corner and Lo Cicero still in the lead while Ulanowski, who started the day as leadout, tries to go past Vanoverschelde.
Those 3 will decide the race. The gap is too big for others to beat them. And it will be close.
Who is parking the car there? Let`s hope the riders notice quick.
But it`s easy to spot from this angle, who takes the win.
It`s Lo Cicero with his debut win for Valio! Great start for the Italian.
VisitUkraine will go crazy as Ulanowski just finished 2nd ahead of Vanoverschelde. Both with a fantastic result in that field.
Zabel as 4th couldn`t deliver them a win after having the strongest train. Vanderbiest making it as 5th a fantastic result for VisitUkraine being their 2nd rider already.
Van der Sande, Vantomme, Avelino, Appollonio and Matthews next. Some might be disappointed by their result really. But it`s not as disappointing as the 2014 winner Kupfernagel (14th) or Eritel, who came with the strongest duo and finish as one of the worst teams as Impey didn`t contest the sprint today...
