A strange race this one, being a 188km long classic that on paper should favour the fast men, but instead has in the past been more suited to attackers and puncheurs - in part due to the 9 ascents on the course today.
The first attempt at a breakaway on the first ascent of the day would fail, but on the descent the break of the day would be allowed to form, only then to be caught again before the next ascent. The next attempt would also fail to get away, before finally a 3 man group would be allowed away after 40km. Ilias the headline name, being joined by Kimmince and Prado.
Not a lot would happen in the race for a long while after this, apart from a crash causing Ngandamba and Gudsell to have to abandon, and leading to Bru being dropped from the peloton. A further crash with 95km to go would also bring down Krasnov and Tzortzakis , who would struggle to make it back to the pack at first, but would eventually do so.
Scully was one of the favourites heading into today, but he would find a way to crash going uphill with 70km to go. He’d make it back to the peloton, but it could prove to be an energy sapping chase that he didn’t need in a race such as this.
With 36.5km to go, we see an attack at the foot of the penultimate climb. Pozzato fancies his chances, and he quickly sets about closing the 2 minute gap to the breakaway. Wurf also attempts to bridge, and so a group of 5 is formed on the flat before the final climb, 1’25 ahead of the peloton.
However, with 21km to go everything is brought back together, which is the catalyst for further attacks as we start the final ascent of the climb. None of them seem capable of sticking though, and so as we summit the climb for the last time we have a group of 152 lead by Kraftwerk. All the big names are present, so a sprint looks inevitable.
A split occurs in the group on the descent, with 20 riders losing contact - no big names except from Scully. His team still have Clarke in the peloton, but his manager will once again have reason to be furious with the Kiwi sprinter.
As we pass under the 5km to go banner, Kraftwerk are leading the peloton effectively for Stauff and keeping him out of trouble. Nelson, Clarke, Krieger, Gavazzi and Rowe are also present near the front of the race.
Not a lot changes in the run-in, until with 2km to go Kraftwerk launch early and catch the peloton by surprise! Park and Maikin are leading out Stauff, and they are immediately given a gap to the peloton, reaching over 10 seconds with 1km to go.
With 500m to go, Stauff comes around his leadout man Maikin and strikes for home. The charge behind in the peloton is lead by Mandri and Connolly, but they are surely racing for 3rd here now!
And Stauff takes a dominant victory here!
Maikin makes it an impressive 1-2 for his team, holding off the rest of the sprinters. But who will complete the podium?
(0R8) Clarke takes 3rd, seen here catching Maikin 10m after the line, while Alaphilippe takes 4th. Ok results for their teams, with co-leaders in Scully and Nelson respectively disappointing today.
There is a greater degree of competition behind, Brammeier taking a surprising 5th ahead of King and Navardauskas. Van der Haar, Drujon and Mezgec complete the top 10 here in a weird race for all concerned. The biggest disappointments today are the likes of Nelson in 29th, Rowe in 31st and Drapac in 34th, and for many other sprinters it will also have been a disappointing day in the saddle.
