The Pro Tour circuit heads north to the GP Moscow, where one of the most flat classics awaits for us. Sam Bewley should be the man to beat for any rider here, but both sprinters and classics guys will try to scrap it away from him.
We have a blue sky, sunny and windless day, perfect conditions for a sprint royale in Moscow. The likes of Ignatiev and Van Avermaet surely won't like this, but the length of the race could still play in their hands.
A first group of 3 was on the road:
Steurs Insausti Haga
Several riders trying to bridge over, but Orange, Red Bull, Aker & Becherovka share very well at the beginning to prevent those moves.
150 km - 5'15
125 km - 7'15
7'30 at 130kms to go was the climax of advantage for the trio. Further in the race Grieg also invests more in the race.
100 km - 5'45
90 km - 5'00
80 km - 4'30
70 km - 4'00
60 km - 3'20
50 km - 2'45
So far everything together and the same teams still pulling at the front.No riders dropped or crashed yet. Everything set for a sprinters finish.
40 km - 2'15
Attack!
Vandousselaere Mundle Wohler
Those 3 try a move with 40 to go. An early test of legs for the major teams? Well, Turek and Hosek pull all moves back within 10 kilometers.
30 km - 1'00
Attack!
Vandenbergh, tries something, but the much stronger attack comes from Blythe, who really goes for it.
The peloton not fully able to react to that, so that other teams try to chase with 20 to go.
The advantage of formerly half a minute is now closed down by I-Gen, Jayco, Pokerstars & Evonik, interesting change of jerseys at the front of the peloton now. Also Ignatiev very close to the front at the moment.
With 15 kilometers it's Blythe solo as last man standing,...
...but he got 30 seconds again. A strong move for Puma!
Saber though drags him back with 12 to go, which directly leads into another attack by...
... Van Avermaet. The Belgian classics specialist trying to break his Kiwi-course?
And with 8.5 he has a decent advantage of 30 seconds, as only Kamyshev chases in behind.
4.4 kilometers and...
...still 30 seconds! Zhupa trying his best to bring him back but it looks really good for Greggy now!
Only 2.8 left...
...and still 30 for Van Avermaet. Behind it's Becherovka and Grieg forming trains, but it will all be too late!
The "Sprinters cleaned-up" trains:
Trentin
Habtom
Guarnieri
Vesely
Guardini
Bewley
Porsev
Kristoff
Maksimov
Cavendish
Coquard
Demare
Vanderbiest
Kennaugh
2 kilometers
Still 30 seconds. Tanner into the Guarnieri train to make it stronger, while Boeckmans out of nowhere is back in contension.
Flamme Rouge on the Red Square
Surely Van Avermaet got it! 26 seconds for just 1 kilometer is even too much for a furious peloton.
In that...
... Kristoff goes early and Bewley too late. On the left Vanderbiest goes hard, right side it's Maksimov. The stronger RedBull rider seems to be Brus!
Finishing line! And Van Avermaet completely blew up on the final meters!
So in the end it was...
...still just enough to take a victory, as the Belgian comes in on the right hand side of the road. Congratulations.
A second place for...
... Maksimov, of which we can only show a pic slightly after the finishing line as the camera work blew up big time and the coverage just skipped 100 meters. A shame thinking of that perfectly timed sprint. The final place on the podium for Kennaugh, ahead of Kristoff and Cavendish.
The favourite of the day, Bewley, only 7th behind Coquard, but still ahead of the likes of Boeckmans and Guarnieri. The final Top 10 spot for PCT guest Vanderbiest.
Let's close this one out with the final look of the winner: Greg Van Avermaet.
He bravely put it all on the day and attempted a do or die which succeeded big time. A great victory for Evonik in their Top 5 battle, and finally also a victory against his nemesis from New Zealand
Russia 
