The fourth and final day of racing at the World Championships here and it's the one we've all been waiting for: the Elite Men's Road Race. The B and U23 editions were crackers and we expect no less from the big one today. We've all seen the course but a quick reminder, a bumpy opening circuit with one stretch of cobbles, a loop around and then back into Krakow for the finishing circuit, featuring the cobbled climbs of the finish and to the Observatorie Fort Skala in particular. 37km of cobblestones, 1883m elevation and 263km of pure classics racing, brought to you live from Krakow and we're due to start any minute now.
The latest startlist news is, of course, that Morocco will be racing here after their sprinter Lahcen Saber of Jayco'z soloed to the B Road Race win. They're not on par with the likes of Belgium but we hope to see them in the morning break. Sam Bewley is the outstanding favourite after taking the Ronde-Roubaix double the last two years. He won San Remo this year as well but has only ever reached bronze in the Worlds - the rainbow jersey would be the perfect cap on another astonishing season. He hasn't got the strongest team but Tom David is a good lieutenant.
Belgium have the best strength in depth and are therefore Bewley's likeliest downfall with Greg van Avermaet the Kiwi's biggest challenger this year at the helm with the likes of PCT contenders Vanbilsen and Battenkill winner Baugnies in strong support as well as five other very able flandriennes, unfortunately there’s no Vanmarcke or Vanspeybrouck in the squad here.. Young Frenchman Senechal is another challenger who has another deep squad built around him. Adam Blythe has the likes of Fenn and CT master Thomas whilst Danny Summerhill also has a decent squad including Bush and ITT champion Phinney. Burghardt of Germany also has good support in Zepunkte and Kluge.
The riders all with differing emotions pre-race, some relax with teammates whilst other focus on their objectives ahead. Who knows what they're really thinking, all I can tell you is that it's pouring with rain here, to fans' delight and some riders horror. There's a decent wind but with a winding course there's no way to tell you where it'll mostly be blowing.
There's actually not really any fuss about the break, Hoelgaard of Norway, Juul-Jensen the Dane and Spaniard Garcia quickly gain 3 minutes in the first 15km as the pack keeps some energy in the tank for later.
The teams for the moment sharing pace are Italy, France, USA, Germany, and Belgium as none of the real favourites have anybody up the road. New Zealand and Great Britain occasionally send a rider up the road but are just staying 15-20 riders back for the moment.
A shot of many of the pre-race favourites together in "the office" behind those in the wind now - Bewley, Senechal, Trentin, Summerhill and Blythe all in shot here. After 40km of racing and 220 to go the break have a gap of 4'33 and rising.
Mud everywhere now and punctures and one-man falls (Rive and Guerreiro respectively here) are coming thick and fast though everybody is still relatively close to the pack and will join back on thankfully.
210km and the gap is 5'23
200km and 6'22.
A bigger crash now and although Scully, Dillier, Tleubayev and Kuznetsov are back on the bikes outsider Vanbilsen isn't and unfortunately has to abandon the race after just 70km.
Another crash victim now is 2014 Champion Matt Goss, who went down with Gusev. The Russian had to abandon which is a blow as he was the designated leader (a job which now falls onto Sulimov we presume) but after a quick chat the Aussie is chasing down the pack.
The final time on the first circuit now and with 150km to go the break have extended their gap to 8'11 over the pack, who are nevertheless still averaging around 44km/h.
The first time up the climb to Fort Skala Observatory and Sam Bewley briefly tests his legs, 130km and the gap to the break is coming down, now at about 6 and a half minutes.
Deja vu could be hitting for Kristoff with an ill-timed puncture as he joins the pack fodder being shelled off the back, luckily for him he's in the front group of the dropped riders and rejoins safely
New Zealand, Germany and Belgium now doing most of the work with Scully, Degenkolb and van Asbroeck the main pacemakers at the moment, the gap is just over 5 minutes but is plateauing now - the trio is on their hook but the favourites' teams waiting for the right time to reel them in. 110km still to race, and about 140 riders remain in the pack.
90km to go and Germany are upping the pace - Bewley and Summerhill already isolated a bit at the front (though their teammates are still about 30 riders back). Belgium and GB also have strength in numbers with the break fast being reeled in - it's a gap of 3'41 right now.
80km and 2'13
70km and 1'19
Another incident involving Kristoff - he crashes and some riders avoid him but Petit, Spilak and an American rider fail too, we can't see the numbers but we'll try to confirm soon.
We see them getting up now and it's 21 who went down from the USA - that's Danny Summerhill! The American is isolated (team dropping back now to help) and almost three minutes behind the pack who up the pace in response - will he get back before the moves start going?
The favourites all conglomerating at the front now as the catch is made, Summerhill is still 2 and a half minutes back and the moves will be coming soon in the pack. Under 50 riders now remaining.
Only four cobbled sectors and 40km to go now and still no moves from the favourites yet, Summerhill's group are under 2 minutes behind now! Also race radio says that Baugnies has crashed and is even further behind, and I can't see him in this group!
30km to go and on the third to last cobbled sector, Drucker, Polanc, van Asbroeck, B race winner Saber and Kluge are the latest names dropped, 22 men now left in the pack. Zepunkte still leading the pack for Burghardt as Summerhill drops to outside 3 minutes behind.
Burghardt now taking it upon himself to dictate the tempo, Bewley right on his wheel, as he has been all day. Zepunkte tries blocking van Avermaet and Jacobs and we could see a gap coming here, but no such luck for the duo.
The penultimate climb now and everybody is looking at each other, and though no moves have been made yet one is surely coming here. At the moment it seems that an upset is unlikely as now in the last 10km it's surely down to the likes of van Avermaet, Burghardt and Bewley to duke it out as opposed to long-range or surprise attacks from outsiders.
We've been waiting for it all day and Sam Bewley is applying some heat at the base of the climb now! Burghardt following whilst Senechal is half a bike length back on the German. Meanwhile...
Chute! Nolf brings down Veelers, Maes and Trentin and ends their WC dreams as they're passed by the next group already - an unfortunate end to Dutch hopes especially with Teunissen not here.
And surprisingly it’s Greg Van Avermaet here somehow caught napping as he follows Brits Blythe and Thomas into a chasing group, Bewley's attack bringing Altur, Senechal and Burghardt along for the ride whilst the other 11 are already thinking about 8th. The Belgian was one of the biggest pre-race favourites but is looking a bit off his game at this late stage of the season after a fantastic first half.
Fantastic pulling from Blythe shuts the gap but on the descent Burghardt strikes almost immediately. Bewley follows, Senechal is in the middle furiously trying to shut the gap and asides from the Brits it's every man for himself as the group obviously can’t follow - surely they know that this must be it!
9.3km Remaining
E5
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E4
<1'06”>
E3
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E2
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E1
Veelers
Trentin
Franzoi
Blythe
Burghardt
Nolf
David
Thomas
Bewley
Summerhill
Daniel
Altur
Senechal
Gaudin
Jacobs
van Avermaet
Ringheim
Sibilla
Saber
Albert
Maes
Cancellara
Breen
Machado
Rowe
Zepuntke
Sulimov
Fenn
Senechal shuts the gap to the two Bs, and Tom David tries to slow the chase behind for Bewley's benefit.
Franzoi of Italy now attempting a bridge to the second group, David still disrupting the chase giving Bewley’s group and the other chasing groups a clear advantage that likely can’t be closed now.
Blythe powering clear with teammate Thomas in pursuit of the leading trio, they're 25 seconds behind and outnumbered though. GVA and Altur sprinting side by side to try catch back up. In the end an fruitless attempt from the duo and now they’re settling into a rhythym to try and save something from the race.
Now his leader has a confident gap David with a killer attack, dropping the other favourites group in search of Franzoi and solo glory, Frenchies Sibilla and Daniel giving chase hard.
Bewley being made to do all the work and so he accelerates now under the 5km banner, just keeping Senechal and Burghardt on their toes. Burghardt has been quite active as part of the controlling German team but Senechal is an unknown quantity in this race having hid behind Daniel for most of the course so far. he hasn’t taken a single turn and had the power to close this gap, so could surprise the two bigger favourites at the end. He has had some great results this season and the win here would really cement him as one of the biggest stars of the future.
Tom David still going hard after his ripper acceleration, he's riding like a man possesed now as he flies past Franzoi and bridges the gap to the duo ofvan Avermaet and Altur. He’s still searching for that breakthrough result but is really showing his strength here. This move could also breathe new life into this chase who seem to already be thinking about the showers and not bothering to catch the the Brits or the trio ahead now they have a good gap on the other groups.
They have 52 seconds with 4km to go and so the leaders start to play around, Burghardt now on the offensive. He’s the weakest sprinter here, certainly well behind Bewley, but as it’s a hilly finish where he could triumph if he waits this is an unorthodox move, certainly if it fails he’ll probably put himself out of the running.
Electrifying racing here as the Kiwi makes a counterattack with 2400m still to go - do the two big guns remember Senechal is still there as they seem to just keep attacking each other!
Meanwhile, as we cross the bridge Bewley's countryman Tom David still carrying GVA and Alture and stillin pursuit of a top 5 as he brings down the British duo's advantage to only 15 seconds now! Groups behind also fracturing, Trentin is solo and coming up fast behind the leftover favourites dropped by Bewley, Franzoi is still stuck in the middle in 9th but all we have time for is the front three groups right now!
Bewley still sprinting for it with 1.5km to go through the breautiful streets of Krakow, they're almost under the arch onto the historic final climb.
Our only actual battle for the win on the climb this week will be fought now as Sam Bewley leads Burghardt and Senechal under the arch, 1000m to go, we hear everything is the same behind so let's focus on the final showdown! Bewley. Burghardt. Senechal. All three securing a medal here but now it's the rainbow jersey within their grasp
700m and Bewley still on the front, all three still waiting for the chance to strike. All about timing here as Burghardt starts to half wheel the Kiwi and Senechal still emotionless on the back, is he tired or is he waiting?
The riders now taking the long, curving, right hander to the finish line, half a kilometre to go and Bewley turns it up!
300m the line is almost in sight as Burghardt starts to crack under Bewley’s searing pace, Senechal will have to go soon if he wants those rainbow bands, and he’ll have to go around the German.
Bewley can see the line and Burghrdt will be third, has Senechal got anything left other than the inside lane?
The Kiwi knows that he has a gap moves in for the kill with another crushing acceleration with 200m left, he’s turning a huge gear and pushing the bike forward with every revolution, his hands gripping the hoods as hard as possible, willing the bike forward and he’s so close to victory!
One final check from Bewley here to see if he’s got enough of a gap yet, Senechal slumps over the bars and that’s the signal that the Kiwi can lift his hands up!
Bewley clearly the best today after starting, carrying and outsprinting the winning move, Senechal does well to get second and Burghardt is unlucky to only get third. What a season Bewley has had - 3 monuments and now he's finally going to get his grubby paws on the rainbow jersey!
This can’t be team tactics! After hanging onto his teammate's wheel the whole time Thomas puts a dig in for fourth!
An amazing effort from Blythe in the last 10km to stay ahead of the chasers behind but only 5th for his efforts, Thomas is fourth after staying on the wheel and maybe there was an unexpected change in leadership from the Englishman to the Welshman late on from GB? Either way their managers will be proud.
2 minutes down on his teammate David caps a perfect day for New Zealand in 6th after not even a metre out of the wind for a while now, van Avermaet will be very disappointed in 7th and Altur is dropped late on but hangs onto 8th.
Or does he? The late-rallying Sibilla actually comes the long way around the Spaniard and beats him into 9th, and rounding out the top 10 just in front of us is Albert, pipping Trentin who made quite a late comeback to the group after being caught in the earlier crash with Nolf and Veelers.
A spirited Franzoi is unlucky to only get 12th whilst Daniel is rewarded for chasing the Italian down for Sibilla with 11th. Cancellara will be disappointed with his race after showing good form in the ITT and Zepuntke also in the top 20 after a fantastic domestique performance for Burghardt.
Summerhill comes in 20th, over six minutes down in the big domestique and minor favourite group after unluckily being taken out by Kristoff. A tale of what might have been for the American on a course that seemed like it could provide him with a podium or even the win. Also note a dissapointing home showing - we haven't seen a Polish rider even in this group.
A deserving Bewley is crowned the new Road Race World Champion for 2016, chapeau to him on a fantastic victory and I'm sure the nation of New Zealand, his manager at Becherovka and all their fans will be very proud of him after a simply amazing performance.
