258.6 long and painful kilometres await the U23 field in their first race of the year. Spengler is the overwhelming favourite, but U23 racing is never predictable so a surprise could easily happen.
It’s a frenetic start, with the peloton pushing hard to stop a large break getting away - and in the process the race is blown apart, with just 62 riders in the front group! Ewan, Neilands, Owen, Schreurs, Herklotz, Kolev, Gaviria and Pedersen the biggest names caught behind.
With 148km to go we hit the Oude Kwaremont for the first cobbles of the race. By this time a group of 5 has managed to successfully break free of the pack, lead by Eg, with Trakhov, Roman, Mathis and Jabrayilov accompanying him. Behind, the two groups have come back together - but the Cobbles will likely blow the race apart once again.
Surprisingly, the pace isn’t that high and the race remains relatively intact here, bar the tailing off of a number of the weaker cobblers. The break now has almost 6 minutes of advantage as we hit the Eikenberg for the second cobbles of the day, with the peloton now a full complement of 173 riders.
However, the twisty roads see another split - Gaviria caught behind again - and then a crash! Schreurs and Darbinyan are the two big names down, but they and the Gaviria group will quickly make it back.
106km to go and we have another large fall! Kolev and Darbinyan the two biggest names, with Lopez and Bauhaus also caught up in the crash. The peloton has now thinned down to 73 riders, though apart from the crashers nobody notable is missing.
They would all make it swiftly back though, only for Kolev to fall again and have to chase back on once again - a bad day for the Bulgarian so far. Out front the break has only 2’23 of advantage with 87km to go, as we enter the hilly part of the parcours, with some respite from the cobbles for now.
The Kanarieberg with 64km to go would see the hills have an effect, as Kolev and Pedersen would find themselves distanced from the peloton - Kolev looking to now be quite badly hurt following his encounters with the ground. At this point the break has 2 minutes lead, as we head back onto the Oude Kwaremont once again.
As we crest the Kwaremont with 54km to go, the break has now been caught. And finally the race has seen an attack!
Hsu, Kasperkiewicz, van der Poel, Spengler, Bohli, Ewan and Kuroeda have gone clear. They have 30 seconds to Orue and Per, with a group of 13 containing Neilands, Owen and Herklotz 15 seconds further back. Schreurs, Gaviria and Pedersen are the main names still in the peloton - already 1’45 behind with no one willing to chase.
Over the top of the Paterberg and we have a group of 9 formed up front, with 38 seconds to the second group. Schreurs is driving on a group behind with the help of Ariesen, but is already 2’32 back. And Gaviria and Pedersen are nowhere to be seen, already almost 5 minutes back.
On the Koppenberg with 45km to go the four strongest riders in the second group cross over to the leaders - Jurado, Owen, Herklotz and Neilands. Next on the road is Ghani, 1’30 behind, so this looks to be the all important selection for the day. Schreurs is over 3 minutes back, and is now out of contention completely.
Over the top of the Koppenberg, and Kasperkiewicz simply rides away from his rivals. Jurado is distanced from the group in the process, while the Pole quickly builds a gap of 20 seconds.
On the descent the chase picks up steam, and Kasperkiewicz is quickly caught. But Kureoda, Bohli, Per, van der Poel and Hsu have ridden away from the others, with Ewan 20 seconds back - and Orue, Herklotz, Neilands, Owen and big favourite Spengler at 40 seconds back.
Hsu would soon be dropped, while Ewan would ride across to the leading group. The advantage they have is now a minute to the other favourites, with 40km to go. Is this the all important move?
With 32km to go and the gap up to almost 2 minutes, Herklotz seems to think so and attacks. He’ll have his work to cut out to bridge, but there’s nothing to lose from trying.
Yet the leaders refuse to work together, and with 26km the German has made it across to create a group of 7! Behind, Ariesen has bridged to the group of 5 and is driving them on - the gap now only 1’30. Is a grandstand finish in store?
Seemingly not, as the gap is soon pushed back to 2 minutes. And as we crest the Kwaremont once again, Kasperkiewicz pushes the pace and manages to detach Herklotz and Ewan from the group - with Per struggling to hang on as well.
They mess about on the descent though, and Per makes it back. Herklotz drops to 1’30 behind and looks out of it, but Ewan only has to find 35 seconds and by the Paterberg he’s right back up there. In fact, by the top of the climb, so is Herklotz!
But the descent is where it splits up again. Bohli and van der Poel push on, with Kureoda struggling to follow - and the others content simply to distance Herklotz once again.
10km to go, and van der Poel has dropped back from Bohli. He has 11 seconds to the Dutchman, accompanied by Kureoda and Per. Ewan and Kasperkiewicz are at 24 seconds, and Herklotz is 55 seconds back.
Bohli is super strong, and the chase manages to burn out Per who drops back. 7km to go and the gap is now just 8 seconds, with Per at 20 seconds, and Kasperkiewicz almost a minute back. Ewan and Herklotz are at 1’15 and 1’45 respectively.
5km to go and the catch is made, but as nobody wants to take the lead, Per is back too. Kasperkiewicz is closing fast as well, now only 15 seconds back - have the leaders blown it?
The slowdown is so great, that by 3.5km to go not only is the Pole back, but so is Ewan! Behind are Herklotz and Ariesen (who has fought through the pack impressively) at 53 seconds, which should be too much - but these 6 look like they won’t work at all, doing only 32km/h on the flat!
With 2.5km to go, Ariesen and Herklotz have the gap down to 23 seconds - and that panicks the leaders into action. The sprint looks ready to start…
Bohli takes it up from the front, with Kuroeda in his wheel. Ewan sits behind, while van der Poel and Per try to cling on - and Kasperkiewicz goes backwards rapidly.
Under the Flamme Rouge and Bohli has a small gap, with van der Poel leading the chase - Kasperkiewicz is back in contact, while Ewan looks to have emptied his tank completely. But it could all change!
Now with 600m to go, and van der Poel looks set to take the lead. But Kureoda is coming up on his wheel, and Per is moving fast. As for Ewan? He looks absolutely spent, struggling on at the back of the group.
300m out and van der Poel leads, but Kureoda is coming fast! Who will take the win?
Over the line, it’s Kureoda by a wheel! A huge win for him, and for Japanese cycling.
van der Poel settles for 2nd, ahead of a surely disappointed Bohli. 4th goes to Per, ahead of Kasperkiewicz and Ewan.
Ariesen drops Herklotz in the final metres to take 7th, with the German in 8th after his brave bridging move failed to pay off. Orue and Owen then round out the top 10, with pre-race favourite Spengler struggling home in 11th.