Every rider except the Cypriot took their turn to attack in the first couple kilometres, but after Boom's promising move petered out the riders slowed down on the cobbles before sprinting it out, where the Spainard cobble specialist reigned supreme.
Group J:
Spoiler
1
Andris Smirnovs
Evonik - ELKO
20'59
2
Lucas Manuel Gaday
Team Reddit
+ 1'15
3
Tiesj Benoot
RBC Pro Cycling
+ 1'26
4
Paavo Paajanen
Valio - DeLaval
+ 1'44
Smirnovs attacked, Gaday followed, then blew up, Paajanen bridged the gap, then blew up, the other three ended up following the pacer to sprint for second as Smirnovs dominated.
Group K:
Spoiler
1
Mekseb Debesay
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
20'04
2
Jonathan McEvoy
Berg Cycles
s.t.
3
Jan Dieteren
Philips – Continental
OOT
4
Ricardo Van der Velde
ebuddy
OOT
Debessay and McEvoy went early, the others stayed within striking distance and Dieteren almost crossed the gap before the cobbles intervened and spoiled his dreams, leaving the other two to sprint it out with Debesay taking the spoils as the others didn't even finish.
Group L:
Spoiler
1
Lukasz Wisniowski
Grieg - Eftel
22'45
2
Jan Polanc
Isostar - Slovenje
+ 20
3
Jakub Kaczmarek
Kulczyk - DMTEX
s.t.
4
Bjorn Selander
Minions
+ 27
Selander and Kaczmarek tried at the start, but Wisniowski closed the gap before heading off on his own, he was brought back by the cobbles though and ended up just pacing the group across them before asserting his authority with a dominating sprint. Polanc rode a conservative race almost entirely behind the pacer but still slipped into second, though Kaczmarek came within millimetres of overtaking him to surprise!
Group M:
Spoiler
1
Pieter Serry
ENI-MOL
24'24
2
Nur Amirul Marzuki
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
+ 8
3
Oliver Naesen
Andorra Project - InGamba
s.t.
4
Jaroslaw Marycz
Moser - Sygic
+ 22
An evenly matched group saw Naesen make the first move, then Marzuki the 2nd and Marycz the third coming on the cobbles, with each of them marking each other though, Pieter Serry rode a steady tempo before launching an early sprint to easily clinch the win, Marzuki settled the sprint for second handily over Naesen.
Group N:
Spoiler
1
Daniel Juarez
World Cycling Center
19'46
2
Eliot Lietaer
Air France - KLM
+ 1'33
3
Gediminas Bagdonas
Iberia – Team Degenkolb
OOT
4
Lars Van der Haar
Delvaux
OOT
Juarez attacked early and nobody had a response, Lietaer's chase dropped the other two competitors, who returned as the Belgian flagged on the cobbles but Bagdonas couldn't repeat his miraculous recovery as Lietaer regrouped enough to drop both of them as they failed to finish.
Group O:
Spoiler
1
Romain Zingle
Euskaltel - Elior
21'31
2
Sergio Barrio
Repsol - Netflix
+ 15
3
Azzeddine Lagab
Aker - MOT
+ 36
4
Andrea Palini
Carrefour - ESPN
+ 1'02
3 pure punchuers and Lagab in this group, Barrio clearly knew he wouldn't be able to beat the Algerian if he let it get to the bluestones and attacked early, Lagab thought to follow the Spainard but couldn't and Zingle instead mounted a chase. Zingle used his superior cobbled skills to easily overcome the gap to seal the win, while Lagab just couldn't overcome such a large gap despite his expertise, letting Barrio take the 2nd advancing position.
Group P:
Spoiler
1
Tesfar Teklit
Equinor Pro Cycling
23'19
2
Ramon Sinkeldam
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
+ 1'53
3
Gregory Hugentobler
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
4
Robbie Squire
Azteca-NBCSN
s.t.
Once again the last group is the weirdest one, after Sinkeldam and Hugentobler attacked out of the gates, Teklit crossed the gap and proceeded to go solo, nobody else was even interested in holding the wheel of the chaser, allowing Teklit to take an easy win. Sinkeldam topped the Swiss home nation hope, Hugentobler in the final sprint.
We kick off the knockouts with a common theme, a strong cobblist vs. a pure puncheur. Lietaer tried his utmost to attack and finally escaped with a coutner attack after the Spaniard tried to make a move of his own, but the narrow lead was shut down heading onto the cobbles and Altur came off them strong to win the sprint.
Race 2:
Spoiler
1
Nur Amirul Marzuki
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
20'31
2
Andris Smirnovs
Evonik - ELKO
+ 7
Smirnovs tried to get away, but the effort seemed halfhearted before Marzuki easily won in the sprint coming off the cobbles.
Race 3:
Spoiler
1
Ramon Sinkeldam
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
18'17
2
Makseb Debesay
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
OOT
Sinkeldam attacked just before the cobbles and Debesay had no response, he wasn't even able to finish the race behind the Dutchman's dominance!
Race 4:
Spoiler
1
Lukasz Wisniowski
Grieg - Eftel
20'30
2
Sergio Barrio
Repsol - Netflix
+ 44
Barrio tried his utmost to escape, but Wisniowski pulled him back on the cobbles before making an acceleration of his own, Barrio had no response and Wisniowski cruised to another victory.
Race 5:
Spoiler
1
Lucas Manuel Gaday
Team Reddit
19'44
2
Pieter Serry
ENI-MOL
OOT
Gaday took the race by the horns, peppering Serry with attacks while the Belgian followed his old strategy of keeping a steady tempo, however entering the cobbles, the Argentine finally cracked Serry, taking the win as his competitor couldn't even finish.
Race 6:
Spoiler
1
Daniel Juarez
World Cycling Center
22'08
2
Lars Boom
Aegon - Lavazza
s.t.
Boom and Juarez both put their faith in the sprint and the Argentine managed to surprise by outsprinting Boom, meaning the two Argentines will face off in the quarter finals!
Race 7:
Spoiler
1
Jan Polanc
Isostar - Slovenje
20'56
2
Romain Zingle
Euskaltel - Elior
+ 26
Zingle tried his best to escape but Polanc was having none of it, nearing the end of the cobbled section the Slovenian made his dig and sealed the win without breaking a sweat.
Race 8:
Spoiler
1
Jonathan McEvoy
Berg Cycles
19'32
2
Tesfar Teklit
Equinor Pro Cycling
+ 1'47
McEvoy attacked early and Teklit really had no response whatsoever, dominating victory for the Brit.
Marzuki dropped Altur easily on the early slopes but the Spaniard wasn't going down without a fight, chasing back on the cobbles but having absolutely no legs left when the Malaysian kicked in the sprint and punched his ticket for the semi-finals!
Race 2:
Spoiler
1
Lukasz Wisniowski
Grieg - Eftel
21'48
2
Ramon Sinkeldam
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
+ 10
Despite both using breakaways to progress to this round, Wisniowski and Sinkeldam both mutually decide to let a sprint sort out who will advance to the semis, Wisniowski is the strongest once again and advances!
Race 3:
Spoiler
1
Daniel Juarez
World Cycling Centre
?
2
Lucas Manuel Gaday
Team Reddit
s.t.
The two Argentinians face up and, despite Gaday's supposed favouritism, another sprint sees Juarez seal a second surprise victory!
Sorry about the missing time, PCM crashed after the race.
Race 4:
Spoiler
1
Jan Polanc
Isostar - Slovenje
20'04
2
Jonathan McEvoy
Berg Cycles
+ 37
McEvoy took the race by the horns and attacked twice on the lower slopes, but Polanc was unfazed, pulling him back both times before handily dropping him on the cobbles to become the final rider to advance to the semi finals!
Another race left to the sprint, as the two preferred to mark each other rather than be the first to make a move, this played into the hands of Wisniowski again as the Pole continues his dominating streak into the final!
Race 2:
Spoiler
1
Daniel Juarez
World Cycling Center
19'40
2
Jan Polanc
Isostar - Slovenje
+ 32
After winning sprints the last couple races, Daniel Juarez decided he was afraid to sprint against Polanc and attacked on the early slopes, opening up a 20 second gap - and he held it! Polanc could never come back, as the surprise of this tournament advances to the final!
