The 6th edition of the Kenya Mountain Classic is on: Henao Montoya with the chance to repeat last year's victory and to become the first rider to win this race twice. The competition is fierce though: Denifl and Úran make for some strong competition, just like Kudus, Keizer, Velits, Berhane or Shikai. A few more riders may land a big result on a special day, so Henao Montoya's mission clearly ain't easy.
The break of the day is quickly formed by three riders:
Corti Brockhoff Sirironnachai
A very first attempt by Diggle, Fominykh, Restrepo and Tivani was shut down immediately and this trio were the only ones to "survive" the first attack to go clear from the bunch. The group's lead peaks at around six minutes later on.
Several teams control the race then, though. The breakaway is just three minutes ahead with now 60km remaining: Indosat, Minions, SPAR, Xero and Repsol as those teams chasing the early break and they look in control so far.
Let's keep this short: Brockhoff got some extra TV time for his team, as he dropped his breakaway companions at the bottom of the final climb. No chance to hold off the peloton though.
15km to go now and Philips takes over the control of the race with Pantano Gómez and Poels setting the pace into the crucial sectors of the day. Some notable crosswinds now (48kmh).
Philips premium domestique(s) kept pacing for the next few kilometres, causing the first major splits in the peloton, where now only 30 riders are left in contention for a notable result. Speaking of notable, there's a first big move with now 8.8km to go:
Velits tries to break clear and Pantano Gómez is the first to follow, aiming to shut down this dangerous attack!
The main group goes into further pieces, with now just 24 riders left:
Choi and Carthy as the most notable names being dropped from this group now!
6km to go and Velits holds on to a 20 seconds gap on the main group:
Henao Montoya takes over from his hard working teammates!
Denifl Keizer join the defending race champion, trying bridge across Velits..
It's quite some movements at the front of the race now and with 5.5km to go, we see some more riders forming a new chasing group, that is 17 seconds behind Velits:
Denifl Henao Montoya Keizer are accompanied by Úran Nazaret Meintjes Berhane
The next group (14 riders) with Kudus, Shikai and Penasa is 39 seconds in arrears now!
Ji was the next bigger name being dropped, just like Carthy or Choi. They probably won't make it back into the Top-20 contention here..
3.5km before the finish, the first chasing group has caught up to Velits. This 8-men-group will battle for line honours, as the next group with Kudus, Shikai, Talansky, Garby (and also Carthy actually made it back there) is already 1'26" behind in the meantime.
Henao Montoya takes over the leading position with Keizer and Denifl right at his wheel..
The chasing group contains 15 riders now, but no one seems willing or able to bridge across the leading group. Kudus with quite a passive race so far, he apparently hasn't his best day. Also Shikai not amongst those, who tried something so far. Just like Garby (which may not come as a surprise) or Talansky and Penasa..
Back to the front, where the action is finally back on. The riders kept shadowing each other until the very final kilometre of the day and now the sprint for line honours has been kicked off:
Velits as the first to launch his sprint!
Denfil, Henao Montoya, Nazaret and Úran quickly following his move.. Keizer, Berhane and Meintjes yet still sit up (looking quite exhausted)..
..yap, this trio is done and can't hang on with the new 5-men-group, that will battle for the victory:
400metres to go and Velits still in the lead! Denfil right behind him though, just like Henao Montoya and Nazaret.. Úran in contention as well, yet struggling to gain a position though..
Just a few metres left and it's still Velits up there! Denifl can't go past him, but Henao Montoya goes for a late acceleration, that at least lifts him past Denifl now!
Nazaret still ahead of Úran, but also still behind the leading trio..
What a thriller there! And what an unlucky finish for Velits..
Henao Montoya indeed managed to lung in for the victory, on the very final metre of the race! The Colombian had quite fast finish and takes his second consecutive win of the Kenya Mountain Classic. Classy ride.
Velits as today's most aggressive favorite and given this final metres, his 2nd place is definitely unfortunate. Surely a nice result for his standards this season, but it may take a day or two to come over this "stolen" victory..
Nazaret had a super fast finish as well, sprinting to a fantastic 3rd place eventually!
Denifl and Úran complete the Top-5. Both surely would have preferred to make the podium, but it's solid results nevertheless.
Berhane outsprints Meintjes for a solid 6th place..
Keizer had nothing left on this final kilometre, tumbling in for an 8th place, that won't make him too happy.
Solis with a strong 9th place from the first chasing group!
Kudus with a disappointing performance, that is just enough for a 10th place eventually.
Talansky 11th ahead of Penasa, Senni, Shikai, Manfredi, Martinez (who lost some ground in the final metres of the sprint), Maillet, Carthy, Garby and Pozzo..
Philips' hard working domestiques Pantano Gómez, Poels and Ruijgh finish from 21st to 23rd.. Choi comes in as 24th, Ji as 29th..
