Being a former winner, it`s just fair to be named #1 favourite. Flügel getting 3 stars from the bookies and so do Lutsenko as best of the season and Kinoshita, best of 2016/17?
Next to the usual stage fight, it`s also a dramatic relegation battle between mainly three teams. Kwiatkowski for Netia should be the strongest today and his team is also one spot above the line. Following closely are Lierse with Waeytens and Carlsberg with Juul-Jensen. By the look of it, 2 of 3 have to relegate and so a bad form day must not happen.
Same goes for WCC, Carrefour and Novatek. Looking pretty safe ahead of those trio but surely not to be safe yet.
A weird looking trio is forming the break today.
Cobbler Albert
Upcoming puncheur Asgreen
Climber Cieslik
So while being very different to each other, at least it`s obvious what Carlsberg plans for today. Maybe surprising the peloton and getting a stage podium from the break? Would be a big one for them that late in the season. Also could work as relay station for later.
Behind all the top teams are working. Mainly it`s Generali though, which surprises a bit as Ulissi is a rider less suited to a race like this as he surely prefers the shorter hills and in especially a longer flat section in the end. But as he is apparently feeling good today, three of theirs are chasing the trio, which had a maximum gap of almost 10 minutes.
Novatek, Ayubowan, Kraftwerk, Reddit, Indosat the other teams working. Missing mainly Meiji.
With 20km to go we are slowly approaching the final row of hills and the gap melted heavily. It`s about to be over for the breakaway and attacks are expected from behind.
This one definitely was expected. Just when the break was caught with 15km to go, it`s Ulissi trying to finish the job of his teammates. He goes first followed by McCarthy Lutsenko Kinoshita
But also Anuar Aziz, Flügel, Klemme, Kwiatkowski, Yates and Schreurs are behind them.
With all them lining up on the first hill, no one was able to open a gap. Good news for those that would have missed out such as Froome, Waeytens, Chaves, Juul-Jensen or Betancourt.
Next uphill road and next attempt though. This time by Lutsenko and immediately followed by Flügel Ulissi McCarthy Kinoshita Yates Anuar Aziz Kwiatkowski Schreurs
Kwiatkowski a bit ahead is good news for Netia. But the other relegation fighting teams need to react and they do.
When Froome finally woke up and tries to follow, other riders are trying to join including both Waeytens and Juul-Jensen as also Bilbao and Prevar.
But for the moment with 4km to go we have a first selection of 9 riders, where Kinoshita is chasing in front of Lutsenko.
And as Kwiatkowski is one of those, behind Lierse is under pressure and Waeytens is trying to chase. Surprisingly neither Juul-Jensen nor anybody else is giving him a lot of support. They all seem to save energy for the final sprint for 10th only.
Three riders use the last uphill section for another acceleration and they seem to open a gap. It`s Kinoshita ahead of Lutsenko and Flügel. Later two really look to suffer being at their limits.
And the German indeed has a bit of a gap now with 2km to go. Will be hard to repeat his victory in San Sebastian.
It might have been some mind games as well though as he suddenly is back with them and coming really fast on the side. 800m to go and the other two must not wait to start their sprint.
Behind Ulissi as so often is chasing in group 2 spending all the energy that he could use in the sprint. Behind him Kwiatkowski, who seems to make a big step forward to another PCT season for Netia. Schreurs, Anuar Aziz, McCarthy, Yates (as best sprinter) the order.
Kinoshita is empty. No chance for him after working hardest to open that gap lately.
Lutsenko looking to take the win if Flügel can`t find another gear soon.
And indeed the Kazakh continues to dominate the hills in the PCT division. Reddit really could come close the the promotion spots this way. Same with Kraftwerk, who also made a sensational Autumn run as Flügel comes in 2nd with Kinoshita in 3rd.
Ulissi as 4th ahead of Kwiatkowski and Netia has a lot to celebrate today but it`s still close.
Schreurs next with Yates using his sprint to pass Anuar Aziz and McCarthy.
Further behind a close fight between Juul-Jensen and Bilbao for 10th. In the end the Spaniard wins showing the home flag at least on the first site of the results.
The Dane has given it all but 11th might be too less.
Waeytens also had to pay tribute to his chasing and drops down to 23rd in the sprint. Even behind Dyrnes as 2nd best Netia rider in 18th.
Ranking wise this obviously means Netia remains in the safe zone and extending their gap to now 100 points to Carlsberg, while Lierse is in between 26 points ahead of the Danes.
