The race organizers have been on edge to ensure that the first edition of this race goes off without a hitch. It looks like we're ready to go now. The course looks like it should really suit the specialist punchers. Let's see how memorable this race turns out to be.
Favourites
HIL
STA
RES
ACC
Claeys
83
74
68
73
Kinoshita
82
80
77
77
Di Maggio
82
73
68
75
Schreurs
81
76
72
74
Izagirre
81
73
72
64
Borges
80
75
73
81
Jensen
80
77
73
76
Gautier
80
76
72
77
Betancourt
80
72
71
74
Vogt
80
78
71
63
Prevar
80
77
70
73
Waeytens
80
72
70
73
Flügel
80
77
65
72
Five riders get away on this gorgeous day in Belgium. They are:
Berard Fedeli Inkelaar Petelin Bernal
150 km left for the pack as they let the break get a 5+ minute lead. A lot of teams (Berg, Minions, Rakuten, Delvaux, ENI-MOL and Valio) are sharing the pace-making.
The break's lead has reduced to 3'35" at the half-way stage.
Duolingo have joined the others at the front in chasing down the break. The deficit for the peloton is 3'23".
The break's lead reduces further to 2'43" as they reach the final 50 kilometers.
Duolingo and Rakuten have taken over at the front of the peloton. They've pulled back the break's lead to 1'44"/ 12 riders have been dropped recently. 25 km left.
19 km. There's a split in the break. Berard and Fedeli have been dropped. Inkelaar is also starting to get distanced.
Bernal pulls away at the front as Inkelaar catches back up to Petelin.
15 km remaining. Seven riders get a gap in the chase.
They are followed by a 22 rider group.
This is followed by three riders including Chaves.
The next group has 22 riders including Reichenbach and Edmondson.
This is followed by a 132 rider peloton, with Meyer, Trofimov, Pichon, Klemme, Froome and Ben Nasser, among others, in this group.
Up ahead, the four breakaway riders have come together behind Bernal.
2 km later, Bernal still has a gap at the front. The next three groups, including the Chaves group, have come together. There is one rider chasing singly and group Reichenbach is also catching up.
With 12 km to go, the four breakaway riders behind Bernal are caught. Borges is now chasing Bernal, with a gap to the group.
Bernal and Borges are caught just a kilometer later. The peloton is 31 riders strong, with the next group more than 2 minutes behind.
23 riders now remain in the peloton with 9 km remaining. Some helpers have dropped back in the last two kilometers. All the favourites are in this group besides Meyer and Hoelgaard.
5 km. The situation is the same in the front group. Reichenbach and Moscon are trying to catch up again.
We reach the climb to the finish. 2.5 km left. Silva protecting Kinoshita on the right. Selander protecting Claeys on the left. Vichot protecting Schreurs in the middle.
Five riders attack 500 meters later. Kinoshita, Claeys, Schreurs, Di Maggio and Vogt get away.
The gap to the pack has increased for the attackers. 18 riders still remain in the chase group.
Vogt is dropped under the Red Kite.
Six riders have been dropped from the chase group, leaving 12.
600 meters. Kinoshita is starting to stretch his legs.
Behind, Betancourt leads the group into the final kilometer.
Incredible acceleration from Claeys as he takes the lead on the outside line, past Kinoshita. Is the Rakuten leader struggling now? 300 meters to go.
Claeys is holding his lead as we reach the final 100 meters. The positions remain the same for the Top 4. Behind, Vogt has been caught by the chase group.
Claeys wins in Wallonie!
Kinoshita has enough to hold on for 2nd. Di Maggio finishes 3rd. Schreurs is 4th
In the chase group, Bilbao has a gap.
Bilbao claims a good 5th place.
Borges wins the sprint for 6th.
Vogt finishes 7th, ahead of Gautier and Betancourt.
Flugel completes the Top 10.
Edmondson edges out Yates for 11th.
Waeytens is 13th, with Jensen 14th and Prevar completing the Top 15. Izagirre disappoints in 16th.
Today's winner - Dimitri Claeys.
Claeys takes an impressive win and becomes the first name to etched onto the trophy of this race. Kinoshita and Di Maggio complete the podium.
