Welcome to Denain for the GP Moscow. Wait, Denain is not Moscow, something has gone wrong here. Oh, what does it matter, we have 183 riders on a flat course, may the best rider win!
No attacks straight from the start, it took a few kilometer before the first four riders decided to go for it: Kulimbetov Castroviejo Kalf Gogl
These four would be the definitive break, as no one else was willing to join them. They get four minutes from the peloton.
The chase for today is done by a coalition of teams: Vesuvio, Evonik, Grieg, eBuddy, Aker, T-Mobile, Podium Ambition, Moser and Festina. They breakaway is controlled easily with the gap never exceeding five minutes.
Kalf hasn't won yet, this is the first time they reach the finish line in Den... Moscow. Five more laps, the peloton has closed in to 2'30 with 75 kilometer to go.
Two laps later and the gap is down to a minute and 10 seconds. The same teams still chasing with one rider each, currently Sanogo, Karatzios, Hansen, Gjolberg, Roosen, Nooytens and Polnicky.
Once the peloton is within a minute and clearly visible when looking behind, Castroviejo attacks from the breakaway. He needs a 40 kilometer solo to win, which will be difficult to achieve.
Three are stronger than one, so the Spaniard is caught at the next passage of finish. The gap is now 40 seconds with two laps of 15 kilometer to go.
The next one to go is Gogl, but Castroviejo decides that if he can't go clear, no one go clear. The four are back together shortly.
By rotation it is Kalf's turn, but he would also be caught. The peloton at 30 seconds, these attacks do not increase the gap by much.
The first group of 17 riders is dropped from the peloton. Drama for wildcard Popo4Ever as everyone bar Ulanowski is dropped, including Grand Tour winner Pluchkin. At the back of the peloton it is a very thin line, more riders in danger of being dropped.
Gogl concedes with 18 kilometer to go, the others maintaining a 15 second lead. Kulimbetov yields his right to attack. The peloton is led by Sanikwathi, Schwarzmann, Favilli and Karatzios at the moment.
Just before the bell the breakaway is finally caught, Kulibemtov did outlast everyone. A lot of Festina, Moser, eBuddy and mostly Podium Ambitions riders at the front, preparing for the sprint trains. Ewan, Bewley, Coquard, Demare and Grosu already between tenth and fifteenth position, the other sprinters moving up behind them.
As we enter the final lap properly, the peloton splits in two. Riders in the second group are Van der Sanden, Meyer, Van Heerden, Lander, Van Avermaet, Blythe, Vesely, Ulanowski, Serebriakov and Dzamastagic.
A Tinkoff-Evonik train brings a part of this group back, at least Meyer, Serebriakov, Van Heerden, Dzamastagic, Van der Sanden, Ulanowski and Vesely with possibly more important riders in the leadouts. Now they have to find their way to the front again.
The front won't slow down for them, Lampaert is setting a huge pace which not everyone can keep up with. Podium Ambition has Alaphilippe and Novardianto ready to take over. The sprint trains are slowly being assembled behind.
Kennaugh seems to have a mechanical problem. He was near the front but suddenly slows down and loses a lot of places. A bike change this late in the race could mean game over.
Eight kilometer to go, the lead pack is reduced to 58 due to the work of Novardianto. A group of 41 a few seconds behind, including Kennaugh with either the quickest bike change ever or a quick fix for whatever his problem was. Kristoff and the riders who were behind earlier are also in this group. The next group including Lander is too far behind to be in contention.
Five kilometer remaining and the gap between the front two groups stays the same, though Kennaugh is jumping group on his own, but this does cost him energy for the sprint. The same riders at the front ( Lammertink, Sergent, Gjolberg) still keeping the pace up to avoid a regroup.
Here we have an attempt to disrupt the sprint. Ji has heard Kristoff is behind and tries to salvage Indosat's race. Wisniowski follows together with Kneisky and Varga. Hnik and Karatzios close in and stop the attack.
Gjolberg takes the lead with Swift already on his wheel with three kilometer to go as the road goes slightly uphill. All the other sprinters still around tenth position looking for their leadout, Wisniowski in third position but unlikely to perform another attack.
Gjolberg giving Swift a massive leadout, towing him over the small hill with the Brit now far ahead of his main rivals. Wisniowski snuck behind them, Petit and Keukeleire are the other riders at the front disobeying orders to form a leadout. Coquard at the front of the remaining group with Groenewegen on his wheel. Kneisky and Varga attempting to mix it in the sprint. Howard, Ewan and, amazingly, Kennaugh are also near the front. Riders like Van Stayen and Bewley surprisingly far down the group, not amongst the first twenty at the moment.
Aker's plan fails as Gjolberg completely implodes resulting in Swift losing his advantage. Keukeleire leads with 1.5 to go, Nelson leading out Ewan and rapidly gaining ground with Coquard, Groenewegen and Kennaugh on his wheel. Grosu making his way forward alone after being in a disadvantageous position. Demare, Van Stayen, Bewley and Kump are really far back now.
Swift has no option but to go early. He is alongside Nelson under the kite with Ewan still able to profit off the slipstream as Keukeleire has been ordered to stop sprinting. A small gap has occurred to Coquard, with Petit still attempting to lead him out. Grosu on the left ahead of Guardini and Howard.
Ewan takes the lead with 500 meters to go but Swift hangs on quite well. Grosu leading the sprint for third, with Guardini, Coquard, Wisniowski and Groenewegen trying to find a way around him and Nelson. Much further down the group we finally see a train of big names accelerating: Guerao, Van der Lijke, Van Stayen, Bewley, Kump and Demare, but they are way too late for the party. Kennaugh has also dropped back quite a bit, showing he is not superhuman.
Swift and Wisniowski are losing speed. Ewan maintains his lead but the riders behind are faster, Coquard foremost but Guardini and Groenewegen coming next to him. Howard fell away a bit but is now about to overtake Grosu.
Bryan Coquard wins GP Moscow! The first non-Evonik since 2015, but he was the best today. Second place for Groenewegen.
Ewan is also passed by Howard in the battle of the Australians. Howard steps on the podium while Ewan falls just off it.
Guardini takes fifth place, but take a bow for Peter Varga who finishing sixth. He was placed at the front due to his failed attack and just went for it. Grosu seventh.
Swift fell all the way down to eighth. Demare wins the sprint of the late starters in ninth, ahead of Stoltz as best Evonik rider. Van der Lijke eleventh, Van Stayen twelfth in his unsuccessful title defense. Wisniowski thirteenth, Guerao fourteenth, Bewley and Kump all the way down in fifteenth and sixteenth, Kennaugh with all his troubles in eighteenth behind Kneisky. Nelson and Vorobev as best Russian complete the top twenty.
