The winter break is over, the Continental Tour is back underway. GP Yekaterinburg hosts the opening race of the season in this division. Some new faces, some returning faces, but most of all, glad that we are back racing!
Despite the predicted cold conditions, the weather is quite acceptable in Central Russia for this time of year. The sun is shining with no rain or snow predicted, and the roads are as clean as they can be. Let's go!
Soon after the start we have the first four attackers. Agrotis has the honor of going first, followed by Sleen, Van Heerden and Jacobs. Nordica and Project: Africa with airtime on their debut/resurrection.
Ten kilometers later they reach the finish line for the first time, but still have to do eight more laps. Bralirwa's M. Mugisha joined the quartet as they lead by three minutes already.
Moreno Hernandez, Brown and Ulloa also tried to join the breakaway but their attempt failed.
A few teams with alleged contenders are early to take control of the peloton: Centovalli, Philips, Gjensidige, BNZ and debutants Sotto il sole di Riccione. The maximum lead they give to the breakaway is 6'30
The next laps are predictable. Everyone in the breakaway working equally, but the lead slowly goes down. Still the same teams leading the peloton, with the deficit now four minutes as we head into the final 100 kilometer. The most noteworthy moment was a puncture by Inkelaar as he was near the front of the peloton, but everyone avoided him and he got back underway without losing contact with the peloton.
Skip forward two laps, 55 kilometer to go and the gap is three minutes. The peloton is timing when to catch the breakaway, with Erdenebat, Brüngger and Veber the current workhorses. The favorites slowly moving forward, around thirtieth position now.
A group of about thirty riders is dropped on the smaller hill on the lap. An important name is Mehr-Wenige, but Gjensidige has more irons in the fire. Brandt, Rowsell, Saggiorato and McNulty also in this group. The deficit would be more than three minutes come the end of the lap, meaning these riders will no longer play a role in this race.
On the penultimate ascent to the finish line, the gap to the breakaway is only a minute and thirty seconds as Centovalli sets a high pace with Basso and Thiery. Agrotis attacks from the breakaway with response from Sleen and Van Heerden. Jacobs and Mugisha give up and drop back to the peloton.
The bell for the final lap, two leaders remain: Agrotis and Sleen. Only a few motorbikes separate them and the peloton, including Van Heerden who has been caught as well. 25 kilometer to go.
Thiery leads the peloton 40 seconds later, the group reduced to 94 riders. Kelderman crosses the line in eighth shadowed by Moscon, with other favorites such as Eiking, Quevedo and Edmondson a few places behind them. All top favorites are still present somewhere, only outsiders Costa and Bardet were dropped on the last climb.
The Cypriot-Norwegian coalition lasted a few extra kilometers but they are caught with fifteen to go. Riccione takes the lead with Veber and Pasqualon, followed by four Centovalli riders and two Gjensidiges. Then we have Kelderman as first of the favorites, with the others obviously looking at him. Despite being the outright favorite, Philips didn't have to help much in the chase.
Veber powers up the small hill, not only to prevent attacks but also in an attempt to drop riders. We'll see the damage once the riders are back in Yekaterinburg.
Pasqualon completes Veber's work and the group is reduced to only 34. Most of the pre-race favorites are amongst them though, everyone excluding Ben Nasser, Bru, Henao, Hoelgaard, Paulus, Seibeb, Smirnovs and Zordan. The gap to the second group is not that large and the teams who missed out try to find some helpers to try and get back.
As soon as Pasqualon is done and Thiery regains control, the second group returns to have an almost identical composition to before the hill, including all favorites except Costa and Mehr-Wenige. The final climb starts at six kilometer from the finish line, which is in three kilometer from now.
Paprstka, Lindau and Thiery lead the riders onto the final hill. Moscon and Kelderman around tenth position surrounded by Pellaud, Anuar Aziz and Eiking. Everyone else who considers themselves capable of winning follows in the positions behind.
At three kilometer from the line it is Lienhard with a slight pace increase. Not really an attack, his leader Moscon still with Kelderman around tenth position. Lindau and Bercz close the small gap.
The flag of the final kilometer is in sight which prompts Kelderman to take the lead. Eiking and Tsatevich try to follow via the left. Juul-Jensen, Caruso and Quevedo going through the middle of the pack. Moscon is not awake as he is back around twentieth position with Palini, Edmondson and Zaini, losing more ground.
Kelderman first to pass under the banner with a slight gap over Bercz as lead Carrefour rider. Eiking, Watson and Juul-Jensen alongside each other behind the surprising German, then Lindau, Zingle and De Vreese behind them. All three Carrefour leaders had to sit down again, losing a bit of ground.
This can be considered the front group as a small gap appears to occur behind them, with Edmondson, Moscon, Smirnovs, Palini and Zaini battling for the lower end of the top ten.
The final turn for Kelderman, with a reasonable lead and 500 flat meters to go he should not give this away. Watson and Eiking now alongside Bercz with the Norwegian having the inside line. Juul-Jensen, Lindau and Zingle form the next line, with Quevedo emerging as best Carrefour leader. Edmondson and Moscon are also back in contention, as is Smirnovs.
Kelderman celebrates well before the line with the chasing group edging closer. Watson and Eiking still battling for second with Juul-Jensen now in between them. Moscon and Edmondson moved forward quite a bit in the sprint and are still with a chance of a top five.
He sat down again for safety, let's forget it ever happened. Wilco Kelderman wins GP Yekaterinburg as prime favorite, it was his race to lose and he didn't. A few more performances like this and Philips can start planning for PCT again.
Gianni Moscon blew past the rest of the field to take second. If it wasn't for that small moment of sleep when Kelderman accelerated, he might have given him a real challenge. Second place is nothing to be ashamed about though.
A photo finish for third, but from this shot it is clear the final spot on the podium goes to Christopher Juul-Jensen. Fourth place for Eiking, who has shown to be ready to finally lead his team. Fifth place for Watson, completing the fine day for Philips with two riders in the top five.
Smirnovs with a late dash to sixth, just ahead of Edmondson. Eighth place for Zingle, ninth for a surprising De Vreese and tenth for Quevedo as best Carrefour rider. Bercz falling back to eleventh, Lindau twelfth, Tsatevich thirteenth. Both Gjensidige and Carrefour with three riders in the top fifteen, but especially the latter could have played their cards better.
Palini beating Zaini for fourteenth as first of the "next group" despite no time gap given. The latter couldn't finish his teams hard work, but nevertheless both Italian teams score points on their debut.
The top twenty is completed by Caruso, Felline, Lavery, Anuar Aziz and Paulus.
The final points-paying positions (up to 25th) go to Haas, Ssabagwanya, Ben Nasser, Weiss and Gogl.
Disappointing debuts for Guave's Sunlight Cycling, Los Pollos Hermanos and Trans Cycling Team, who score nothing in this race. Their best finishers are Le Gac (33rd), Bru (66th) and Pibernik (31st) respectively. Eddie Stobart ( Agostini in 28th) and McCormick ( McCutcheon in 61st) also leaving without points.
Other riders disappointed to finish outside the points are last year's podium finisher Roux (34th), Tryg co-leader Hoelgaard (35th) and former winner Barbin (49th).
