Hi again, thanks for tuning in. It’s time for Viana do Castelo, the race. 206km await us so we better get cracking.
We see almost no people on the streets which will make the city council proud after the covid-motivated recommendation of domiciliary confinement
Brkic, Veber Page get themselves up the road in lap 1.
The peloton gives them about 3min of leeway.
With 115km to go a number of teams decide to send their men to the front as well. A 12 men group is formed behind the leading trio with Bolivar Kumara Rowe De Vreese Meurisse Bovenhuis Smirnovs Hugentobler Skala Ostergaard Paprstka Oelerich
They quickly gain a minute on the pack. Quite a dangerous group with some prominent riders being given carte blanche so early in the race.
However the climb to Santa Luzia proves to be too hard for most in that group as only Meurisse, Smirnovs and Hugentobler manage to stay clear and catch the early trio.
We thus have a six men group at the front with a 3min lead, with half the race to go.
More attacks come in lap no. 4 with some familiar names harrassing the Podium Ambition lead peloton. De Vreese, Paprstka, Bovenhuis and Rowe get themselves up chasing the front six, while Ostergaard sees himself alone in pursuit of them.
Not for long though. The flurry of attacks just doesn’t want to give this reporter a chance of having a sip of his cup of tea. This time it’s Kumara, Bolivar and Oelerich firing their engines off the pack.
The first two manage to claw themselves up to E2, while the others will continue their journey in no-man’s land.
We start climbing the Santa Luzia ascent for the 4th time with a 1min gap between the front groups and another minute between E2 and the pack, who has swallowed Oelerich and Ostergaard in the meantime.
De Vreese and Bovenhuis surprisingly struggle with the pace though and get caught.
As does everyone in that group except Bolivar and Paprstka.
In fact Fablok seems to have been pushing the envelope in this ascent thining the main group quite drastically. It’s hard to make an acessment right now but we’ll try to locate who’s made the split at the bottom
Before we can make a sound evaluation, the broadcaster gives us a glimpse to the back of the group where news of a major blowout have emerged!
Van Avermaet has hit the wall! Awful news for his team who were counting on him to deliver today.
Already we can see Oss and Kluge waiting for him. Some men in Orange were seen much higher in the group, could Strava still count on them for this event?
It’s a 39-men group which manages to survive the early troubles of lap no. 5 and claws back the two chasers, trailing the front 6-men group by just 1’20. In here are: Noppe, Plucinski, Benoot, Bostner, De Witte Coronel, Baugnies, Ruiz Bridges, Cataford, Owen, Altur, Matthews Taubel Ropero, Vanspeybrouck Stannard, Debesay, Bester, Novardianto, Schreurs Sinkeldam, Eislers Tsatevich, Nolf, Skala, Sanikwathi Schoonbroodt, Rutsch, El Sabbahi, Naesen, Okbamariam Van Keirsbulck
Van Lerberghe, Parpstka, Boev, Bolivar, Gamper and Hagen are just about to lose contact with the rest.
As do Ruiz, Bostner, El Sabbahi, Cataford, Matthews, Skala, Schreurs, Rutsch and Sanikwathi at the end of the next cobbled stretch.
The first conclusion is there are no Orange jerseys around. Strava has no man in this group, which, by the look of things seems to be the deciding event of the race. Philips seems to be out of contention as well after having spent Bovenhuis in a futile early attack.
50km to go
The main group tackles the climb with Plucinski at the front working to get rid of the lessser climbers in this group.
At the front, Meurisse does his best to try and resist this effort. Veber and Page just can’t follow this pace and are caught in the first slopes.
The main group also loses elements: Ropero, Taubel and Bridges are the first to drop.
And then, the legendary Baugnies loses contact as well!
A surprise early drop from the Belgian who immedialty sees his loyal lieutenant Coronel helping him. Naesen also loses touch, but unlike Los Pollos Hermanos, Bralirwa decides to keep Schoonbroodt with the best.
A different story is unravelling at the front with Meurisse using his superior climbing skills to good use and distancing Brkic, Smirnovs and Hugentobler.
Behind, more Belgains see their dreams shattered! Namely, reigning champion, Van Keirsbulck, plus Noppe, Kobmariam, Veber and Owen.
As we end the penultimate descent to Viana, we can reaccess the damage:
E1: Meurisse
+ 42’’
E2: Smirnovs, Brkic, Hugentobler
+ 41’’ Benoot, Vanspeybrouck, Debesay, Altur, Sinkeldam, Tsatevich, Schoonbroodt, Nolf, Bester, Novardianto, Plucinski
The last 3 men are dropped eventually, while Benoot tries to use every bump in the road to get his rivals on the ropes. Nolf is the one suffering the most but manages to just stay in contention.
Not seeing any fruits from this effort, Benoot relents the lead of the group. 29km to go in this final lap.
Gaps are +26’’ and +46’’.
Meurisse continues his wonderful ride refusing to let go of the gap he’s achieved, while his chasers suffer with every inclination the road throws at them.
Hugentobler sees this small hill pushing him back to the main group, while on the other end Xero sees Novardianto and Bester reenter. What a race it has been for them so far!
But wait there’s action at the top of this little hill. It’s Benoot at it again!
He manages to catch the two chasers rather easily and powers off in the descent!
Bester is the one who reacts in the main group pushing the pace trying to keep his team mate up the road isolated.
Debesay picks off chasing duties from his mate on the cobbled sector, but all he manages to do is catch the remaining early escapees.
A ferocious pursuit ensues in the streets of Viana. Benoot is going as strong as you’d expect him to be and is quickly approaching his countryman. However in the main group the gap has widened to 40’’ already.
Speaking of chasers it is now Schoonbroodt who commands the rythmn behind.
Hungetobler has lost contact at his point as also Bester and Novardianto.
Schoonbroodt though doesn’t want to burn himself for his rivals and gives up the chase. Debesay takes advantage of this lull and takes the elm allowing the gap to grow to 1 min!
Brkic and Smirnovs though get dropped after a brilliant escapade. Nolf soon gives in and suffers the same fate.
Benoot is the one pulling the whole climb with his companion just trying to hold on. With 10km to go and in the toughest slopes we finally see a reaction behind. It’s Sinkeldam trying to bridge the gap. Does he have enough in the tank?
We finally crest the climb, with the sanctuary on everyone’s sight. Altur loses some ground at this point, while up ahead Sinkeldam trails by just 26’’ and is gaining 35’’ to the main group.
He’s a much better descender than the front duo, will he use that to his advantage?
The gap has grown to 42’’ at end of the downhil section.
With the flamme rouge on sight Benoot leads with Sinkeldam and Meurisse on his wheel. Who’s going to come out on top of this Benelux waffle?
Sinkeldam storms the front with 600m to the line…
… here comes Meurisse…
And it’s Victory for Xandro Meurisse!! What a ride from the Belgian, who took to the front so early in the race to clinch a sensational triumph!
Benoot takes second ahead of Sinkeldam with two brave attacks as well.
The second group finishes with a powerful Debesay sweeping the sprint in a absolutely outstanding day for his team. Tsatevich, Schoonbroodt and Vanspeybrouck finish in that order behind him.
Altur will be disappointed to come home 8th, while behind him Nolf and then Brkic complete the top10
