The following riders have made their way to GP Herning, off the back of Gent - Wevelgem. It's a shorter race, but with a lot more cobbled roads to contest.
F
H
St
C
Sp
A
Team
Baugnies
Jerome
77
71
79
79
64
72
Los Pollos Hermanos
Nolf
Frederik
73
65
76
79
62
70
Carrefour - ESPN
Taubel
Christoph
73
65
69
78
61
64
Guave's Sunlight Cycling
Van Avermaet
Greg
74
72
72
78
74
72
Strava
Maes
Nikolas
78
65
76
77
60
64
Tryg - Ritter Sport
Sinkeldam
Ramon
74
75
74
77
68
68
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
Thomas
Geraint
73
58
72
77
72
75
Trans cycling team
Van Lerberghe
Bert
74
66
75
77
75
73
Philips
Naesen
Oliver
75
72
77
76
77
76
Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes
Okbamariam
Tesfom
73
65
70
76
72
68
Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes
Abraha
Tesfay
72
64
70
75
74
72
Trans cycling team
Lhotellerie
Clement
71
62
72
75
57
66
Project: Africa
Minoungou
Oumaru
70
65
73
75
69
68
Project: Africa
Paprstka
Tomas
75
69
74
75
70
72
Philips
Tsatevich
Alexey
74
77
74
75
75
75
Carrefour - ESPN
Not all CT teams have made the journey to Denmark, but meeting them here are a selection of PCT outfits, with some contenders for the victory as well.
F
H
St
C
Sp
A
Team
Chatarunga
Sameera
72
67
79
77
70
68
Valio - Viking Genetics
Insausti
Jon Ander
70
64
76
77
57
66
Podium Ambition
Kulppi
Olli
73
67
73
77
65
70
Valio - Viking Genetics
Owen
Logan
73
69
73
77
64
71
Podium Ambition
Schreurs
Hamish
72
67
75
77
72
71
Xero Racing
Domene
Ramon
73
57
73
76
74
75
Podium Ambition
Flaksis
Andzs
70
65
75
76
61
62
Minions
Jacobs
Pieter
71
62
73
76
63
60
GCN Racing
Lindeman
Bert-Jan
73
64
72
76
74
76
Minions
Albert
Niels
72
66
71
75
60
63
Minions
Cominelli
Cristian
70
67
74
75
59
58
Fablok - Chocolate Jacques
Matthews
Darren
72
66
70
75
76
76
Podium Ambition
Last year we saw Niki Ostergaard come and win this race as a PCT rider for local team Carlsberg. He is not here to return, but his team are - albeit now here as a CT outfit. The three previous editions were all won by one rider, and one team. Geraint Thomas, the 4 times winner of this race, is now riding for Trans cycling team - Podium Ambition bringing a good few options for winning the race with somebody else instead.
A breakaway quickly formed, although it is hard to have high hopes for them: Veber Menicucci Rutsch Page Kreder Hansen Betilson Gregaard Pibernik
And yes, with more than 100k remaining, they have already been caught. We are into the cobbles now, and this encourages a new range of attacks - from a much stronger contingent of riders.
Nine riders, all amongst the strongest thirty in the field, have made the front group: Okbamariam Jacobs Tsatevich Albert Paprstka Minoungou Bovenhuis Schoonbroodt De Vreese
Five others attempted to join them: Cominelli Matthews Ngandamba Lhotellerie Marcos
However it was a futile effort on their part.
Meanwhile, the peloton has been shedding riders out the back, and with 74km to go, a bigger split! And oh dear, this is not a good early sign for a 5th victory Geraint! Thomas is caught in a split, also there are Lindeman, Flaksis, Venturini, Rathe.
On this occasion they do make it back, and at the front of the group Los Pollos and Tryg continue their pacing efforts. They've been working through the race, but it does appear they each just have the one rider left: Coronel and Kalf.
Another split! Same riders again. Thomas, Lindeman, Flaksis, Rathe and Venturini.
They may again be in luck though, as it had been Kaislavuo just left to relay and he seems to be done now. Indeed Maes himself is now looking somewhat unenthusiastic on the front of the group, with team support now absent.
Our nine leaders remain, their gap is 1'50, and they've still got a good chance right now, even with 49km still to go. Let's not forget that Niels Albert is himself a former winner, back in 2010 for Team IKEA - Bianchi.
And that gap is growing - out to 2'20 with 43km to go.
Puncture for Sinkeldam!
It's not good news at all for the Carlsberg rider, because now, finally, a new rider has committed themselves to the chase for the peloton - and a strong one too, Olli Kulppi.
Kulppi sets off on a 12km shift, cutting the gap down to a minute in the process.
Pressure is on for the lead group, and it was too much for Jacobs and Okbamariam.
Kulppi has done what he can. Now we just see Baugnies and Maes on the front. Hard to tell if actually applying pressure, or just reluctantly going through the motions, wishing their teams had invested in more support for them.
Now Chatarunga goes! It was clear he was going to be Valio's leader for the day, now he must pay back the sacrifice of Kullpi. Baugnies and Maes immediately look to follow.
Van Lerberghe, Schreurs and Owen also following this move, but it doesn't come to anything.
20km to go now for the leaders, their gap is only 40 seconds now.
Oh no, Maes has punctured!
Baugnies presses on. He has spent a lot of time on the front this race, and finally he had made a gap! He's closed himself up to the front group now, as the race splits up behind.
Here's the situation, with the front group now: Schoonbroodt De Vreese Bovenhuis Tsatevich Albert Paprstka Minoungou Baugnies
The next 9: Naesen Van Lerberghe Owen Insausti Schreurs Chatarunga Taubel Van Avermaet Nolf
With a small gap on: Thomas Okbamariam Lindeman Flaksis Domene Skala Kluge Bester Rathe Dakteris Venturini Sbaragli Nechita
Two Strava riders who look to be just riding for the finish now: Gaudin Oelerich
Then the recovering Maes, who is now with the fading Kulppi.
While Sinkeldam is 4 minutes behind - the puncture ended his race.
Baugnies really tries to sweep past the group and go into a lone lead, but he just can't do it. The race is together. 28 riders, Maes a minute back, 14km to go.
Taubel tries a little move, but gets nowhere.
And onto the penultimate cobbled section, here goes Nolf!
He has a gap, on cobblestones - the others needs to act quick. Schoonbroodt valiantly tries - but surely he isn't the freshest Philips rider, having been off the front for so long himself.
10km to go, and it is just Nolf in front, and by 20 seconds. 27 behind him, which now includes Maes again!
Lindeman attacks! He was behind in the early splits, but now he is chasing after Nolf.
Domene tried to follow shortly after, but while the Spaniard couldn't stay clear, Lindeman could, he has now slotted onto the back wheel of Nolf for the final cobbles. The lead now 46 seconds!
Another effort from Baugnies now, opening a slight gap.
And attacking out of the cobbled sector!
8 riders are going with Baugnies: Naesen Van Lerberghe Owen Insausti Taubel Schreurs Van Avermaet Chatarunga
Maes had tried to be a 9th, but his bad luck earlier on has again left him lacking in the finale.
These 9 are closing on the front 2, 11 riders in the mix for the GP Herning title.
Naesen really drives it on, and he makes it up to Nolf and Lindeman. This is surely bad news for Nolf, 10 kilometres of riding on the front, and now he has two faster finishers with him.
Schreurs is attacking now, looking to get back on terms with the three. Baugnies almost looks slumped over his handlebars - is his race done?
In the background, Thomas is leading the next group.
Lindeman swings across the road away from Naesen. Nolf tracks him. Schreurs' move is splitting up the chase group.
Now swinging back. Naesen is going to have to lead this out as we approach the final kilometre. Schreurs, Van Lerberghe, Van Avermaet and Owen are here to make it a 7-way battle.
Here goes Naesen!
But has Lindeman played this perfectly? Sat on the wheel of Nolf for so long, and everybody else has had to ride harder to make it back on terms. The Minions rider moves past Naesen.
Van Avermaet, Nolf and Van Lerberghe are sprinting hard.
The three of them all pass Naesen, but the finish line nears...
Bert-Jan Lindeman wins GP Herning!
Van Avermaet takes 2nd, ahead of Nolf and Van Lerberghe.
5th for Naesen. Then Owen and Schreurs.
Insausti and Taubel amongst those who fell away in the sprint, they are 8th and 9th though - while Thomas is able to add another Top 10 finish to his record in this race!
Baugnies can only finish 11th; Rathe should be happy with 12th; while Chatarunga could not really justify Kulppi's support, and ends 13th. Flaksis and Tsatevich will complete the Top 15.
Carlsberg certainly unlucky today with Sinkeldam taken out of contention, De Vreese can only salvage 18th. Bad week for Maes as he ends up 20th. Minoungou just missing out on a Top 20 placing for Project: Africa.
