A big showdown among some of the best climbers of the PT and PCT awaits us over the next few hours in the mountainous roads of Austria. We are sure to crown a new winner this time, so who will step up to write their names in the history books? There are numerous contenders for the crown, so let's hope the race lives up to the startlist.
Favourites
MON
HIL
RES
ACC
DHL
Lecuisinier
85
75
80
74
70
Madrazo
85
76
80
72
69
Herklotz
84
79
80
76
76
Taaramäe
84
77
79
75
69
Phinney
85
77
74
75
71
Tenorio
84
76
76
67
68
Sicard
82
78
79
70
65
Olivier
81
76
80
71
71
Kudus
82
77
77
70
67
Monsalve
81
76
80
73
65
Galta
81
73
79
66
70
Three riders get away the earliest. They are:
McEvoy Ballan Setiawa
A few more riders tried to join them, but all further attacks were closed down by an attentive peloton. So that means that the first three attackers become our break of the day.
The peloton are together with 100 km to go. Puma, Aker, Isostar and Festina share the brunt of the pace-making. The peloton have covered two climbs so far.
Two riders get dropped from the pack soon after.
A lot more are dropped on the third climb, the second time around the circuit, but all the favourites are safe.
75 km to go for the break. The peloton has closed the gap to 1'47". They are within view now.
Setiawa is caught 8 km later.
The breakaway is caught with 64 km remaining. That is very early for catching the break, so will someone else now try to get away?
On the contrary, the pace drops Formolo, the first notable name in trouble near the summit of the fourth climb.
Formolo would make it back on the flat part of the fourth circuit, preceding the climb.
Beltran attacks just before the summit of the fifth climb. Isostar and Puma have been setting a brutal pace, reducing the pack to just 79 riders. Beltran took advantage of a momentary slowing.
Formolo has recovered enough to be back to front of the peloton, working for Madrazo.
Beltran is caught on the flat after the descent.
The peloton have been further reduced to 68. Some of the better helpers have been dropped.
20 km to go. The peloton have swelled to 97 riders. They are about to start the climb on the circuit for the final time. Isostar, Puma, Gazelle and Aker have control of the pack.
Almost as soon as the climb starts, the pack reduced in size again.
Reis is the first outsider to be dropped!
Acceleration by Sicard which is followed by most favourites. 23 riders get a gap at the front because of this.
Preidler is in big trouble as he falls to the fourth group on the road in the next couple of kilometers.
Galta is tiring and starts to lose touch...
...but Roglic has already been dropped and looks to have nothing left. 18 riders remain in the front group.
The next acceleration puts Penasa, Beltran, Kwiatkowski and Formolo in trouble. 14 kilometers to go and 14 riders remain at the front.
Latour is the next to be dropped and he is caught by Penasa.
Up ahead, Phinney goes harder after the initial acceleration by Herklotz.
12 km left. Phinney has pulled out a 20 seconds gap to the chasers, where 12 riders remain. The 12 riders in E2 are:
They are about to start the descent for the final time. Lutsenko, who was dropped earlier, has recovered and has caught up to Latour, and they're in third group on the road now.
5 km to go for E2. Phinney has increased his lead to 25 seconds.
Kwiatkowski has caught up to Latour and Lutsenko and they now constitute E3.
Beltran, Formolo, Galta and Gebremedhin form the fourth group on the road.
Phinney now has a 30 second lead with 3 km to go. He's about to start the climb to the finish.
The same riders remain in the second, third and fourth groups on the road.
The pack closes in over the next kilometer. The gap is 26 seconds.
Phinney is caught with 1300 meters left. The erstwhile third group has also closed in. Phinney seems to have switched off suddenly.
Under the Red Kite. Herklotz leads. Phinney has slotted into fifth place.
No attacks from the front. 700 meters left to ride.
In the second group, Latour has dropped Kwiatkowski and Lutsenko.
Sicard goes into the lead with 400 meters left and in 15% gradients. This is a serious climb to round out this race! Phinney looks to be struggling after his previous aggression. The Top 7 - Sicard, Herklotz, Madrazo, Taaramae, Lecuisinier, Tenorio, Guldhammer, have a gap now.
Sicard goes. That's the first attack of any kind since Phinney was caught. Just 300 meters to go. Madrazo is out of energy. Lecuisinier is tiring too.
Sicard is clear of the others. Taaramae leads the chase. Guldhammer is the only other rider looking fresh. Everyone else looks tired!
There's no catching Sicard though. He makes the decisive move and takes a famous win!
Taaramae takes 2nd ahead of Guldhammer, who'll be delighted with 3rd.
Lecuisinier drags his bike over the line and claims 4th.
Tenorio will be happy too with his 5th. Kudus is 6th.
Herklotz won't be overly happy with 7th. Talansky perhaps more so with 8th. Madrazo gets 9th.
Penasa with a creditable 10th place.
Phinney finally comes past the line, but it's only 11th and he will be dearly disappointed after the promise of his superb attack. Monsalve rolls past the line in 12th.
Olivier is 13th.
500 meters still to go for Latour and the rest.
Latour does finish 14th, followed by Formolo and Galta.
Preidler is 17th.
Roglic and Kwiatkowski are 18th and 19th.
Gebremedhin completes the Top 20.
Today's winner - Romain Sicard.
Sicard becomes the second rider to win this race in it's short history. Taaramae and Guldhammer complete the podium.
In such a strong field, it is obvious that there will be multiple riders and teams who will be happy with their result and multiple who will be disappointed, perhaps none more so than Isostar after what looked like such a promising move by their leader. The pure punchers didn't have a good race either, with Lutsenko in 21st as the best finisher. Beltran is another who'll be very disappointed with 31st place. He was much higher up before the last climb and just fell off a cliff in the end. Reis is another who didn't do so well, among others.
