The opening stage in the far South of New Zealand` leads the peloton around Invercargill on a 105 km stage. It`s basically pan flat, though officials have found a tiny hill they reward a Cat.4 KoM for. A chance for the breakaway to go for a jersey clearly.
Other than that officials can`t see past the top2 today. It`s either Swift or Gaviria for them but Avelino is definitely a rider that despite his age still has the needed speed on a good day.
Manninen clearly has it, Maksimov showed so last year, Nelson, Vesely or Ciolek can`t be ignored neither and then there are the more powerful sprinters such as Kemboi or Van Asbroeck, who can level the power of Gaviria on the flat.
4 riders in todays breakaway and whenever you are in countries without many pro cyclists, it`s always great to see a home rider going for it! Oram is a decent time trialist and surely would have prefered a route such as couple years ago to also aim for the GC. But as he is only one of two Kiwi`s here alongside BNZ`s Mudgway, he decided to go for the break instead. Erdenebat, Ford and Stenersen are the others. So a pretty strong time trial quartett, which on a 105km parcours can clearly keep a high pace against the sprinters for quite some time.
And the story goes one for newly founded team Guave`s Sunlight Cycling as Oram takes the KoM and will present the team colours with the mountain jersey tomorrow.
As a CT team in C1 races, you often struggle to score the big points in the GC, but getting some points from the break clearly helps to still score pretty decent.
Erdenebat and Stenersen to pass the line next with Ford not getting any points, which wasn`t a big surprise as he is a pan flat time trialist really, whenever getting slightly uphill, usually one of the first to be dropped.
Though even at the age of 34 he still has it as he shows a bit later in the sprint when he takes 1st. A bit of a reminder from his pretty successful days in Oz Cycling colours.
The peloton though not allowing them too much. With 45km to go the gap drops down to 1'44 and melting.
Right now lots of riders from Lierse, MOL, Berg, Valio and Popo4ever are at the front. Though also Polar was very visible all day.
They let the break fight for quite some time still but with 9km they are finally caught and several MOL and Lierse rider prepare the sprint now.
While MOL has average leadout options for Maksimov, Lierse basically did send a team of non-sprinters around Gaviria and more the flat engines for the hard work.
Best suited teams for a sprint train must be considered Berg with the Swift/Kupfernagel duo or Podium Ambition with Nelson/Keukeleire but also BNZ with couple of decent riders in Wippert/Von Hoff or Duolingo for Ciolek with semi sprinters around and Minions for Vesely.
Gaviria first followed 2 of his teammates but it might have been a smart decision to leave their wheel and switch over behind Maksimov. In especially as Berg found themselves and really put the hammer down now.
Martinez
Pons
Tzortzakis
Maksimov
Kupfernagel
Gaviria
Swift
Manninen
Lutsyshyn
Nelson
Van Asbroeck
Wippert
Kemboi
Ciolek
Avelino
Matthews
This also means that Vesely once again fails to participate...and also Keukeleire or Mohs and others aren`t well placed. Podium Ambition clearly going for Nelson instead while Mohs is in a better position but not behind one of the trains yet.
Unfortunately also none of Te Brake, Page being up there.
With 2,6km to go it`s head to head and MOL apparently trying to block down the Berg train. They are having 1 rider down there as Martinez already the last rider in front while Kupfernagel didn`t have to start his leadout yet.
Actually behind those visible riders only Avelino and Matthews as well before there opened a tiny gap to the peloton.
With 1,5km Kupfernagel starts his sprint, though Gaviria instead of following moves to the right and blocking Swift heavily, so for now no one is following. This looked quite a lot on purpose to be honest.
Only 200m later though when the other riders realized the danger of a good sprinter such as Kupefernagel ahead they move around and try to follow.
Maksimov on the right, Manninen on the left and Gaviria?
The Colombian who successfully blocked Swift earlier is now blocked as well by a dropping behind Martinez and with riders left and right from him, no chance to quickly pass him.
This means that the Colombian just like Avelino and Matthews pretty much are out of contention as there is a gap to the sprinters in front and not much to go!
500m and Kupfernagel still having a gap. Though he has reached his limit and others are closing now.
Though as Swift is in the first position behind, it might still work out for Berg.
Manninen, Lutsyshyn, Nelson and Van Asbroeck best placed with Kemboi, Ciolek and Wippert in the 2nd row.
Maksimov who started his sprint early is getting passed by them now.
And also Kupfernagel is passed with so many riders still in contention to win!
Nelson attacking now and being next to Manninen. Wippert and Lutyshyn as well going strong with Van Asbroeck trying to bridge through the small gap next to Swift.
Also Maksimov not having given up yet still able to put a bit more into his sprint which clearly must go for Kemboi as well.
In the end though the Australian from Podium Ambition takes it. Nelson with a big win in that field.
Very surprisingly Lutyshyn coming in 2nd ahead of Swift, who would have needed Kupfernagel`s wheel with 1km to go when he got blocked.
Manninen, Van Asbroeck and Maksimov next ahead of Wippert, Kemboi, Ciolek and Kupfernagel.
And indeed all sprinters getting a 33s time gap here, which could become huge when some of them fight on the two uphill stages.
