Another clash of PT climbing titans awaits us today. This race combines insane slopes and a long duration to throw one of the most challenging profiles on the calendar at the brave souls selected to race today. Who will reign supreme earn bragging rights among the PT climbers. Let's find out over the next few hours.
Favourites
MON
STA
RES
ACC
Madrazo
85
81
80
72
Lecuisinier
85
78
80
74
Phinney
85
77
74
75
Herklotz
84
79
80
76
Dombrowski
84
80
78
75
Morton
84
79
78
67
Pluchkin
84
77
77
73
Alarcon
84
71
74
78
Sicard
82
80
79
70
Quintana
82
77
76
66
Three riders get away on the early slopes followed by a sole rider chasing them. The riders in the lead trio are Dzamastagic, De Souza and De Gendt. Onodera is the one trying to catch.
The break come together on the descent.
The peloton are starting the climb for the fourth time. 185 km remain. Isostar, Puma, Gazelle, Popo4Ever and Bennelong have all sent riders to the front. They trail the break by 5'40". Two riders have been dropped, both from cycleYorkshire.
145km to go and the break are on the summit for the sixth time. They lead by 4'52". A few more riders have been dropped from the pack.
Brandle attacks from the pack as the climb starts the next time.
He catches the break before the summit itself.
Puma, Bennelong and Festina have control of the pack. 100 kilometers remain. 153 riders remain. They have negotiated the climb eight times till now.
Onodera is dropped and tiring. He is already 90 seconds behind.
De Gendt is dropped next. Onodera has been caught by the pack.
De Souza is dropped now and he is already about to be caught as well.
Dzamastagic dropped by Brandle who stretches his lead and goes away solo. No one could keep up with him from the original breakaway.
There is a split in the pack on the lower slopes of the descent as we cover nine circuits. Madrazo, Lecuisinier, Herklotz and 29 others are in the trailing group.
Up ahead, Dzamastagic has caught up to Brandle again on the descent.
But it doesn't last long as he is dropped again on the climb the next time. Brandle leads the peloton by 2'49".
Azman attacks with 45 kilometers left. Looks like King Power have asked their riders to try to catch the pack unawares. 49 riders remain in the peloton.
Azman catches his teammate before the summit. And summarily drops him after a couple of kilometers! (those are lapped riders around Brandle.
Brandle is caught with 39 km left. The pack is down to 40 riders.
30 km to go. The pack have completed the circuit twelve times. 34 riders, including all pre-race favourites all still here. They trail Azman by 1'20".
Azman is caught with 20 km remaining. Novak and Padun have been setting a fast pace at the front.
Novak still at the front another 5 km later. Brambilla is the one helping him now. Azman has kept himself at the front of this group too.
The pack starts the 9 km long climb to the finish with 28 riders. Lecuisinier is the one shadowing Novak. Roglic is the better placed climber for Isostar with Phinney some more positions back.
Nothing much happens for the next 3 km except for a couple of domestiques dropping out.
With 6 km to go Henao Montoya is the first of the semi-favourites to be dropped. Novak and Azman are also with him.
Lecuisinier moves to the front a kilometer later. Roglic had taken over the pace-making from Novak but he is tiring now. 20 riders remain in the peloton.
Galta, Hirt, Keizer and Meintjes are the next to be dropped.
Schelling, Roglic and Warchol are the next to be distanced. 2.5 km remain.
Soon it's Quintana, Olivier and Berhane's turn to suffer the same fate.
The favourites are starting to suffer now! Madrazo, Pluchkin and Alarcon cannot keep up at the front any longer. They are riding with Schelling, who has made up some ground, Quintana, Olivier and Berhane.
Only four riders - Lecuisinier, Dombrowski, Morton and Phinney, remain at the front under the Red Kite, as Herklotz and Sicard are dropped too. Look at those gradients!
Just look at that gradient! It is too much for Morton and Phinney to follow the leading duo, as they start to fall away.
400 meters to go and Lecuisinier starts to get a gap.
Behind them, it is Berhane who's surprisingly the strongest in that group and sets off in chase of Herklotz and Sicard ahead of him.
Lecuisinier's lead has been reduced and so has Dombrowski's over the chasing duo. Is there a late twist in store?
The gap keeps closing as we reach the last 100 meters in what has been an absorbing race.
And the race concludes! Lecuisinier takes the win in what was fantastic race and a true test of attrition for the top climbers.
Dombrowski is 2nd.
Morton holds off Phinney for 3rd.
The gap behind had also closed! Herklotz comes home in 5th...
...ahead of Sicard in 6th.
Berhane keeps the next group at bay to earn a good 7th place.
Madrazo takes 8th and won't be too happy with it. Pluchkin is 9th, ahead of Alarcon in 10th.
Olivier fends off Quintana for 11th. Scheliing is 13th.
Roglic is 14th, the highest placed second rider for any team. Warchol finishes 15th.
Keizer, Hirt, Galta, Meintjes and Padun is the order making up the rest of the Top 20.
Today's winner - Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier.
Lecuisinier wins the Battle Royale up the mountain of Liechtenstein and claims bragging rights, at least till they all meet again. Dombrowski and Morton are the others standing on the podium and they'll probably be happy with that.
