We're in Innsbruck to start the fourth edition of the Pro Hallstatt classic. The big names have made their way to start line to try to put their name onto the winner's list of this race.
Favourites
MON
HIL
RES
ACC
Herklotz
84
81
80
76
Lecuisinier
85
75
80
74
Dombrowski
84
75
78
75
Madrazo
84
75
79
71
Tenorio
84
76
76
67
Wellens
82
75
80
68
Padun
81
77
74
75
Spilak
81
78
75
68
Hirt
81
74
79
76
Quintana
82
74
76
66
Cattaneo
82
70
80
70
Eight riders get away for the early break. Haga Osorio Rhim Lasinis Kuroeda Aleotti Sweeck Hamilton
Manfredi attacks out of the pack and joins the break with 120 kilometers left.
Kuroeda is dropped soon after this.
95 km to go for the pack as we see Gazelle, Festina, Huski, Puma, Los Pollos and MOL all contributing to the chase. Kuroeda has already been and they are starting the second ascent of the climb in the circuit.
Sweeck is dropped from the break with 75 kilometers left.
Some riders have already been dropped from the pack but it's all the domestiques.
Sweeck is caught on the next climb.
Haga, Manfredi, Osorio and Rhim crest the climb together for the third time. Hamilton is in the background while Aleotti and Lasinis are further back.
Hamilton would make it back to the lead group after the descent.
Aleotti and Lasinis are caught with 45 km to go.
Gazelle, Huski, Festina and MOL remain at the front with Puma lurking just behind them. Two trips up and down the climb plus the climb to the finish remain for the peloton.
Hamilton is dropped again the next time up the climb.
Haga and Rhim are also getting now as the pack close in on the breakaway.
Manfredi and Osorio are the only breakaway riders remaining as we pass the top of the climb in the circuit for the penultimate time.
Meanwhile, the pack has split into pieces on the climb and the descent. 37 riders remain in the front group with Keizer, Vakoc, Shikai and Paulinho the notable absentees.
The two man break reach the 20 kilometer banner and are about the to start the circuit climb for the final time. The peloton has swelled back to 64 riders, with Keizer making it back.
Manfredi drops Osorio in the opening kilometers of the climb.
However, it's all moot as both are caught in the next few hundred meters.
The pack splits again and more favourites are in trouble. Bongiorno, Wellens, Masnada, Frankiny, Rodrigues and Karnulin are among the riders dropped from the lead group.
25 riders remain in the peloton.
Keizer is dropped again and so in Quintana. Amezawa and Valls are also here. Bongiorno is tying to make his way back up to the front group.
Formolo, Galta, Slagter, Burke, Mavrikakis and Campero are the next to be dropped. Bongiorno is in this group now.
12 kilometers to go. 15 riders remain in the lead group: Madrazo Lecuisinier Herklotz Dombrowski Arndt Cattaneo Berhane Spilak Padun Preidler, Tenorio Pomoshnikov Hirt Kwiatkowski Novak
The next group of Wellens, Formolo, Galta, Slagter, Bongiorno and Mavrikakis trail by 35 seconds.
The Quintana, Keizer group is more than 2 minutes behind.
The lead group of 15 are about to start the climb to the finish. 3 kilometers to uphill riding to go. The chase group is 36 seconds behind.
Preidler is the only 'domestique' in the front group, and he's riding at the front for Tenorio. Madrazo, Lecuisinier, Spilak and Dombrowski are also at the front.
There's a change in the dynamics over the next kilometer though. Herklotz has powered himself to the front with Madrazo still there. Arndt is going strong just behind with Lecuisinier in the second row. Cattaneo, Spilak and Dombrowksi are next. Tenorio and Berhane are trying the take the long way round on the outside.
Preidler has dropped to the next group.
Don't know who's idea it was to put all these flags here? Flags, flags, everywhere!
The situation is same at the front with 700 meters left. Cattaneo and Tenorio look to be making up ground.
Arndt starts to struggle inside the final 500 meters. He's done incredibly well so far to stay this close to the front. The chase group has caught up to the tail of the leading one!
Herklotz makes his play with 300 meters remaining. Only Lecuisinier can follow. Madrazo is tiring but Arndt looks to have got a second wind. Berhane and Padun are coming up while Spilak, Dombrowski and Tenorio are fading.
It's between the front two now as they enter the final 100 meters. Madrazo is still holding on to 3rd.
Herklotz has enough to stay clear of Lecuisinier and claim the win. The Festina man crosses the line in 2nd.
Both Cattaneo and Arndt are past Madrazo in the battle for 3rd.
Cattaneo does take the final spot on the podium but the Gazelle man puts in a final kick to steal 4th on the line from Arndt!
A little way behind, Berhane leads Padun and Tenorio for 6th.
Berhane does take 6th, ahead of Padun and Tenorio.
Spilak comes home in 9th. Dombrowski will be disappointed with 10th. Kwiatkowski claims 11th.
Hirt is 12th, followed by Pomoshnikov and Formolo.
Wellens rolls through on his own in 16th. That's not a good result for him.
Novak edges out Galta and Mavrikakis for 17th.
Campero claims 20th ahead of Bongiorno, with the latter probably probably having expected a better outcome.
Today's winner - Silvio Herklotz.
Herklotz, Lecuisinier and Cattaneo make up the podium with Arndt pulling off a great result for his team in 5th.
The like of Dombrowski, Hirt, Wellens and especially Bongiorno, Slagter, Keizer and Shikai would've hoped for better. Quintana in 52nd had a shocker!
