Sanikwathi retained his leader's jersey yesterday by the smallest of margins, with Walscheid claiming stage glory. Today is a brutal cobbled profile which should decide the fate of the GC. The gap at the top is small, so the specialists should be the odds-on favourites to claim the GC win. Question is, who will that be from those mentioned in the favourites' list below? Or can Sanikwathi pull something special out of the bag and take the jersey home?
Favourites
FLA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
Vanspeybrouck
74
68
67
80
65
66
Vanmarcke
75
70
66
79
69
70
Van Keirsbulck
72
73
63
78
70
68
Taubel
73
73
69
78
61
64
Puccio
72
71
64
78
60
55
Naesen
75
73
70
76
77
76
Declerq
74
71
70
77
67
67
Richardson
71
68
64
78
60
61
Thwaites
73
70
76
76
78
76
Kolev
75
71
65
77
62
67
Orue
69
70
56
78
53
58
Domene
73
68
71
76
74
75
Tsatevich
74
73
70
75
75
75
Just a single rider is allowed to go into the break today - Corwin. He is decent on the cobblestones though, so the pack have to be wary.
We're just 10 kilometers in and riders are already being dropped!
Corwin is caught just 4 kilometers later as the pack take no chances. Only 45 riders remain in the pack. All favourites are still here.
Here's a surprise! Vanmarcke pulls out an acceleration and leaves the others behind. Naesen chasing with Taubel trying to get away as well.
The peloton is down to 21 after this acceleration.
Ariesen (GC 24th), Sbaragli (6th), Riesebeek (12th), Nielsen (14th), Losch (5th), Kozhatayev (26th), Van Poppel and Keukeliere (4th) are among those dropped already.
Naesen and Taubel are caught by the peloton soon after. Vanmarcke leads by 49 seconds.
Orue is the next to be dropped.
105 kilometers to go. We have Thwaites (GC 2nd), Taubel (19th), Naesen (8th), Abraha (28th), Kolev (20th), Puccio (25th) and Weber also dropped. The peloton are down to 12.
12 becomes six soon enough as GC leader Sanikwathi loses contact. Also dropped are Richardson (GC 15th), Kumara (22nd), Ovsyannikov (7th) and Domene (11th)
The six riders remaining in the lead group behind Vanmarkce are Van Keirsbulck, Vanspeybrouck, Declerq, Tsatevich, Manakov and Kristoff.
Vanspeybrouck wins the first intermediate sprint ahead of Van Keirsbulck and Manakov. Vanmarcke has been caught and dropped in the meantime away from our cameras.
Declerq and Kristoff were also dropped and Richardson has caught and dropped them too!
Tsatevich is dropped next by the leaders.
85 kilometers to go and we're off the cobbles and on flat roads now. Vanmarcke and Tsatevich have made it back to the lead group.
Behind them, it is Declerq and Kristoff as the nearest chase group, trailing by 48 seconds. Richardson is 1'50" down with Sanikwathi another minute behind.
With 83 kilometers to go, Declerq and Kristoff catch the lead group. Behind, E2 now consists of Sanikwathi, Taillefour and Richardson. Kumara and Abraha make up E3.
Back on the cobbles and Kristoff is dropped again with 78 kilometers to go.
Vanspeybrouck and Tsatevich are dropped next 4 kilometers later.
Van Keirsbulck with an acceleration which no one can respond to. Declerq has been dropped from the group in the meantime.
Van Keirsbulck wins the second intermediate sprint as we get back onto flat roads. Vanmarcke is 2nd and Manakov 3rd.
Some kilometers later, she front group is back to seven riders with 50 kilometers to go - Vanmarcke, Van Keirsbulck, Vanspeybrouck, Declerq, Tsatevich, Manakov and Kristoff.
Over the next 10 kilometers, 10 more riders - Abraha, Sanikwathi, Kumara, Taillefour, Domene, Taubel, Kolev, Naesen, Ovsyannikov and Muhindo - catch the lead group.
The 17 rider group roll past the third intermediate sprint with Van Keirsbulck taking maximum points followed by Manakov and Abraha.
From this point to till the start of the final cobbled sector to the finish Puccio, Thwaites, Ariesen, Nielsen. Sbaragli, Weber, Orue, Corwin, Richardson, Kozhatayev and Teggart make it back to the lead group, who have been going rather slowly in that time. You can't really blame them given how the race stage has been going so far!
28 riders start the final 25 kilometer cobbled stretch to the finish in the lead group.
Teggart is dropped almost immediately. He is followed by Abraha and Kozhatayev.
Bit of a lull but then Ariesen and Sbaragli are dropped with 18 kilometers to go.
Vanmarcke pulls the same move from the lead group as earlier in the stage and gets a gap.
Kolev, Orue, Corwin, Taubel, Kumara, Nielsen and Weber are dropped 3 kilometers later.
Domene, Muhindo and Ovsyannikov is dropped a kilometer later. Vanmarcke has been caught.
Vanmarcke's effort takes a toll almost immediately as he is dropped! So are Declerq, Puccio, Naesen, Thwiates, Richardson, Taillefour and Manakov.
Vanspeybrouck and Sainkwathi are dropped just a kilometer later.
Kristoff is away at the front, pulling the same move that is teammate attempted some time earlier! Van Keirsbulck and Tsatevich are trying to close him down.
Van Keirsbulck does catch Kristoff with 7 kilometers left.
Vanspeybrouck has caught and passed Tsatevich with just over 5 kilometers to go. Behind them, Declerq has dropped Vanmarcke and Sanikwathi.
With 2 kilometers to go, the chasers have closed up again. Vanspeybrouck is just 9 seconds behind the leading dup, with Tsatevich a further 13 seconds back. Declerq is at 44 seconds and the trio of Vanmarcke, Manakov and Sanikwathi are at 1'21".
Last kilometer! Van Keirsbulck makes is move! Kristoff can't react and is in fact caught by Vanspeybrouck.
500 meters to go and Van Keirsbulck is blowing away his competition! Behind him, the groups and gaps remain the same.
Van Keirsbulck takes a comfortable victory in the end! A superb ride where he never looked in trouble and is a worthy winner.
300 meters to go for Kristoff and Vanspeybrouck as they battle for 2nd on the stage. Behind them, Vanmarcke has caught up to Declerq.
Vanspeybrouck edges out Kristoff at the line and both manage to hold off a strong finishing Vanmarke.
Tsatevich is 5th, with teammate Declerq in 6th.
Manakov claims 7th to make it three in a row for Crabbe-CC. Sanikwathi with a strong ride to 8th, but loses his jersey.
Richardson finishes 9th.
Puccio is 10th, followed by Naesen, Taillefour and Thwaites.
Ovsyannikov is 14th.
Corwin is 15th ahead of Muhindo.
Domene is 17th and Taubel is 18th.
Kolev and Kumara round out the Top 20 with Orue next.
Only 77 riders finished the stage!
Today's winner - Guillaume Van Keirsbulck.
Van Keirsbulck rode the perfect stage, following the right moves, resting when required and attacking at the perfect moments. He takes the win today with Vanspeybrocuk and Kristoff sharing the podium.
Stage Result
1
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
HelloFresh
4h15'48
2
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 47
3
Alexander Kristoff
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
s.t.
4
Sep Vanmarcke
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
s.t.
5
Alexey Tsatevich
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 1'14
6
Tim Declerq
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
s.t.
7
Viktor Manakov
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 2'02
8
Thanawut Sanikwathi
Strava
s.t.
9
Chequan Richardson
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
10
Salvatore Puccio
HelloFresh
+ 3'14
11
Oliver Naesen
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
s.t.
12
Fabien Taillefour
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
13
Scott Thwaites
HelloFresh
s.t.
14
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
Aramco DP
+ 3'40
15
Dadley Corwin
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 4'17
16
Jimmy Muhindo
BNZ-Superhero Racing
s.t.
17
Ramon Domene
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 4'44
18
Christoph Taubel
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
s.t.
19
Iliyan Kolev
Trans Looney Tunes
s.t.
20
Amith Udaya Kumara
HelloFresh
s.t.
21
German Anibal Orue
BNZ-Superhero Racing
s.t.
22
Tesfay Abraha
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 5'21
23
Joanis Albert Nielsen
Strava
+ 5'57
24
Sascha Weber
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 6'36
25
Tim Ariesen
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 7'56
26
Kristian Sbaragli
Strava
+ 9'04
27
Matthew Teggart
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 11'48
28
Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
29
Roger Kluge
Strava
+ 14'21
30
Vyacheslav Kuznetsov
Strava
s.t.
31
Boy Van Poppel
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 15'56
32
Beka Nareklishvili
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
s.t.
33
Oscar Riesebeek
HelloFresh
s.t.
34
Max Losch
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 18'19
35
Andreas Stokbro
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
36
Peeter Tarvis
Strava
s.t.
37
Jens Keukeleire
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 20'19
38
Jasper Philipsen
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
39
Gregory Hugentobler
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
40
Emil Andersson
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
41
Cristofer Robin Jurado
Volcanica - Fox
+ 21'21
42
Jakob Rathe
McCormick Pro Cycling
+ 24'13
43
Davide Appollonio
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 25'03
44
Phil Bauhaus
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
45
Gabriel Marin
Volcanica - Fox
s.t.
46
Karl Patrick Lauk
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
47
Mamyr Stash
HelloFresh
s.t.
48
Damion Drapac
Eddie Stobart
+ 26'29
49
Mark Downey
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 27'36
50
Matteo Jorgenson
Volcanica - Fox
+ 28'25
51
Romain Le Roux
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 30'29
52
Oleksandr Shevchenko
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
s.t.
53
Martin Urianstad
Tafjord Kraft
+ 31'27
54
Jules Hesters
Aramco DP
s.t.
55
John Jimenez Retana
Volcanica - Fox
s.t.
56
Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil
Aramco DP
s.t.
57
Pangiotis Christapopoulos
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 32'57
58
Daniel Oss
Strava
s.t.
59
Jaka Primozic
Trans Looney Tunes
s.t.
60
Julian Cardona
Aramco DP
s.t.
61
Jaume Sureda
Aramco DP
+ 34'42
62
Axel Zingle
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
63
Sander Andersen
Tafjord Kraft
s.t.
64
Regan Gough
BNZ-Superhero Racing
s.t.
65
Oscar Avelino
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 36'07
66
Idar Andersen
Tafjord Kraft
s.t.
67
Louis Visser
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
68
Cameron Meyer
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 37'35
69
asmund Romstad Lovik
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
70
Freddy Cruz
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 38'24
71
Ben King
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 38'48
72
Michael O'Loughlin
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 41'40
73
Gerben Thijssen
Aramco DP
+ 42'04
74
Dmitri Medvedev
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
75
Olav Hjemsaeter
Tafjord Kraft
+ 42'40
76
Carlo Noia
Aramco DP
s.t.
77
Daniel Schorn
Tafjord Kraft
s.t.
Van Keirsbulck also wins the GC. Kristoff claims 2nd, having had some time advantage from previous stages over Vanspeybrouck. Pas Normal Studios with a 2-4 here with Vanmarcke finishing 4th. Three Crabbe-CC riders follow, with overnight leader Sanikwathi breaking them up in 7th. Richardson and Thwaites complete the Top 10.
GC
1
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
HelloFresh
9h46'49
2
Alexander Kristoff
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 57
3
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 59
4
Sep Vanmarcke
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 1'06
5
Alexey Tsatevich
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 1'15
6
Tim Declerq
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 1'36
7
Thanawut Sanikwathi
Strava
+ 2'06
8
Viktor Manakov
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 2'21
9
Chequan Richardson
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 2'32
10
Scott Thwaites
HelloFresh
+ 3'23
11
Oliver Naesen
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 3'37
12
Salvatore Puccio
HelloFresh
+ 3'46
13
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
Aramco DP
+ 4'01
14
Ramon Domene
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 5'13
15
Christoph Taubel
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 5'17
16
Iliyan Kolev
Trans Looney Tunes
s.t.
17
Amith Udaya Kumara
HelloFresh
s.t.
18
German Anibal Orue
BNZ-Superhero Racing
s.t.
19
Fabien Taillefour
Eddie Stobart
+ 5'31
20
Joanis Albert Nielsen
Strava
+ 6'29
21
Jimmy Muhindo
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 6'34
22
Dadley Corwin
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
23
Tesfay Abraha
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 6'43
24
Tim Ariesen
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 8'29
25
Sascha Weber
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 8'53
26
Kristian Sbaragli
Strava
+ 9'22
27
Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 12'21
28
Matthew Teggart
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 14'05
29
Oscar Riesebeek
HelloFresh
+ 16'26
30
Boy Van Poppel
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 16'29
31
Vyacheslav Kuznetsov
Strava
+ 16'38
32
Roger Kluge
Strava
s.t.
33
Beka Nareklishvili
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 18'13
34
Max Losch
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 18'37
35
Andreas Stokbro
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 19'42
36
Jens Keukeleire
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 20'34
37
Peeter Tarvis
Strava
+ 20'36
38
Jasper Philipsen
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 22'36
39
Gregory Hugentobler
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
40
Emil Andersson
Eddie Stobart
s.t.
41
Cristofer Robin Jurado
Volcanica - Fox
+ 26'19
42
Mamyr Stash
HelloFresh
+ 26'24
43
Jakob Rathe
McCormick Pro Cycling
+ 26'30
44
Gabriel Marin
Volcanica - Fox
+ 26'50
45
Davide Appollonio
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 27'14
46
Phil Bauhaus
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 27'20
47
Karl Patrick Lauk
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
s.t.
48
Damion Drapac
Eddie Stobart
+ 28'46
49
Mark Downey
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 29'53
50
Matteo Jorgenson
Volcanica - Fox
+ 30'40
51
Romain Le Roux
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 32'46
52
John Jimenez Retana
Volcanica - Fox
+ 33'44
53
Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil
Aramco DP
s.t.
54
Jules Hesters
Aramco DP
s.t.
55
Daniel Oss
Strava
+ 35'14
56
Oleksandr Shevchenko
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 36'51
57
Martin Urianstad
Tafjord Kraft
+ 37'49
58
Louis Visser
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 38'23
59
Oscar Avelino
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 38'24
60
Pangiotis Christapopoulos
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
+ 39'19
61
Axel Zingle
Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team
+ 40'23
62
Regan Gough
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 40'34
63
Jaume Sureda
Aramco DP
+ 41'04
64
Ben King
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 41'05
65
Julian Cardona
Aramco DP
+ 41'15
66
Idar Andersen
Tafjord Kraft
+ 41'48
67
Sander Andersen
Tafjord Kraft
+ 42'08
68
Cameron Meyer
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 43'15
69
asmund Romstad Lovik
Eddie Stobart
+ 43'16
70
Jaka Primozic
Trans Looney Tunes
+ 43'38
71
Freddy Cruz
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 44'05
72
Gerben Thijssen
Aramco DP
+ 44'21
73
Carlo Noia
Aramco DP
+ 44'57
74
Michael O'Loughlin
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 48'02
75
Olav Hjemsaeter
Tafjord Kraft
+ 48'21
76
Daniel Schorn
Tafjord Kraft
+ 49'02
77
Dmitri Medvedev
Eddie Stobart
+ 49'30
Van Keirsbulck takes the Points Classification win as well. Tsatevich's consistency and Sanikwathi's stage win gets them onto the podium here.
Points
1
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
HelloFresh
42
2
Alexey Tsatevich
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
38
3
Thanawut Sanikwathi
Strava
36
4
Scott Thwaites
HelloFresh
32
5
Alexander Kristoff
Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller
31
6
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Trans Looney Tunes
26
7
Viktor Manakov
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
25
8
Oliver Naesen
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
22
9
Jens Keukeleire
Trans Looney Tunes
20
10
Max Losch
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
20
A comfortable win for Ovsyannikov in the U25s. Muhindo and Teggart join him on the podium.
U25
1
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
Aramco DP
9h50'50
2
Jimmy Muhindo
BNZ-Superhero Racing
+ 2'33
3
Matthew Teggart
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 10'04
4
Beka Nareklishvili
Crabbe-CC Chevigny
+ 14'12
5
Andreas Stokbro
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 15'41
6
Jasper Philipsen
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 18'35
7
Karl Patrick Lauk
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
+ 23'19
8
Mark Downey
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 25'52
9
Matteo Jorgenson
Volcanica - Fox
+ 26'39
10
John Jimenez Retana
Volcanica - Fox
+ 29'43
No surprise with Crabbe-CC claiming the teams' crown. Pas Normal and HelloFresh make up the podium.
