And here we go. The riders are in Luxembourg, ready to tackle more than 220 kilometers of, mostly, steep hills, until they arrive in Diekirch after a last climb. It’s a race for punchers, and that show in the favorites list.
The breakaway is formed and let go after 15 kilometers and the fusion of two groups. They’re 16 at the head of the race, trying to win against all odds, and count nearly 1 minutes over the peloton. The break of the day members are : Scott, Salazar, Ballerini, Antonijevic, Bohli, Bloem, Moricz, Per, Arissol and Sanogo, Gradek, Heidemann, Pedersen and Jansen, Tiller, Altur.
Behind them, the team who couldn’t or didn’t want to join are already chasing while we begin the long flat section. They are right, are there are some strong rouleurs in the break!
30 fast kilometers later, the peloton seems to hold back. Dewulf only waited for the occasion, and he goes into the attack. He’s brought back by Nareklishvili and Havik – who work for Kelderman and Lopez, respectively. Rutsch and Teunissen also try their luck, but to no avail as Nareklishvili and Zubov (for Skujins) control, but the hard rythm causes a break on the rear : the wind is going strong!
Boros and Grand work to bring the rear back, and after twenty more kilometers, the peloton is together again, though really stretched. Some guys will already have lost a ton of energy, and we’re still on the flat ! The wind goes harder, at 38 km/h. The leading group has 1’30, and the peloton is finally slowing.
15 kilometers more, 153km to go and the flat section is over. The break now has a 3’ lead, with Per bringin them uphill. The peloton is lead by Nareklishvili, Zubov, Gillett, Robeet, Kiskonen and Havik.
It stretches again in the next flat section, under a 40 km/h wind, but without any gap being made when the hills are back. 110 km left and the break still has 3’.
New alert in the peloton just when we pass the 100 km point. 14 riders are behind on a 1’30 gap. They come back in the descent, but let’s hope they did not waste too much energy doing so!
Meanwhile, in the break, Bloem seems in difficulty, though he’s holding up for now.
Evonik, Moser and Aegon are still leading the peloton.
In the leading group, Moricz, Pedersen, Sanogo and Bloem are dropped 70 km from the finish line. In the peloton, it’s Mundle and Sibilla who can’t hold on. Another small gap has been created, without any leader, but with some good domestiques.
Bloem and Moricz are eaten by the peloton 57 km before the finish line – Pedersen and Sanogo are back in the 14 men break. The peloton counts 145 riders. The number drops to 129 10 kilometers later, due to the hard pace of Ruiz and Becis.
Less than 45 kilometers to go, Tiller and Gradek are going out of the break. Ballerini is following them, and Altur tries to make the junction. The break is cut in two, while Scott is gobbled up by the peloton with Moser in front.
We know have four main groups :
– Head of the race : Gradek, Altur, Tiller, Ballerini and Per
– Chasing group (+0’24): Pedersen and Jansen, Arissol and Sanogo, Salazar, Bohli, Antonijevic and Heidemann
– Peloton (+0’54) : 94 riders, with all the favorites
– Dropped (+3’40) with guys like Morin, Lafay, De Gendt and De Kleijn.
Of note : Koshevoy is also dropped, 1’20 of the peloton.
Only 35 km to go, and Per is feeling well, as he’s trying is luck with Tiller and Gradek. In the peloton, Amaysim is leading the way, until Lopez attacks! The fast going up peloton takes back the breakaway and the situation is hard to read for a while. First uphill, a three men group has a small gap : the way, until Lopez, McCarthy and Sagan!
Behind them, a 77-men peloton, lead by the national champions Kastrantas (Greece), Yates (United Kingdom) and Quita (Philippines) is chasing, with a 16 seconds gap. The junction is made with 27 kilometers to go, but the peloton which begins the descent is only 39 riders strong.
15 kilometers from the finish line, Bax (for Ulissi and Valter) and Kastrantas (for Koretzky) are going at a great pace. McCarthy, De Bie, Sagan, Lopez and Kelderman are attentive near the front.
Meanwhile, Müller is nearly dropped from a second chasing group, one minute behind the peloton. That’s a very bad news for UBS!
10 km to go, and we’re in the penultimate climb with a 30-men peloton. Sagan attacks immediatly, but he can’t make a gap. Valter tries his luck with 7 km to go; he has McCarthy, and a bit later, Lopez behind him. The peloton stays together.
With 3,5 kilometers to go, Xandri and Bax bring the peloton into the last climb to Diekirch.
1,5 km later, De Bie, Sagan and Lopez are near the front.
Lopez well in front at the red kit, with Koretzky right behind him. The leaders have the wind in the back, at 45 km/h.
600m. The wind is now from the front, and Lopez is slowing down.
300m. Sagan and De Bie are in front, Skujins is dropped.
200m. De Bie tries to outflank.
Sagan already celebrating! Isn’t it too soon ?
Nope, he’s all good. He wins the race for the third time, closely followed by De Bie and McCarthy!
Lopez takes 4th, and Kastrantas a surprising 5th place, given the effort he’s made all day. Behind him are Valter (6th) and Koretzky (7th). Kwiatkowski, Benoot and Yates complete the Top 10.
