The hungarian bookmakers seems to globally agree with us by seeing a cobbler take the race. Here too, Gerts is the favorite.
The first 10 kilometres are full of attacks everywhere, and we have to wait a bit before the pace calms down. The road’s still flat, and we seem to have the break of the day. 12 riders left the pack to try their luck to a prestigious victory, and while they are not grouped yet, it should not be long:
– A first group of seven opens the road. In this group we find Robeet, Guldhammer, Girmay, Ballerini, Bax, Dekker and Dversnes;
– Miltiadis is 20’’ behind this group;
– Arissol and Campbell are 21’’ further back;
– Yechezkel and Goh have a 1’31 gap on the leaders.
We have quite a strong wind for now (25 km/h).
King Power, Tinkoff, MOL, Grieg and cycleYorkshire take control of the peloton.
With 150 km to go, the break is grouped and has a 4 minutes gap on the peloton, as the first hill is beginning.
25 kilometres later, as the lead begins the descent through the cobbled circuit, the gap is down to 3’10. Los Pollos and UBS joined the work in front of the pack.
With about 105 kilometres to go, we’re (well, the riders) about to tackle the first cobbled sector. The lead is down to 1’52. Even though the break doesn’t seem that dangerous, the favorites’teams leave them on a tight leash.
This cobbled sector is 2,1 km long. Not the hardest, but that’s quite long.
No harm done for now, but the lead is down to 1’30 with 100 km to go.
Hunyadi cobbled sector is the first hilly cobbled sector. It’s also the first time the riders cross the finish line, with some steep passages here.
There were some new attacks in the pack, so let’s have a look on the situation: Ferreira managed to join Goh, who’s been dropped from the break. Seems like King Power was tired of doing the work in front of the pack.
One of the Kuroedas is 50’’ behind them, while Boros and Jansen are trying to break free as we speak.
With 85 km to go, the 13 leaders (Goh and Ferreira made it back with the break) are about to begin the next paved sectyor – Madack.
They have a 2’26 lead on an 117 riders pack, with 6 riders spread in between.
Behind the main peloton, a 46 riders group includes the German champion Degenkolb, Tiller and Van der Poel. Some other riders are dropped behind them, but nobody of note.
And 10 km later, our group of 13 (the 12 originals, minus, Goh, plus Kuroeda and Ferreira) have a 1’01 lead a group of 4 comprising Neilands, Kortsidakis, Boros and Jansen Cavagna and Goh are between these guys and the peloton, who’s back at 163 men.
A bit later, it’s a group of only 10 riders who enter the last 50 kilometres. They still have 5 cobbled sectors to handle before they’re finished, though. Campbell has been dropped, and Jansen is all alone now. Right behind him, the pack is 101 riders strong and 2’ late on the leading ten. Los Pollos, Huski and MOL are doing most of the work.
Meanwhile, poor Goldstein and Dumoulin are about to be overcome by the lead riders. They are already 18’ late.
13 km later (37 to go), and the gap is down to 1’ for an 8 riders breakaway ( Kuroeda, Ferreira, Guldhammer, Ballerini, Arissol, Yechezkel, Miltiadis and Dversnes) on the 68 men of the peloton. Los Pollos still upfront, with Zepunkte well with the favorites.
And 6 km later, Van der Poel, who was in the wrong side of the first split of the day a bit before, launches an attack. He easily overcomes a fading Kuroeda and is 30’’ behind the remains of the breakaway ( Ballerini, Guldhammer and Yechezkel).
Race favorite Gerts is not having any of it and goes solo too.
Bester then works very hard to bring them back. He’s nearly on Van der Poel as this photo’s taken.
The lead riders are spent, and they throw the towel on the new climbing of Madrack with 24 kilometres to go. One cobbled sector still after this one, not counting the finish. The pack is till 65 riders strong, with Van Baarle at its head.
It doesn’t stay like this for long though, as a slit occurs in the cobbled sector. Per is the only on of importance to be caught, and he’s accompanied by Bester. He should join back the others, but that might be important in the finish.
At the same time, Ringheim launches an attack – great display of force by the Grieg riders! Gerts is once again on his tail. Seems like the Huski rider doesn’t want to leave any chance of someone leaving without him.
But when he finally seats himself, nobody wants to do the work! The Grieg rider now has a 50’’ lead. Finally, someone steps up. It’s Summerhill, but the 2019 winner doesn’t want to haul his opponents and he tries to break free of them with 18 km to go!
That coup finally provokes a reaction from the other teams, and the cycleYorkshire rider is caught 6 km later by King Power and Aker MOT. Let’s hope he didn’t leave too much energy here… Ringheim still has a 24’’ gap, while Per is back, while in front this time.
New alert after the penultimate cobbled sector, as Spengler, Gerts, Debesay and Altur were on the wrong side of a split. They managed to join the front of the race, while Kamyshev seems to be dropped.
With 7,5 km to go, we now have a 16 riders leading group who overcame Ringheim and should fight for victory. They are: Gerts, Pedersen, Senechal, Kasperkiewicz, Theuns, Wisniowski, Zepuntke, Debesay, Summerhill, Polanc, Teunissen, Altur, Trentin, Spengler, Per and Van Hooydonck (whom I nearly missed).
In the penultimate climb, new attacks! Trentin is the first, followed by Wisniowski, then Per and Pedersen. At the back of the group, Swift and Kamyshev made it back. Spengler seems well spent.
Per and Pedersen can’t really get a gap, but Trentin and Wisniowski are well out. The former has a 30’’ lead on the favorites group with 5 km to go. Behind, nobody really seems ready to do the work to bring them back…
3,6 km to go. Only a short descent know, before the 1,1 km long Hunyadi, a paved 7,6% climb, with a max at 12,6%!
The two leaders now have a 40’’ gap. Will it be enough?
The lead is down to 34’’ as the cobblestones are in front of them, but mainly because of the other attacks in the favorites group. The last one to try his luck was Pedersen, who still has the legs! He’s got a 3’’ gap.
No red kite, so we were a bit surprised when we saw that the leader only had 500 m to the finish! Trentin tries to drop Wisniowski in the hardest passage, but the Pole stays in his wheel. Behind them, Pedersen now has a 7’’ gap on the 15 other leaders, led by Per.
300 m to go for Trentin, Wisniowski barely holding in his wheel now. Pedersen still seems strong on the 10% slope, but he’s 26’’ behind! The others will fight for the remains…
200 m. The slope’s finally under the 10% for Trentin, as Pedersen is now in the hardest part of the climb. The Carlsberg rider should be able to bring another victory to his team after Sinkeldam back in 2019. Wisniowski still holding to his 2nd place.
Trentin takes the victory! Great effort by him and daring attack to drop the favorites.
Right behind him, Pedersen has 200 m to overcome Wisniowski. The Milano – San-Remo winner is fast, but will he be fast enough?
No! Wisniowski shows enough strength to hold the Dane back. Pedersen will probably be happy with his place on the podium though.
Per is thanked of his effort by finishing best of the rest. Great effort to for the Isostar rider. Theuns closes the top 5, closely followed by Polanc.
Gerts takes a maybe disappointing 7th place, with Debesay on his wheel. Zepuntke and Van Hooydonck take the final top 10 spot.
A surprising Swift crosses the line next, two riders ahead of Summerhill, while Kasperkiewicz saves the honour for a hard working King Power team by taking the 15th place. Senechal finishes 16th, last of the favorites group.
As the riders continue to arrive here in Pannohalma, we thank you for having followed it with us. See you soon.
