The best northern classics riders from the CT and a few PCT teams have arrived at the startline to compete for the win in Gent Wevelgem. Let's see who comes out on top after covering the slightly more than 250 km to be raced today.
Favourites
CB
SP
AC
FL
ST
RS
Gaday
78
71
73
71
75
72
Trentin
78
72
71
71
71
66
Owen
78
64
71
73
73
71
Lampaert
78
60
61
75
74
73
Havik
76
79
76
73
74
68
Bewley
76
76
73
71
68
66
Breen
77
72
70
76
70
70
Merlier
75
78
74
73
72
72
Matthews
75
76
76
72
70
67
Taubel
78
61
64
73
69
73
Richardson
78
60
61
71
68
68
Insausti
77
57
66
70
76
73
Chatarunga
77
70
68
72
79
72
Kulppi
77
65
70
73
73
69
Paprstka
75
70
72
75
74
70
Sarreau
72
76
76
75
74
76
McLay
72
77
76
73
74
72
Major
70
77
78
74
74
70
Degenkolb
69
81
76
73
68
66
Kamberaj
68
79
78
75
73
73
Riabushenko
66
79
77
76
71
74
Willwohl
66
79
78
73
71
67
A quick breakaway forms with four riders:
Renard Richardson Selimovic Stehli
It didn't last long as they were caught with 225 km still to go.
A big group of 14 then form another break - Vanghuluwe, Bablidze, Sillankorva, Murillo, Berger, Goossens, Muhammad, Bakke Christophersen, Osborne, Laton, Eriksson, Pluimers, Belevcics, Shalunov.
With 150 km to go, it's Crabbe-CC, Stela-Vita, Saeco and Strava chasing the break.
The peloton split up with 85 km to go, with some sprinters in the later group. All of the stage favourites are in the main peloton though.
Vanghuluwe, Belevics and Pluimers follow suit a couple of kilometers later.
Bablidze, Murillo, Sillankorva and Bakke Christophersen are next to be caught.
Osborne and Shalunov are caught with 69 km to go.
Eriksson and Goosens are caught with 58 km left, and with that the breakaway is over!
Gaday, Tediashvili, Bewley and Brun get away with 51 km to go, in search of a long range attack.
The peloton is down to 38, but all the favourites are still here.
Matthews joins the four attackers with 47 km to go.
All of them are caught with 44 km left.
Riabushenko and Degenkolb have been dropped from the peloton.
McLay, Robeet, Major and a few others are dropped as well.
Everyone mentioned do make it back to the pack with 38 km to go, except Robeet.
Some kilometers of quietness later, Chaturanga, Lampaert, Insausti, Kulppi and Taubel attack with 16 km to go.
Major, Hennis, Matthews and Batmunkh are dropped with 11 km to go.
The five most recent attackers are caught with just 6 km to go.
The Podium Ambiton trio are at 2 minutes. Robeet, Riabushenko and Degenkolb are at 3'19".
Breen and Kaislavuo make it a Tafjord double attack with 4 km to go!
Chaturnga goes off in chase with 1500 meters left. The pack has not been able to close in at all on the two attackers! Is there still enough time to catch them?
The simple answer is no! Breen takes the win, ahead of his teammate Kaislavuo, to make it an incredible result for the team.
With 400 meters to go behind them, Chaturanga still holds a gap to the main group.
Chaturanga holds on for 3rd!
Paprstka is 4th, ahead of Rathe, Havik and Livyns.
Trentin and Tediashvili are 8th and 9th, respectively.
Taubel is 10th, followed by Owen.
Yechezkel is 12th ahead of Lampaert.
Schlecter and Finkst are 15th and 16th, respectively.
Gaday is 17th, followed by Richardson.
Van der Hoorn and Insausti complete the Top 20.
Today's winner - Vegard Breen.
Double podium for Tafjord, and the top two spots to boot! Chaturanga completes the podium for today.
