Welcome to Hungary it’s time for the Betonexpressz GP a long tiring race is what we have on the cards today. Will the sprinters take it or will the late opportunists find their moment today and manage to cheat the sprinters?
I don’t even think everyone has started pedalling before Tjotta starts of today’s breakaway attempts!
With 195kms to the break has been formed, it consists of nine riders and it was relatively straightforward creation with everyone wanting to go making it into the break: Tjotta, Serrano & Polanco Skivild & Blanca Pareja Ruiz & Bulux Pernsteiner & Kabas.
As we leave the first circuit of the race their gap peaked at just under 6 minutes and with 140 tto go it has been cut down to under 4 minutes.
With 100km to go the gap stands at 3’17” with McCormick, Hilcona, LPH and Xero currently having the front with Stela – Vita right behind them.
50km to the finish line Fresh Cement has now also started helping out in the chase work. The break’s lead is down to 1’39” and the pack has visual contact. This catch might still be made soon enough to allow for a potential second and stronger break to slip away, they need to time this to perfection!
10km later Pernsteiner tries his best to give his companions the slip, as he realises that this break is a dead end. But the Austrian is quickly brought back and doesn’t generate any meaningful distance. In the pack though gaps are now a potential risk as the pace of this hill splits the pack in two for a short moment in time. Still one more round trip before the finish line, that could be indicative of what’s to come on the final lap!
As the break’s gap goes slightly under a minute Tafjord plays out one of their almost infinite cards in this race as Breen decides to go alone! He struggles to get a gap and never really distances himself.
A few kilometres later the Norwegian finds himself behind a split as the pack has cracked wide open over one of the smaller bumps on the circuit. Other notables names in this split includes Major, Rojus, Lo Cicero and Eislers! The gap is 40 seconds according to the timekeeepers but there’s visual contact!
The main pack consists of 34 riders and the group behind them consists of 95, so there should be enough manpower to bring them back.
In the pack there’s an interesting development as Havik has taken the front, I think it’s safe to say that Krieger is the one that Hilcona will be riding for today.
The break still has 44 seconds with 25kms to go as Ruiz and Pernsteiner try to distance themselves from the group! It’s total chaos right now!
With 20km to the Austrian is the final remnant of the breakaway as the main pack has now grown to 54 riders. Boivin is the only bigger name still stuck behind the gap.
With 18km to the finish line Pernsteiner’s day in the sun is over and now it’s time for the sprinters to get ready for the last few kilomtres of road. We still have the hill that split the pack up last time to ride over, this is no easy way to the finish line!
Over the top of the aforementioned climb goes Rickaert with teammate Magnusson in his wheel. Yzeiraj, Ruiz, Gayral and Naud follows but they are unable to create a gap at first.
Ruiz and Naud get a small 10 second gap on the descent and are slightly in the clear with 5.3km to the finish line.
Peculiar situation with 2.6km to go as Sarreau gets a gap to the pack while trying to bring Kamberaj to the front but it looks like the Frenchman backs off.
As we go under the red kite The Albanian beast is released by Merlier, but we have seen many times this season that these strongman sprints don’t necessarily always have a positive outcome! In his wheel are Rojus and Krieger. While a mix of Reinhardt, Wippert, Bertilsson, Major, Willwohl, Marin and Liepins look like the other riders that are powering up their sprint!
With 200 metres to the finish line Kamberaj still has the front but Rojus and Krieger are looking like they’re going past the Albanian on either side right now.
A finish line photo is almost needed but it’s Krieger who just edges out Kamberaj! Liepins snatches the last podium spot!
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