Last race of the month here in Switzerland, in what could be a preview of one of the last races of the year, also a punchy classic in Switzerland.
But for now we’re here in Lugano for a 188,6 km race. The first half or so comprises three longer climbs in the mountains of Tessin, and then three shorter and steeper climbs, before a flat finish.
Demare is the biggest favorites, with his unique skillset, but the list of contenders is long, and Tryg will have work to do.
10 km into the race, a group of 10 has been allowed out: Cepeda, Varga, Huby, Heymes, Gamper, Thompson, Veyhe, Uhiriwe, Bardet and Sprenger.
Tulett and Stöckli are probably the last who will have a chance to join them – for now, they’re 34 seconds back. The peloton shot down any other bigger group.
The peloton is led by McCormick, Jura, Xero, Lampre, Tryg and Crabbe.
The break begins the 4 bigger climbs with a gap of 5 minutes. Stela Vita joined the chase.
The peloton passes the last summit without notable damage, tough it’s stretched. Any acceleration in the plain might drop the weaker riders. The gap is still at 5 minutes with 80 km left.
30 km later, Camrda, Bagioli, Stehli, Price-Pejtersen, Ramirez and Honore ride hard to drop some competition and the peloton splits in three.
Behind a favorites’ group of 45, there’s a group of 30 with Teuns, Duchesne and Dyrnes. Further back, a group of 91 has Kanerva, Azman or Min.
The gap to the break is 2’52.
36,6 km to go. Hermans, Van Garderen and Dainese attack on the flat. The break still has 2’28.
They’re brought back, but Boily counters. He was in a dropped group earlier.
That leads nowhere, but we have a better picture of who’s where.
The 12 riders in the break have 32 km to go.
2’09 behind is the favorites’ group of 56.
A group of 98 is 1’10 behind, with Dyrnes, Kanerva and Bonifazio.
The rest of the riders are scattered behind.
Simmons is the next to attack!
The breaks enters the penultimate climb, and an interesting group tries to go out of the pack: Hermans, Houle, Rumac, Turgis, Vendrame and Bilbao.
Bagioli and Gladysh work hard to bring them back. Demare tries to find space near the head of the group.
He attacks in 11% slopes!
19 km left, and the break still has 1’20. Demare was brought back, but Runac now has 12 seconds on a group of 28. Dainese and Van Garderen were dropped, Wackermann and Goos are suffering.
Last climb and 11,1 km left for the break, they still have 1’16 as the favorites don’t really get along. Maybe they forgot that there are still 12 men to bring back?
Schmid and Edmondson attack!
9 km left. Veyhe punctured and is dropped, while Houle, Narvaez and Demare got a gap. They are 100 meters beind the break, 200 ahead of the other favorites.
A big work by Luchshenko brings them back… and drops Goos! With im are Turgis, Teuns and Bagioli.
Cepeda, Bardet and Thompson are dropped from the break, which crosses the summit with a 1’18 lead. That feels good for them!
3 km left for Gamper, Varge, Stöckly and Sprenger. Huby and Heymes are struggling to keep up.
Bystrom is out of the peloton, 1 minute behind them. The favorites seem to have lost faith in catching the break.
Varga opens the sprint under the flamme rouge.
And he wins the GP Lugano! Great victory for the Hungarian rouleur.
Stöckli beats Gamper to 2nd.
Sprenger is 4th.
Huby beats Heymes to 5th.
Gladysh wins the sprint of the peloton.
Houle is 8th.
Luchshenko gets a deserved 9th, ahead of Weiss.
Bad day? Too weak domestiques? Bad strategy? All managers will not be happy with the peloton letting go the break!
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