With a mountainous road race course it is not surprising to find the 3 riders who fought out the win at Avenir top the favorites. But the B race showed lesser climbers with a quick finish can steal the win, Ahmad riding for Asia A catches the eye as does Corbin Strong of New Zealand.
If Mattias Skjelmose Jensen can win he would be only the second rider to do the U23 Road Race – Avenir double in the same year. Herklotz being the other, surprise, surprise. Phinney won them both but in different years (2010 – Avenir, 2011 - Worlds)
Startlist
6k in and 15 riders up the road, but the peloton isn’t happy and Bourgoyne (USA) is leading the chase. The riders furthest forward are Hernandez Moran (America C), Syritsa (Europe C) and Tercero (ESP)
20k gone now, the group at the very front has swelled to 5 with the 3 mentioned before plus De Marigny-Lagesse (Africa A) and Waerenskjold (NOR). They have 1’32 on the peloton. Lots of others still trying to make their way across and the attacks are ongoing from the peloton.
28k gone, 7 more riders are able to bridge up to the leaders and the peloton is willing to live with a 12-rider break. In 3.1k they will start the first climb, the Castell de Fontllonga (4.7k at 5.3%). The additional 7 riders are Keup (GER), Tulett (GBR), Klyver (Europe A), Benedetti (ITA), Cadena (America A), Heinrich (GER), Figueiredo Leme (America D)
161k to go and the peloton are on the second climb of the day (Coll de Comiols, 19.5k at 3.2%). The lead stretched to 5’40 but is now back to 4’22. Lots of teams contributing including Belgium, the Netherlands, USA, New Zealand, Australia and Denmark
The breakaway are all still together as they begin the descent of the Coll de Comiols. Their lead is 5’02.
The next climb also passes with no victims in the break. As Tulett leads them on to the descent their lead is 3’49. 107k to go. Same teams working in the peloton.
As the peloton hits the 4th and hardest climb of the day (the Coll de Bóixols, 13.6k at 5.9%) they have the lead down to 2’36. Both the break and the peloton still in one piece.
With over 4k to climb and the break still 2’24 ahead Zambanini (ITA) launches an attack from the peloton. Ryan (IRL), Pinzon (America D) and Kench (NZL) look to follow.
Kench can’t stay with the attack but Evenepoel (BEL), M. Van Dijke (NED) and Girmay (Africa A) do get across. Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) has to respond. Already the favorites in action.
Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) bridges to the attackers but Rodriguez (ESP) brings the peloton back to them. Evenepoel and then Zambanini and Ryan counter.
With the summit in site Evenepoel has reached Keup and De Marigny-Lagesse, who have just been dropped from the break. He has 47 seconds on Zambanini and Ryan and 1’33 on the 132-rider peloton, who seem to be hesitating.
The peloton gets organized behind Simmons (USA) and Hopkins (AUS) but Evenepoel has reached the front of the race and that group has a 2’10 advantage. Another 4 riders (Zambanini, Ryan, Keup and De Marigny-Lagesse) are 1’27 up on the peloton.
With 65k to ride Zambanini and Ryan make it up to the Evenepoel group. That group has 1’42 over the peloton, which is down to 79 riders.
Hard riding from Evenepoel and a small unmarked climb shatter the breakaway. Only Cadena and Tulett can stay with him. Denmark (Enggaard) aiding the chase in the peloton now and the gap to the front is 2’05.
48k to go and the leaders are on the final marked climb – the 2nd ascent of the Coll de Comiols, 9.5k at 4.7% from this direction. The first 2k are pretty easy but after that it gets more challenging. Heinrich and Tercero have been able to rejoin the front. Most of the rest of the escapees are just 36 seconds behind. With only Benedetti and Figueiredo Lame further back. Keup and De Marigny-Lagesse having been caught by the Denmark-led peloton which is at 2’16.
3k later, Benedetti and Figueiredo Lame are caught, the other group is going backward and it doesn’t look like they will be able to rejoin the front 5. 2’04 is the gap from the peloton to the leaders.
Ahmed (Asia A), Strong (NZL) and M. Van Dijke (NED) attack the peloton. Miquel (ESP) responds. Up front Evenepoel is all in, he has about 4k to climb and has dropped Heinrich and Tercero. He still has 2’02 on the main body of the peloton.
2k to climb and 41.5k to go in the stage for Evenpoel, only Cadena left with him, brave ride from the Mexican. Behind the attackers and the remnants of the break have come together and are stretched out between 1’19 and 2’08, where the peloton is riding. The peloton is led by Simmons and Balmer (SUI).
500 meters later Cadena gives in and Evenepoel is solo at the front of the race.
Van Dijke emerges as the strongest of the counter attackers, Strong, the last man to give in. Van Dijke has almost reached Tulett and is now 1’09 down on Evenepoel. Europe B now helping with the chase in the peloton.
Race situation:
Evenepoel reaches the summit with 53 seconds on Van Dijke, who has lost momentum in the chase. Although he is stronger downhill. The peloton has caught most of the rest and is at 1’50. Still 38k of descending and flat to go, plus one small unmarked climb.
Van Dijke’s superior descending skills tell and with 23k to go he has the lead down to 32 seconds, but he is almost out of descent. The peloton another 1’09 back, it is down to 29 riders with Gloag (GBR) on the front. All the others are caught.
As Evenepoel reaches Artesa de Segre he will be cursing the fact that he still has a small lap to complete. With 14k to go Van Dijke is still at 38 seconds as the flat roads turned things in the leader’s favor but the peloton is just 29 seconds further back with Karatsivis (Europe A) on the front.
Evenepoel on to the unmarked climb. Van Dijke is toast. Chasers are at 57 seconds, Galvan Ramirez (America B) on the front.
Evenepoel is dying now, his dreams of a heroic 70k breakaway are fading, this last climb must feel like Mt Ventoux. His lead is 29 seconds.
10k banner. Evenepoel holds 15 seconds on what is a 25-rider chase group. All the big names are present.
5k banner, Evenepoel still has 9 seconds over the Krasts (Europe B) led group. But if feels like the other favorites are just waiting for the moment to attack.
3.6k, it is all over for Evenepoel as Martino (Europe C) and Galvan Ramirez attack.
Hayter (GBR) and Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) go after them as they turn back towards Artesa de Segre, 2.5k to go.
1.7k, Hayter gets back up to the attackers, behind him Skjelmose Jensen, Evenepoel (!), Plapp (AUS), Karatsivis (Europe A), Govekar (Europe B) and Strong (NZL)
Under the 1k banner Hayter has the lead. Next row is Martino, Galvan Ramirez and Skjelmose Jensen. Then a little gap to Evenepoel, Karatsivis, Plapp, Govekar and Strong. Quinn (USA) next on the road. Hayter and Govekar are probably the best finishers from this group but after 230k who knows what they have left.
800 meters, Hayter seems to be stretching his lead, Evenepoel fading, who can blame him.
400 meters, still Hayter, Galvan Ramirez, Skjelmose Jensen and Govekar closest to him.
Hayter doesn’t have enough left in the tank. Govekar and Strong catching him on the right. 200 meters to go.
100 meters, Govekar has a small edge but Galvan Ramirez has an inside line. The next row is Quinn, Skjelmose Jensen and Karatsivis but they are probably riding for 5th.
Slovenia’s Matevz Govekar is the U23 World Champion, riding for Europe B. Corbin Strong, New Zealand is 2nd, then Ethan Hayter completes the podium for Great Britain. 4th to Mexican, Galvan Ramirez, riding for America B
Next comes Karatsivis (Europe A/Greece), Skjelmose Jensen (DEN), Quinn (USA), Plapp (AUS), Martino (Europe C/San Marino) and Gonzalez (America A/Puerto Rico)
