We are on to the second stage in East Java. It's another one that the sprinters will have pencilled in, but with the route once again relatively short and undulating they'll need to do better than yesterday if they want to end up contesting the victory in Mataram. The breakaway's victory yesterday has had a knock-on effect: our broadcaster has agreed to begin their coverage of this on almost immediately. Good thing they did, because things have started off with a bang! Attacks are coming left, right, and centre. Everybody wants to have a go at this early 3rd Category competition. In the end it is Dominik NEUMAN who is first to the top. He has a small gap to Lukas MEILER and Julius VAN DEN BERG, who take the remaining points.
It looked like the teams on the front would be the same as yesterday. Polar, Aker - MOT and Kraftwerk were in control up that initial climb. Now though, there are chaotic scenes as a small group of sprinters has split off the front. The early intermediate sprint outside Lombok International Airport means that the pace remains high. Most of the big names are sprinters: Jasper PHILIPSEN, Dylan GROENEWEGEN, Rick ZABEL, Lionel COUTINHO, Thomas BOUDAT, Elias AFEWERKI, Asbjorn KRAGH ANDERSEN, Sondre Holst ENGER, Jiankun LIU. In fact, Joseph DOMBROWSKI is the only GC contender present! That won't be a problem for Kraftwerk and Aker - MOT, but Pierre LATOUR will be demanding that his teammates slow down. The first intermediate sprint is easily won by ZABEL, absent any real contest.
It has fallen to the GC teams of Sony - Force India and Evonik - ELKO to lead the chase, but the gap is holding steady at about two minutes thanks to some solid cooperation by this breakaway. It isn't every day that the sprinters have an opportunity to take the maximum points at an intermediate sprint, so everyone is chomping at the bit as we come in to Praya. It looks to me like this one goes to GROENEWEGEN, but the officials elect to award it to LIU. AFEWERKI takes the final points. Now the sprinters face the climb to Kopang, 10km @ 2.4%; perhaps this is where the favourites will be hoping to reel them in?
Indeed, Eriks Toms GAVARS is stomping his way up this ascent. The time just keeps dropping. The escapees are well within sight now! The Latvian is done though, he is pulling off to the side. Michael ANTONELLI comes through to finally close the gap. Wait... Harry SWEENY was just pulling at the front. Dissension within the ranks? Ah, well, everything is back together again anyhow.
With all the excitement we missed the fight for the Category 4. That was won by Ludovic ROBEET, ahead of Antti-Jussi Juntunen and WOHLER. None of the sprinters were interested in wearing the polkadots for a change. The peloton, now fully reassembled, only has the descent down to Mataram before they contest the finish.
Not long to go now, just over 5 kilometres remaining and it should be a straight run in to the line. It might not end up being that simple though. Nicolay CHERKASOV is on the front, with Rick ZABEL immediately behind him. The Russian might be more machine than man, but I doubt even he can provide such a long leadout. Mark DONOVAN is the closest to that duo, but he has already done some work at the front. Then Sandy NUR HASAN and Elias AFEWERKI are the best placed.
Evidently I am not the only one concerned about CHERKASOV's longevity. Jaime ROSON has come shooting up the side of the road and ZABEL is now latching on to his wheel. Still not certain how great of an idea this is, at least CHERKASOV has a reputation as a rouleur - ROSON is more of a pure climber. There are several other Kraftwerk shirts swarming the front now, so perhaps one of them will jump in at some point. Torkil VEYHE also wants to ride the front; I don't have a clue what his plan is as GROENEWEGEN is lost somewhere in the doldrums.
Somebody needs to get on the radio to VEYHE! With less than 3000m left to ride, he is currently the first man in the Kraftwerk train. He's protecting ZABEL from the wind while, on the opposite side of the road, Mihkel RÄIM is desperately trying to draw Barnabas PEAK and Dylan GROENEWEGEN level. This stage looks like it will be chaos from start to finish!
Things aren't getting any simpler with at 1500m. Just as RÄIM draws level, VEYHE has finally given up the ghost. ZABEL evidently doesn't trust ROSON to do an adequate job, so he tries to swing over and bump AFEWERKI off of GROENEWEGEN's wheel. PEAK senses an opportunity and launches, despite the fact that RÄIM is still going at full steam.
AFEWERKI wins the contest with ZABEL and is now in a prime position to strike. ZABEL isn't done though, he has swung off to the left and is hoping that he'll have the necessary strength to carry an early acceleration all the way to the line. Rojus ADOMAITIS and Nihal SILVA have moved up next to him. There are 800m remaining.
500 metres left! GROENEWEGEN launches, but his pace barely budges; does he not have an extra gear? He is going to need it! AFEWERKI has managed to find some overlap and neither ADOMAITIS nor SILVA are showing any sign of slowing down. There is now a clear line abreast with ZABEL, from left to right: Sandy NUR HASAN, Sondre Holst ENGER, Jasper PHILIPSEN, Phil BAUHAUS, and Asbjorn KRAGH ANDERSEN.
It is immensely tight at the front with just 200m left. This one may well come down to a bike throw. PEAK is looking gassed, so the win will be between GROENEWEGEN and AFEWERKI, but the Hungarian's momentum might keep him on the podium. That is unless ADOMAITIS can find a final burst of speed - SILVA's head has dropped, I think he might be out of this one.
It's GROENEWEGEN. GROENEWEGEN by a hair! AFEWERKI made him work for it but, despite the chaotic scenes we witnessed earlier, GROENEWEGEN was able to come out on top. Full credit to PEAK though, he timed that one perfectly: I can't name anybody who could have done a better job of it. AKA does well to secure another 3rd. BAUHAUS provides a bit of a surprise in 4th, while ADOMAITIS faded to 5th. Well, you can't say that we aren't providing exciting racing thus far in Java.
