Laps 1-8
A group of 7 riders have built up a substantial lead that was over 8min at one point but has now dropped to just below seven minutes as the leaders have started the 8th lap with 10 laps to go with time of 2:36:43… Great Britain and Germany are at the front leading the chase back to the leaders.
– Anthony Roux (France)
– Pablo Lastras (Spain)
– Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia)
– Christian Poos (Luxembourg)
– Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan)
– Oleg Chuzhda (Ukraine)
– Tanel Kangert (Estonia)
The gap is down to 5:46 as the peloton comes thru…
Lap 9
After almost 3 hours of racing with 9 laps to go the seven leaders come thru in 2:56:16… the peloton is still at almost 6min behind the break with Germany and Great Britain still heading up the chase.
According to our friends at Eurosport the top nation at the Road Worlds is Belgium with 25 medals… and the longest Road Worlds was actually in Copenhagen back in 1937 at 297.5km.
Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly is colour commentating – Kelly was one of the finest classics riders and the third winningest rider of all time but never won the rainbow jersey saying he always had trouble recovering to be ready for the Worlds following the Grand Tours.
The gap is dropping now 5:17…
Lap 10
The seven leaders are thru with 8 to go and behind the pace is picking up… the question is how fast to run down the break.
We have the answer as Belgium attacks as the peloton comes thru and quickly Italy is there along with Britain and Australia as 5 riders jump ahead of the peloton – this is a strong move by Luca Paolini (Italy), Johan Van Summeren (Belgium), Olivier Kaisen (Belgium), Yoann Offredo (France), Simon Clarke (Australia) – the gap to the leaders is coming down fast.
This second group has almost a minute – 45s – on the peloton as the big names in the peloton start to move up to the front.
Lap 11
The leaders are down to 6 riders now… 3:34:42 – we’re not sure who was dropped – 7 laps to go.
France is well represented with Roux up front and Offredo in the second group. The peloton comes thru at just over 4-min with the USA’s Benjamin King and Germany leading the charge.
Lead chase group at 3:15
Peloton at 4:03
Christian Poos (Luxembourg) has dropped back – now there are now only 5 in the lead break. Germany’s Bert Grabsch has been at the front for some time bringing the peloton up to the break.
Lead chase group at 2:39
Peloton at 3:42
A total of 170.5km have been completed…the 5 lead chasers have caught Poos.
Lap 12
Sorry we thought someone else was dropped from the lead group – there are 6 leaders as Poos was dropped – the time is 3:53:34.
The chasers come thru at 2:03… the peloton is not far behind.
Giovanni Visconti (Italy) attacks… the group responds.
No radios in the World Championships race…
The 5 chasers are gaining on the leaders and behind the pace has picked up as the peloton is getting twitchy – Great Britain is now at the front…the riders are stringing out behind.
There’s been a big crash…Canada’s Barry is there and looks ok as well as Frank Schleck (Lux) who also looks ok – they’re back on the bikes.
The lead chase group is only 1-min behind the leaders – the peloton is 1:45 behind… it’s unclear how many big names were caught in the crash – we think Tyler Farrar might have been caught and defending champ Hushovd was also caught in the crash – can they regroup with only 6 to go ?
Lap 13
The chasers have caught the lead six so we now have 11 riders at the front – they come thru in 4:13:02… the first large chase group with Cavendish and Sagan comes thru at 1:07 behind as a rider from the Netherlands attacked thru the feed zone just before the start/finish.
The second chase group with Hushovd and TT champ Tony Martin that was caught in the crash comes thru at 2:02 – another minute down…
The 11 leaders are looking smooth at 1 minute out front – Farrar was not caught in the crash and is in the lead peloton – Sylvain Chavanel has a shoe problem.
Great Britain is back at the front leading the chase to the leaders – 1:10 to the leaders.
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spain) was one of the caught riders and is riding at the front with Gregory Henderson (New Zealand) – the second group is losing time on the leaders.
Lap 14
With four to go the leaders come thru at 4:30:10 – the lead chase group is at 1:34 and the second group with Hushovd is at 2:34.
Visconti attacks again… he’s shut down.
Now a Danish rider Anders Lund attacks…a group of about 15 join him and are now off the front of the lead chase group. Great Britain can’t let them get away.
Simon Gerrans (Australia) and Nick Nuyens (Belgium) are in this strong group – where is the Netherlands?
And the mini break has been shut down by GB… behind the second Hushovd group is trying to catch on and get back in the race – they’re at 1:25… can they do it ?
Timothy Duggan is at the front – with GB and Cavendish behind – Gilbert is there as is Friere and Griepel – lots of big names are ready to pounce. Edvald Boasson Hagen is the lone Norwegian in the front chase group and he’s now the team leader.
Lap 15
The leaders are thru with Roux leading in 4:48:17… behind Italy attacks – the chase group is at 1 minute.
The Italians with Visconti and 3-4 others have a gap on the peloton – now another attack by a Swiss rider as things heat up – Gerrans and Nuyens are in this group of seven riders. The pack is just behind and they’re shutting it down.
Now Denmark’s Lars Ytting Bak attacks… Canada’s David Veilleux is in main group looking strong and well positioned.
Great Britian hailed as the favourites for Cavendish are being challenged continuously…
Roux at the front attacks and is off on his own…
Lap 16
On the penultimate lap it’s Roux crossing the line in 5:06:07…
The 10 chasers are only 14s back. Danish fans are cheering Bak who has almost caught the lead chase group – he’s 14s behind them.
The pack is bearing down on them all at 51s behind… it looks like Hushovd is watching his jersey slip away.
Roux still has 15s on the chasers… Netherlands and several riders are off the front of the pack – Roux has 20s… Bak is catching on to the lead chase group.
Maarten Tjallingii (Netherlands) attacks…but GB ups the pace and will not let him get away – Roux’s lead is down to 10s.
The pack catches the lead chase group and bears down on Roux – he’s almost caught.
Thomas Voeckler (France) attacks with 2 other riders – Nicki Sorensen (Den) and a Belgian are with him – is it Gilbert ? No it’s Klaas Lodewyck…they have about 8s on the pack.
They’re coming to the bell lap.
Lap 17 FINAL
Voeckler leads the trio in 5:23:51 on the bell lap… the group is at 18s.
GB is at the front leading the chase – now down to 14s – the trio looks good and Voeckler knows how to win big races.
Wiggins and Millar leading the chase group…
The three leaders are up the climb – Voeckler who wore the yellow jersey at the Tour is leading.
Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) attacks and tries to bridge… he will catch them – has GB left it too late ?
Wiggins is at the front…
Hoogerland attacks… the pack is just behind with Wiggins time trailing to reel them in.
The pack is on them… Hoogerland tries to attack again.
Voeckler attacks as well but they’re caught…
Wiggins is still leading the charge as the Italians come to the front – Cavendish is up front… Friere is there as is Benati.
The big teams are all coming to the front to set up for the sprint… will France attack again ?
Wiggins holds the pace high… he was the silver medallist in the ITT.
Australia is now at the front… Cavendish will have to fight to keep his position – is GB out of gas ?
Fabian Cancellara is up there as well – as is Farrar – 2km go… Cavendish may be boxed in.
Around the final corner…Cavendish is about 10 riders back – Goss there.
Cavendish moves on the inside lane and takes it over Goss
Photo finish between Cancellara and Greipel for 3rd.
Final Sprint by Mark Cavendish for the Rainbow Jersey
Results
1. Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) 5:40:27
2. Matthew Harley Goss (Australia)
3. AndrÈ Greipel (Germany)
4. Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)
5. Jurgen Roelandts (Belgium)
6. Romain Feillu (France)
7. Borut Bozic (Slovenia)
8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)
9. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spain)
10. Tyler Farrar (United States Of America)
11. Denis Galimzyanov (Russian Federation)
12. Peter Sagan (Slovakia)
13. Anthony Ravard (France)
14. Daniele Bennati (Italy)
15. Rui Costa (Portugal)
16. Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Portugal)
17. Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)
18. Michael Morkov (Denmark)
19. David Veilleux (Canada)
20. Grega Bole (Slovenia)
21. Pim Ligthart (Netherlands)
22. Aleksejs Saramotins (Latvia)
23. Denys Kostyuk (Ukraine)
24. Taylor Phinney (United States Of America)
25. Gediminas Bagdonas (Lithuania)
26. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark)
27. Yauheni Hutarovich (Belarus)
28. Marek Rutkiewicz (Poland)
29. Lars Boom (Netherlands)
30. Takashi Miyazawa (Japan)
31. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland)
32. Lars Ytting Bak (Denmark)
33. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (Belarus)
34. Matija Kvasina (Croatia)
35. Johnny Hoogerland (Netherlands)
36. Matt Brammeier (Ireland)
37. Yoann Offredo (France)
38. Maciej Paterski (Poland)
39. Thomas Lˆvkvist (Sweden)
40. Sacha Modolo (Italy)
41. Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Portugal)
42. Heinrich Haussler (Australia)
43. Nicki Sˆrensen (Denmark)
44. Maarten Tjallingii (Netherlands)
45. Gorazd Stangelj (Slovenia)
46. Thomas Rohregger (Austria)
47. Gabriel Rasch (Norway)
48. Nick Nuyens (Belgium)
49. Juan JosÈ Haedo (Argentina)
50. Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia)
51. Nicolas Roche (Ireland)
52. Bjˆrn Leukemans (Belgium)
53. Tony Gallopin (France)
54. Fredrik Kessiakoff (Sweden)
55. Rene Mandri (Estonia)
56. Oleg Chuzhda (Ukraine)
57. Anders Lund (Denmark)
58. Filipe Duarte Sousa Cardoso (Portugal)
59. Ricardo Jorge Correia Mestre (Portugal)
60. Pieter Weening (Netherlands)
61. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spain)
62. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands)
63. Klaas Lodewyck (Belgium)
64. Pavel Brutt (Russian Federation)
65. Brent Bookwalter (United States Of America)
66. Jure Kocjan (Slovenia)
67. Ignatas Konovalovas (Lithuania)
68. Peter Velits (Slovakia)
69. Martin Velits (Slovakia)
70. Sylvain Chavanel (France)
71. Aidis Kruopis (Lithuania)
72. Christopher Sutton (Australia)
73. GrÈgory Rast (Switzerland)
74. Baden Cooke (Australia)
75. Danilo Hondo (Germany)
76. Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia)
77. Francesco Gavazzi (Italy)
78. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spain)
79. Simon Gerrans (Australia)
80. Elia Viviani (Italy)
81. Gerraint Thomas (Great Britain)
82. Daniel Oss (Italy)
83. Juan Manuel Garate Cepa (Spain) 0:16
84. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Norway)
85. Vladimir Isaichev (Russian Federation)
86. Michael Albasini (Switzerland) 0:19
87. Martin Kohler (Switzerland)
88. Wouter Poels (Netherlands)
89. Steven Kruijswijk (Netherlands)
90. Daniel Martin (Ireland)
91. Stuart O`Grady (Australia)
92. Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spain)
93. Kevin De Weert (Belgium)
94. Benjamin King (United States Of America)
95. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spain)
96. Marcel Sieberg (Germany) 0:26
97. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spain) 0:29
98. Thomas Voeckler (France) 0:31
99. Ian Stannard (Great Britain) 0:34
100. Mathew Hayman (Australia)
101. Michael Rogers (Australia) 0:38
102. Simon Clarke (Australia)
103. Manuel Quinziato (Italy) 0:42
104. Matteo Tosatto (Italy) 0:49
105. Kristijan Koren (Slovenia)
106. Luca Paolini (Italy) 0:52
107. Giovanni Visconti (Italy) 1:02
108. Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain) 3:14
109. Olivier Kaisen (Belgium) 4:00
110. Mart Ojavee (Estonia)
111. John Degenkolb (Germany)
112. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan)
113. Anthony Roux (France) 6:34
114. David Millar (Great Britain) 8:22
115. Jeremy Hunt (Great Britain)
116. Miguel Armando Ubeto Aponte (Venezuela) 8:54
117. Jonas Ljungblad (Sweden)
118. Greg Henderson (New Zealand)
119. Rafael Andriato (Brazil)
120. Fumiyuki Beppu (Japan)
121. Jack Bauer (New Zealand)
122. NÈlson Filipe S Simoes Oliveira (Portugal)
123. Mehdi Sohrabi (Islamic Republic of Iran)
124. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Colombia)
125. Ioannis Tamouridis (Greece)
126. Hossein Askari (Islamic Republic of Iran)
127. Carlos JosÈ Ochoa (Venezuela)
128. Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Colombia)
129. Chris Anker Sˆrensen (Denmark)
130. Tomas Aurelio Gil Martinez (Venezuela)
131. Christian Knees (Germany)
132. Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Argentina)
133. Yukiya Arashiro (Japan)
134. Andrei Nechita (Romania)
135. Rigoberto Uran Uran (Colombia)
136. Maximiliano Richeze (Argentina)
137. Hrvoje Miholjevic (Croatia)
138. Winer Andrew Anacona Gomez (Colombia)
139. Svein Tuft (Canada)
140. Radoslav Rogina (Croatia)
141. Ivan Mauricio Casas Buitrago (Colombia)
142. Kristijan (Croatia)
143. Daniel Teklehaymanot (Eritrea)
144. Yuri Metlushenko (Ukraine)
145. Oleksandr Sheydyk (Ukraine)
146. Carlos Ivan Oyarzun Guinez (Chile)
147. Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukraine)
148. Gonzalo Garrido (Chile)
149. Gregory Panizo (Brazil)
150. Laurent Didier (Luxembourg)
151. Michal Golas (Poland)
152. Julian Dean (New Zealand)
153. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukraine)
154. Ben Gastauer (Luxembourg)
155. Maciej Bodnar (Poland)
156. Bartosz Huzarski (Poland)
157. Matthew Busche (United States Of America)
158. Bernhard Eisel (Austria)
159. Mikhail Ignatyev (Russian Federation)
160. Alexander Porsev (Russian Federation)
161. Timofey Kritskiy (Russian Federation)
162. Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kazakhstan)
163. Sergey Renev (Kazakhstan)
164. Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spain)
165. Niki Terpstra (Netherlands)
166. Tony Martin (Germany)
167. John Murphy (United States Of America)
168. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus)
169. Dmitriy Fofonov (Kazakhstan)
170. Thor Hushovd (Norway)
171. Andreas Klier (Germany)
172. Samuel Dumoulin (France)
173. Jeffry Louder (United States Of America)
174. Timothy Duggan (United States Of America)
175. Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium) 9:10
176. Marcel Kittel (Germany) 9:16
177. Johan Van Summeren (Belgium)
DNF Steve Cummings (Great Britain)
DNF Tanel Kangert (Estonia)
DNF Christopher Froome (Great Britain)
DNF Abdelati Sa‚doune (Morocco)
DNF Honorio Rafael Machado Perez (Venezuela)
DNF Amir Zargari (Islamic Republic of Iran)
DNF Ferekalsi Debesay (Eritrea)
DNF Jan Barta (Czech Republic)
DNF Andrey Sartasov (Chile)
DNF Krisztian Lovassy (Hungary)
DNF Semere Mengis (Eritrea)
DNF Adil Jelloul (Morocco)
DNF Bert Grabsch (Germany)
DNF Jean-Pierre Drucker (Luxembourg)
DNF Frank Schleck (Luxembourg)
DNF Ivan Stevic SRB
DNF Michael Barry (Canada)
DNF Stefan Denifl (Austria)
DNF Tomislav Danculovic (Croatia)
DNF Mert Mutlu (Turkey)
DNF Leonardo Fabio Duque (Colombia)
DNF Blel Kadri (France)
DNF Petr Bencik (Czech Republic)
DNF Artur Albeiro Garcia Rincon (Venezuela)
DNF Andrew Talansky (United States Of America)
DNF Vicente Reynes Mimo (Spain)
DNF Christian Poos (Luxembourg)
DNF Adnane Aarbia (Morocco)
DNF Mouhssine Lahsaini (Morocco)
DNF Ismail Ayoune (Morocco)
DNF Mohamed Said El Ammoury (Morocco)
DNF Otavio Bulgarelli (Brazil)
DNS Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic)