The World Championship is being raced across 240 flat kilometers in Puri, India. Wind is expected and it is raining as the race gets underway.
Lund Andresen (DEN) is the fastest man on paper but given the distance and the wind the organizers have identified some heartier riders as the top favorites.
A break quickly forms with Avila (COL), Rogor a(ETH), Tuyizere (RWA), Ndungu (KEN), La Grenade (CAN), Ramirez (CRC), Jimenez (CRC), Terada (JPN) and Bocharov (UZB). That is two riders each for America A, America B and Africa A and one each for Asia A, Asia B and Africa B.
The lead maxes at 7'30 but on the second lap with still 180k to go the chase is on and the lead is down to 6’05. The conditions are miserable with 40k winds blowing off the ocean and the peloton already stretched. Belgium and Europe A doing the chasing.
3 more laps and about 100k left and the gap is 3’28, peloton still all together. On the front are Kramer (NED), Kopecky (CZE) and Arvanitou (GRE) for Europe A, Pringle (NZL) for Oceania and Bevort for Denmark.
Another lap mostly gone and Avila, Tuyizere and Ramirez gone from the break, so 1 rider left for each team. The chase has begun to struggle a little and the gap is still 3’28.
We could have a surprise U23 World Champion here, the lead is still 3’25 with 34k and 1 lap to go. Not enough teams willing to work in the peloton.
As the peloton approaches the 20k mark and with the lead still almost 4 minutes the attacks start. Al Alouani (MAR), Stedman (SAR), Varotsos (GRE) and Milesi (ITA) among those trying.
The attacks go nowhere but the peloton does begin to chase harder with Belgium leading the way they get the lead under 3 minutes. But with just 15k left for the break they are looking good for the win. The best sprinters in the group are the two from the Americas, Jimenez and La Grenade, although they wear the same jersey they aren’t on the same team so don’t expect them to work together.
With 10k to go the break turns onto the section of exposed road that leads to the finish. So far, the break are still working together. Their gap is 2’05, Denmark back on front of the peloton.
7k to go. Al Alouani has attacked and is now just 1’21 down on the break with another group of 32, 11 seconds behind him. The break must all be spent and the gap is closing rapidly.
5k, Al Alouani is within a minute of the break. He has 13 seconds on the chasing pack, Lund Andresen doing the work himself right now.
3k for the leaders, AL Alouani is caught by the chasers, brave try by him, the gap is 48 seconds.
Just over 1k for the break, they are still taking turns. They wish the banner right in front of them was the finish, but that was is the start, the finish is the line a little further up. Tresize (AUS) leading out Pithie (NZL) at the front of the peloton.
500 meters, La Grenade opens up the sprint with Jimenez on his wheel, it looks like they will hold off the peloton.
300 meters, Ndungu and Rogora closing on La Grenade.
100 meters, Ndungu almost up to La Grenade.
It is an Under 23 world title for Africa and for Kenya. Bernard Ndungu pulls off a huge upset.
La Grenade (CAN) holds on for second ahead of Jimenez (CRC), Rogora (ETH), Bocharov (UZB) and Terada (JPN).
Bittner (CZE) is best from the pack ahead of Pithie, Lund Andresen and Milan (ITA).
