Former winner Andersen is joined by Veenendaal winner Konychev at the top of the favorites list. Gaviria is the other top name.
This races features a number of punchy climbs. The leader, Vermaerke, is on the first of those, the Klauberg, about 15k into the race. He has 21 seconds on Filutas and Bakke Christophersen and 1’08 on the peloton. Riders from Gazelle, JURA, Oxxo - Frisby and Tinkoff, among others, have been trying to join the break but the peloton has shut them down.
One more rider, Galvan Ramirez, is allowed to escape and he joins up with the other 3 with 175k to go and the break’s lead at 3’23.
With 125k to go the lead is 3’59. On the front is Frigo. Other teams near the front include Moser, Popo4ever, Polar, Cedevita and Aker.
Another 50k gone. The lead is 2’42. Again, Frigo on the front, he has been getting help from Veyhe and Vacek and sometimes Asgreen
The break doesn’t survive the next 50k, with 31k to go they are caught by Toupalik . The peloton has just finished the last of those punchy climbs and 38 riders have 48 seconds over the rest of the peloton, barring a few stragglers who were dropped earlier.
20k to go, the peloton is on the final flat stretch into the finish. Peloton is back together but it still seems splits could happen. Toupalik and Skala controlling the pace. Puma are on home roads and have been close to the front of late, Stork currently 3rd wheel.
A hundred meters later the Veenendaal-3 make their move - Konychev, Katrasnik, and Nych. Only 5 seconds right now, Stork is the one leading the chase.
The peloton shut down that attack and another try by the same 3 and then Varga and Cosnefroy have a go. Rutsch and Anderberg combine to shut down that attack and with 11k to go the 182-rider peloton is all together.
7k to go and after a big turn from Swift comes to an end, Katrasnik tries again with Konychev on his wheel and Varga and Nych a bit further back. Rutsch and Gross working to keep them under control.
That attack is shut down and with 4.3k to go it looks like the sprinters will take this one. Puma in control with Steimle and then Gross ahead of Kanter. But 4.3k is a long way to control the peloton.
The roulers haven’t given up yet with 1.8k to go Puma is pushed from the front by another attack from Cosnefroy, Varga on his wheel and then Per. Katrasnik, Kanter and Groenewegen are the next 3.
1.1k to go, one left-hander left before the finish. Groenwegen has launched, Gaviria, Kragh Andersen and Cullaigh on his wheel. Kanter sprinting on the inside with Katrasnik and Dainese behind him. There is still a group of puncheurs in the middle and some of the sprinters like Grosu are pushed well back.
700 meters, Groenewegen is first out of the corner but does he have enough left to hold on? Behind him across the road are Kanter, Cosnefroy, Varga and Gaviria.
500 meters. Still Groenewegen. Varga is doing a great sprint to hold his ground in the middle of the road while Cosnefroy is going backwards.
300 meters, situation at the front is the same. Manninen is up to 5th behind Gaviria and Cullaigh is moving fast but seems to lack room on the rail.
100 meters for Groenewegen but he is weakening and Kanter is almost up to him. Mannien is by Gaviria and moving fastest among the chasers. Dainese has hit his stride on the inside.
50 meters, it looks like Dainese, Mannien and Gaviria could all get past the earlier front runners.
Manninen wins the Rund um Koln. You can’t keep a good Finn down.
Kanter gets second, Puma get some reward for their work to control the race. Dainese gets 3rd as the sprinter half of the Assa Abloy 1-2 punch does the job. Gaviria settles for 4th.
Groenewegen gets 5th. Varga slips to 6th but that is pretty good in a field sprint. Cullaigh is 7th.
Hsu 8th and the Kragh Andersens take 9th and 11th. Aker’s ahead of Carlsberg’s with Per in between. Aker have 2 in the top 10 and Carlsberg take 10th and 11th.
Rund um Koln 
