Yekaterinburg hasn't been on the calendar since 2020, where Kelderman won ahead of Moscon, Juul-Jensen & Eiking. One should be among the favorites again, as the route is the same. Luckily, the race organizers have moved the race from January to August, though, as temperatures can be freezing in the winter.
Big breakaway of 14 to start the day they reached a gap of 8"00 by halfway
, and took responsibility at the head of the pack.
And although we had a 200km race we can now skip to the 2nd last climb of the day as we have no changes in the pack or the break. The gap is down to 1"30 and the same teams are leading at the head of the pack.
Over the top of the climb the gap is down to 1"00 and the pace is on in the pack there's only 30km to go and there's 3 smaller climbs before the final climb to go.
We see 6 riders now breaking away in the front group at 20km to go the gap is 1"10 Broxham Dewulf Petrov Thompson Hoem Davies
Vendrame sets a strong pace in behind though up the 2nd of those 3 smaller climbs and start to bring back the remaining breakaway the main 6 leaders have 40" but the gap is closing quickly.
And at the final small climb of the day thats it for the breakaway Duchesne sets a hard pace behind to catch them up the final climb of the day before our big hill top finish.
And we reach the final 5km climb the group is down to 35 riders the big news is have dropped there domestiques after chasing all day and now Beltran is being dropped before the climb starts. Sparks have number in the group and are clearly behind Yates today.
Lyu is the first to move he bring 8 riders with him Eiking Korosec Bystrom Wackermann Guerreiro Nikiema Morin
in that order just off the back Yates Lopez Hermans
who were all dropped due to poor positioning rather then legs and are making the bridge.
Those 3 have made it back along with an impressive ride from Sleen 13 riders will contest the win.
Korosec kicks first and takes Eiking with him but he's already struggling this causes 4 riders to drop Sleen and Yates go first and now Nikiema and Lopez are gone too
There are no changes at 500m to go, though Korosec has increased his gap even more.
Korosec to lose 200m out Lyu and Bystrom are coming round Eiking.
Guerreiro and Hermans are the next two riders to fully crack on this stiff finish.
Korosec now cracks 50m out! Lyu is charging on his outside he's going to get past!
Lyu takes the win what a strong sprint as others around him start to crack he held his power through the line a deserved win. Korosec 2nd but will be seething this was his to win, Wackermann surprises in 3rd, while Bystrom gets 4th for the efforts of his team.
Eiking and his teamate Morin were another two to crack late on but still a good team result in 5th and 6th. Hermans is 7th to complete the dream day for Duvel and last in the group is surprising in Guerreiro but he just looked to have nothing left on the climb.
Lopez pips Nikiema to 9thto round out the top 10 Yates is 11th for Spark and was clearly their leader today but couldn't deliever with Sleen a very good 12th.
The third group on the road has a real mix of names Pacher takes 13th from Visser and Serrano in 15th.
Lyu takes a huge win today he had the best legs by the top of the climb to get back to Korosec after he had been gapped to start the sprint.
[C2] GP Yekaterinburg
