It should be a very fun race as things get underway in Chaudfontaine on the way to Namur, just under 200km away. Hirschi has earned the bib #1 while Lutsenko comes in as a previous champion. Let’s see just who might make the difference today.
Some fascinating names in the early attacks that all seem to get away and on differing sides of the picture. From the sprinters, Ahlstrand finds a way into the break, while normal GC riders, including Chen Shikai are also allowed into the break. It takes a long time to fully form, but here’s the group up the road 176km to go. Huera, Masengesho, and Milan are the three up front soon to be caught, with Sillankorva, Casillas, Munoz, Rodriguez, Van Sintmaartensdijk, Pickering, Petelin, Brenner, Shikai, and Ahlstrand all about 1:15 over the peloton.
Behind Soler is really trying to pull across to Shikai along with Turek, but the peloton doesn’t enjoy the extra two trying to cross and pushes hard to keep them in check. Finally, the two give up leaving the break at 13 strong.
Up in the breakaway, the extra work needed to handle the peloton has dropped Huera from the front group. Clearly being in that front group of 3 wasn’t helpful with the attacks still happening behind. A long slow ride back to the main group for the Ecuadorian (and SEE Turtle on loan).
Back in the peloton, let’s who which teams are contributing. Everesting has shown themselves near the front, alongside Lotto-Caloi, DK Zalgiris, Assa Abloy, Gjensidige, Sauber Petronas, and JEWA TIROL. No real surprises in terms of who is contributing. 100km to go and the breakaway is working well with an advantage just under 4:00. A long plateau faces the group before the final 50km of punchier racing.
Munoz punctures out of the front group! He loses 40 seconds quickly and doesn’t know whether to attack hard back into the breakaway or just sit up. He wasn’t likely to make it to the end, but most would say he was the 2nd strongest of the riders in front behind Shikai. Unpictured, Castro also punctures for Trans Looney Tunes, this time off the back of the peloton. A rough stretch of 10km with now just 70km to go. Both riders rejoin their groups safely. 2:33 between breakaway and peloton.
55km to go and Sillankorva simply drops back to the peloton. IESE will have to rely on Ahlstrand up front as the young cobble rider can’t provide much benefit to those up front. 2:20 still between the groups as Pickering is the next rider to struggle in the breakaway as they now face the hillier portion of the terrain.
Petelin looks over at the motorbike to remind us that he looks strong and wants to be in the conversation of Shikai and Munoz, especially as he doesn’t have a puncture on the resume today. 40km to go.
There were bound to be attacks from the peloton and it comes from Baroncini. He picks up Mayrhofer, Errazkin, Olei and Meurisse as allies with 40km to go. It doesn’t look all that promising frankly, but at least they showed their faces. Le Gac jumps to them though across the 20 second gap while the pace is simply set by the teams listed before.
33km and the attacks go nowhere. Kipkemboi also made a dig in those km, but only manages to help bridge the two groups, while Munoz fell all the way back to the peloton with fatigue. 40 seconds for the group in front. Meurisse takes one more dig to make it across to the front riders and gets stuck midway. No one looks able to survive.
All together with 27km to go and the final 3 climbs the major feature of today’s race. First, the cote de Lustin with 2.7Km at around 6%, then the Tienne aux Pierres at 2.9km 5.4%, and a final ascent of the Citadelle de Namur at 1.9km at 5.8%. All three climbs have segments over 10% gradient though, with the final claiming a maximum of 32.2%. Do with that what you will, but know that you really have to get up the ramps to find the finish.
At the top of the first climb, it’s the top 6 favorites all leading after great work by the DK Zalgiris domestiques. Eiking first, then Morin, Lutsenko, Stannard, De Bie, and Gesbert. Kelderman in 8th position as the leaders clearly make a move to be near the front on the descent. Hirschi is there, too.
Bystrom is the one making a tough attack on the flat with 13km to go with Morin the first to do anything to mark. Hirschi leads the rest, most of whom aren’t even put into major difficulty. Nothing comes of it all and the pack riders the climb together.
10km to go and there’s really no one major out of contention. Oliveira officially leads the group, but the descent should put people in position more than this climb does. Still officially 109 riders in the front group, but the descent should make that much smaller.
Stannard forces the issue! He’s got Govekar on his wheel and 5 seconds of daylight to the rest. Bystrom leads the chase for Eiking. In the end, it’s closed quickly, with Narvaez the one now sitting 3rd wheel. 7.5km to go!
A new attack with 5km to go and you have to wonder if this is it? Govekar leads Lutsenko and Narvaez through the 5km banner with Grosser now the domestique leading a small pack behind. Still domestiques available for Lotto and Sauber to make sure 8 seconds isn’t too much.
They’re quickly caught and Narvaez pushes the issue again to no avail.
Well, it looked to be no avail, but here’s the gap! 3km to go and 6 riders have 15 seconds. Narvaez, Quit, Govekar, Lutsenko, De Bie, and Eiking. Boy is it still a small gap to a group of 24 behind.
2km to go and Quita thinks he can do it from the front, as the chase doesn’t give up behind. They’re together otherwise, but the order surely matters. It’s Quita, Lutsenko, Eiking, Narvaez, De Bie, Govekar, Gesbert, Bettiol, Paret-Peintre, and then Hirschi in the first 10 slots
Just less than 1km to go and the front group of ten is now separated from all the other contenders. The group is exactly who was listed before, with now Edmondson finding a spot and no Hirschi.
And a surprise victory it appears for Paret-Peintre sprinting out of the group! Gesbert leading in for 2nd with Lutsenko fighting hard.
Bettiol denies the Assa Abloy leader and takes 2nd ahead of Gesbert, Lutsenko, Quita, and Edmondson. 7th looks ripe to head to Eiking with Narvaez and De Bie fighting it out for the final parts of the top 10. Goverkar earns that honor which could not be caught on camera due to some technical challenges.
A fantastic and surprising win for Aurelien Paret-Peintre, who stayed out of the thick of things through the majority of the race to just put themselves in perfect position.
GP Wallonie 
