The Spring Classics - 2015

['Dale]

 

Dan Martin sits in last position in the main peloton, just behind Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge). He doesn't seem to be showing visible discomfort but he must still be feeling the effects of that crash ahead of the first ascent of the Mur de Huy.

['Dale]

 

There seems to be a bit of disagreement among the seven escapees over the pace-making and they briefly fan across the road to discuss matters in greater detail. They don't seemed to have reached any particular resolution but their uneasy alliance continues for now.

['Dale]

60km remaining from 205.5km

 

That brief impasse has seen the break's lead drop to below five minutes, as Peter Kennaugh injects some pace into the front of the peloton for Team Sky.

['Dale]

 

Dan Martin is still near the back of the peloton, surrounded by Cannondale-Garmin teammates. It's not clear how badly he was injured in that earlier fall, but he remains in the hunt for now after finishing 6th, 4th and 2nd in the past three years atop the Mur de Huy.

['Dale]

 

Reinier Honig (Roompot) is unceremoniously dumped out the back of the break thanks to De Gendt's pressing.

['Dale]

57km remaining from 205.5km

 

Once on the Cote de Bellaire, Mike Teunissen is finally and definitively shaken loose from the break under the weight of Thomas De Gendt's forcing.

['Dale]

 

British champion Pete Kennaugh leads the peloton on the Beillaire and his brisk pace has shaved the break's lead back to 3:33.

['Dale]

 

Etixx-QuickStep join the pace-making with world champion Michal Kwiatkowski sitting comfortably in second wheel. A number of riders are being dumped out the back of the bunch by this forcing, though Dan Martin is still safely aboard.

['Dale]

 

There are five riders left in the break as they approach the Mur de Huy for the second time with 3:15 in hand: Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Brice Feillu (Bretagne-Seche), Jerome Baugnies (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare) and Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise).

['Dale]

 

Reinier Honig (Roompot) and Mike Teunissen (LottoNL-Jumbo) are chasing in the no man's land between the bunch and the break.

['Dale]

!!!

 

The second approach to the Mur de Huy and another crash - Philippe Gilbert (BMC) is among the fallers. The Belgian sits with his legs stretched out before him on the roadside and he has cuts and scrapes on his right side, with his jersey and shorts torn.

['Dale]

 

Gilbert remounts and begins pedalling gingerly but it seems as though his Fleche Wallonne challenge has come to an end. Chris Jones (UnitedHealthcare) was another faller, and he was abandoned. Julian Arredondo (Trek) came down too, though the Colombian was the quickest to remount.

['Dale]

 

Gilbert appears to have been taken down when the peloton compressed to avoid cars parked on the roadside. The Belgian has realised that he has no hope of regaining contact and, with Liege-Bastogne-Liege in mind, he has abandoned Fleche Wallonne.

[Nibali]

Thanks for the updates Dale (and Gen and ScottC-M earlier)

['Dale]

47km remaining from 205.5km

 

Meanwhile the peloton is on the Côte de Bohissau (2.4km at 5.5%), a little under 20km away from the second ascent of the Mur de Huy. They are 2:27 down on the break.

['Dale]

 

Movistar and Katusha are back in command at the head of the peloton, and they have picked off Honig and Teunissen. 2:10 is the gap to the five surviving escapees.