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Live Coverage of UCI Road World Championships - Men's U23 Road Race

  1. 13:29 CEST

    LIVE REPORT BY SUSAN WESTEMEYER - Welcome again to the second part of today's fun and games.  We are about to take to the road with the Under 23 men.

  2. 13:34 CEST

    And they're off!  166 young men have taken off on 13 laps of this 13.8km course.

  3. 13:35 CEST

    We have our first attack already!  It is Khakharman Merey of Kazakhstan.

  4. 13:36 CEST

    He is quickly joined by two others, and the field is not far back.

  5. 13:36 CEST

    Everyone together again as they take on the first climb.

  6. 13:42 CEST

    The field is strung out single file -- these youngsters are going out fast!

  7. 13:46 CEST

    The next attack comes form Alex Howes of the US.  He is joined by another rider, with a third a few metres back.  One of those two is Jonathan Fumeaux of Switzerland.

  8. 13:49 CEST

    The three are together now:  Jose Cayetano of Colombia, Howes and Fumeaux.  They have a nice little lead over the peloton.

  9. 13:51 CEST

    Those 13 laps give us a total of 174 kms for the young riders today.

  10. 13:52 CEST

    They have finished the first lap now, only 12 more to go.

  11. 13:55 CEST

    A sharp left-hand turn for the peloton.  Fortunately the road is dry again, unlke the first few laps of the women's race this morning.

  12. 13:57 CEST

    The three leaders work their way up the 12% section of the lap's first climb.

  13. 14:00 CEST

    The trio has about a minute lead.  Two riders attack out of the field, but don't get away.

  14. 14:02 CEST

    Howes has now built up a slight lead over the other two.

  15. 14:03 CEST

    The three are together again.

  16. 14:04 CEST

    A rider attacks again out of the field.  It may be another Kazakhi.

  17. 14:05 CEST

    The leaders now have 47 seconds on the bunch.

  18. 14:06 CEST

    It is indeed Ablay Shugaipov of Kazakhstan.

  19. 14:07 CEST

    We apologize for the paucity of information, but are not getting much ourselves.

  20. 14:08 CEST

    The leading trio works its way up the 10% section of the second climb in the lap.

  21. 14:09 CEST

    Shugaipov now finds himself just about halfway between the leaders and the chase group.

  22. 14:10 CEST

    The young Kazakh rider must be quite a climber, he has nearly caught the three leaders.

  23. 14:10 CEST

    Or perhaps the leaders are just slowing down, as the peloton is right there, too.

  24. 14:11 CEST 142.6km/36.8km

    Looks like we are all together again.

  25. 14:13 CEST

    Two Germans now lead the peloton.

  26. 14:15 CEST

    The group crosses the finish line again -- together.

  27. 14:15 CEST

    Two laps down, 11 to go.

  28. 14:19 CEST

    The peloton is still together as it heads up the climb.

  29. 14:21 CEST

    The next attack goes.  A Swiss rider?

  30. 14:22 CEST

    Two riders have managed to get away, and they are now joined by a third.  And a fourth.  But the peloton is not far back.

  31. 14:23 CEST

    We have an Australian in the lead, Mark O'Brien.

  32. 14:25 CEST

    Nope, we read that number wrong.  It is actually Martin Schöffman of Austria.

  33. 14:26 CEST

    This circuit course passes a number of large cemetaries.

  34. 14:26 CEST

    Another attack out of the field.

  35. 14:27 CEST

    It was a German rider, but he is now caught, and we think Schöffman too.

  36. 14:28 CEST

    No.  Sorry, this is all quite confusing.  Schöffman is still ahead, but we don't know what his lead is.

  37. 14:29 CEST

    Schöffman is climbing again.

  38. 14:31 CEST

    The young Austrian has 45 seconds on the group.

  39. 14:32 CEST

    It has obviously warmed up.  The women wore long sleeves this morning, and now some of the guys have their jerseys flapping open.

  40. 14:34 CEST 140km/39.4km

    Schöffmann continues in the lead, with over a minute gap.

  41. 14:36 CEST

    Once more over the finish line for Schöffmann.  10 laps to go.

  42. 14:38 CEST 138km/41.4km

    The field is  over a minute and a half down, but is not giving seriious chase.

  43. 14:39 CEST

    To be precise, the gap was 1:35.

  44. 14:42 CEST

    Lots of Netherlands orange jerseys at the front of the peloton.

  45. 14:45 CEST

    Nearly two minutes now for our leader.

  46. 14:47 CEST

    The peloton has picked up its tempo. A Kazakh rider is in the lead as they fly along in single file.

  47. 14:52 CEST

    We have had a crash, and one rider is receiving some serious medical attention.  It looks like four or five riders were involved, and all the others are ok.

  48. 14:53 CEST

    Four riders have pulled away a few metres in front of the field.

  49. 14:54 CEST

    They are caught again.

  50. 14:54 CEST 127km/52.4km

    Schöffmann continues on his lonely way.

  51. 14:56 CEST

    Another rider escapes from the field, which is about 1:30 behind Schöffmann.

  52. 14:57 CEST

    Betancur Gomez Carlos Alberto is the one to have slipped away.

  53. 14:58 CEST

    Or, to give him his proper name, Carlos Albert Betancur Gomez.

  54. 14:59 CEST

    Schöffmann crosses the finish line.  Nine laps to go.  How far back is Betancur Gomez?

  55. 15:00 CEST 55.2km/124.2km

    The Colombian is over a minute, down, with the peloton about 20 seconds behind him.

  56. 15:03 CEST

    Betancur Gomez keeps looking back to see where the pack is.

  57. 15:03 CEST

    Oops, not a crash, but several riders got to close to the barrier at a sharp turn, and had to step out of their pedals.

  58. 15:05 CEST

    The peloton is now over two minutes back.  Betancur Gomez is in between the leader and the peloton.

  59. 15:07 CEST 120.5km/58.9km

    Betancur Gomez is now 1:10 behind Schöffmann.

  60. 15:10 CEST

    Schöffmann is 22 years old. He started riding last year with the Continental team RC Arbö Resch & Frisch Gourmetfein Wels, before joining the Professional Continenal Team Elk Haus-Simplon this year.

  61. 15:10 CEST

    Matthews of Australia has broken out of the peloton and is chasing.

  62. 15:12 CEST

    Matthews is now only 49 seconds behind Schöffmann, with the peloton at 1:32. We don't know what happened to the Colombian.

  63. 15:12 CEST

    Another handful of riders has gotten away from the field.

  64. 15:13 CEST

    Schöffmann is climlbing again.

  65. 15:14 CEST

    The chasers have caught Matthews.

  66. 15:15 CEST

    We apologize again for the lack of information.

  67. 15:17 CEST 66.2km/113.2km

    The leader remains the same, even if the situation behind him changes. There is now a group of four only13 seconds behind Schöffman, with the peloton at about 29 seconds.

  68. 15:18 CEST

    Riders are now starting to drop off the back of the field.

  69. 15:20 CEST

    The four chasers are Darwin Atapuma Hurtabo (COL), Nico Keinath (GER), avid Veilleux (CAN) and Timothy Roe (AUT).

  70. 15:20 CEST

    They catch Schöffmann about 250 m before the finish line.

  71. 15:21 CEST 110.4km/69km

    The quintet has a lead of about 45 seconds as they go into the next round.

  72. 15:23 CEST

    The leaders pass through the feed zone and pick up new drinks.

  73. 15:24 CEST

    Three more riders break out of the peloton, as Mario Cipollini visits the race village.

  74. 15:25 CEST

    A flat tyre for a Swiss rider.

  75. 15:31 CEST

    We have now lost all contact with the race, and will work on getting it back.

  76. 15:36 CEST

    The five leaders are about a minute ahead of a chase group, with the field at 1:45.

  77. 15:41 CEST

    There are about 15 riders in the chase group.

  78. 15:47 CEST

    Nicolas Edet of France has crashed.

  79. 15:47 CEST

    No, he just broke a chain, no crash.

  80. 15:48 CEST

    Edet gets a new bike and is on his way. Russia is now leading the chasing peloton.

  81. 15:51 CEST

    Once again, sorry for the problems.  We are working hard to find a solution.

  82. 15:59 CEST

    We think we have our problems solved now and will try to figure out what is going on in the race.

  83. 16:00 CEST

    The Australian in the lead group is Matthews, not Roe.

  84. 16:02 CEST

    The field is flying now and about to catch a group of four escapees.

  85. 16:02 CEST

    The five leaders approach the finish line again.

  86. 16:03 CEST 82.8km/96.6km

    The five leaders head into lap seven with a lead of over a minute.

  87. 16:05 CEST

    Let's make that 88 km ridden, not 96.

  88. 16:06 CEST

    The peloton heads through the feed zone, but few of them take a bag of goodies.

  89. 16:08 CEST

    Matthews leads the head group up the climb.

  90. 16:08 CEST

    Ah, that lovely 12% section......

  91. 16:09 CEST

    The Australians are also at the head of the chasing peloton.

  92. 16:11 CEST

    The peloton is riding past a lovely mountain stream, but we doubt they have time to look at it.

  93. 16:15 CEST

    The peloton seems content to let this group stay away, but it is not letting it get too far away.

  94. 16:16 CEST

    The Australians continue to lead the peloton, with U-23 time trial world champion Jack Bobridge at the head of things.

  95. 16:20 CEST

    Another trip through the feed zone, with some riders doing some fancy weaving in and out

  96. 16:20 CEST

    Meanwhile, the leaders are climbing again.

  97. 16:22 CEST

    The gap has increased now, to 2:07.

  98. 16:22 CEST

    The leaders go up over the top of the final climb of this lap.

  99. 16:25 CEST

    And now the peloton comes over the climb.

  100. 16:26 CEST 110.4km/69km

    The five leaders hit the finish line again, and take off on the seventh round.

  101. 16:28 CEST

    The peloton comes across at 1:41 down.  A group of four is a few metres ahead of the pack.

  102. 16:30 CEST

    It looks like those four are caught again already.  A Dutch rider leads the way, but we have the next attack.

  103. 16:30 CEST

    That attack is caught, too.

  104. 16:30 CEST

    Italy and Australia lead the chase.

  105. 16:34 CEST 65.3km/114.1km

    Italy continues to lead the chase -- hoping for their second gold medal of the day?

  106. 16:40 CEST 62km/117.4km

    The gap is shrinking dramatically now, only 47 seconds.

  107. 16:42 CEST

    How soon will the peloton catch the escape?  And who will be the next to go?

  108. 16:44 CEST

    A Russian rider takes off out of the field on the climb.

  109. 16:45 CEST

    And just like tht, he catches the five leaders.  It is Andrey Solomennikov.

  110. 16:48 CEST

    The peloton will catch the escapees any minute now, they aren't at all far behind.

  111. 16:49 CEST 124.2km/55.2km

    Everyone nears the finish line. The leaders have a lead of only 8 seconds.

  112. 16:51 CEST

    That's it, the escape is caught.  And the next rider takes off already.

  113. 16:51 CEST

    A German-- Martin Reimer. He is immediately followed by three others.

  114. 16:52 CEST

    All together again.

  115. 16:53 CEST

    Bobridge is now at the back of things.

  116. 16:54 CEST

    Another Colombian rider goes, Sergio Luis Henao Montayo.  He quickly builds up a small lead on this climb.

  117. 16:55 CEST

    His gap is five seconds.

  118. 16:56 CEST

    He is followed by a group of five which includes a Dutch and a German rider.

  119. 16:57 CEST 50km/129.4km

    The chase group is caught by the peloton.

  120. 16:58 CEST

    Dutch rider Michel Kreder leads the chase.

  121. 16:59 CEST

    It looks like Montoya has been joined by two other riders, with more coming up. 

  122. 17:00 CEST

    Another rider takes off in pursuit, a British rider?

  123. 17:01 CEST

    If we have counted correctly, there are now 8 riders in the lead.

  124. 17:01 CEST

    There is a group of five behind them, with the field not far back.

  125. 17:02 CEST

    The two front groups have come together.

  126. 17:03 CEST

    13 riders in the lead, with the peloton breathing down their necks.

  127. 17:05 CEST

    The group is holding on to its narrow lead, and, boy, is it a narrow lead.

  128. 17:07 CEST

    The lead group has split up now.  Actually everyone is together again.

  129. 17:08 CEST

    Blaz Furdi of Slovenia is the next to attack.  He has a minimal lead.

  130. 17:09 CEST 44.4km/135km

    The peloton is now only about 50 riders as they hit the finish line again. Furdi is caught and they go over in a group

  131. 17:10 CEST

    Only three more laps to go!

  132. 17:15 CEST

    The field is climbing again.

  133. 17:17 CEST

    One rider is in the lead, with several smaller groups behind him.  Sorry, we don't have names or numbers.

  134. 17:19 CEST

    It is number nine, Alexandre Geniez of France, who is in the lead.  But he has now been joined by two more.

  135. 17:19 CEST

    He again has a lead over his two pursuers.

  136. 17:20 CEST

    And the three are together, with a 10 second or so lead over the field.

  137. 17:21 CEST

    Australia's Leigh Howard jumps out of the peloton in an attack.

  138. 17:23 CEST

    Howard, who will ride for Columbia-HTC next year, catches the three leaders.

  139. 17:23 CEST

    The peloton keeps getting smaller and smaller, maybe 40-50 now.

  140. 17:24 CEST

    Another Colombian jumps.  Their team has been very active in this race.

  141. 17:25 CEST

    The Colombian is Sergio Luis Henao Montoya again.

  142. 17:27 CEST

    The six have a nice little lead over the peloton. Three riders in the lead group attack, and the other three give chase.

  143. 17:27 CEST 30.4km/149km

    he gap is now 20-some seconds.

  144. 17:28 CEST

    The lead group is now down to five.  Jerome Baugnies of Belgium is chasing.

  145. 17:29 CEST

    We have three rides in the lead:  Montoya, Furdi and Brambilla.

  146. 17:30 CEST 28.4km/151km

    A group of five crosses the finish line.  Two laps to go!

  147. 17:31 CEST

    The field is 40 seconds back.

  148. 17:32 CEST

    Our lead group is Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Colombia), Alexandre Geniez (France), Blaz Furdi (Slovenia), Gianluca Brambilla (Italy) and Leigh Howard (Australia)

    Jérôme Baugnies (Belgium) is the one trying to bridge.

  149. 17:33 CEST

    The group is building up its lead.

  150. 17:34 CEST

    A one-rider crash at the back of the peloton.

  151. 17:36 CEST

    The lead group has split on the climb, but the others struggle and catch up.

  152. 17:37 CEST

    Everybody catches up: the peloton is there, too.  All together again.

  153. 17:37 CEST 23.9km/155.5km

    Less than 25km to go now.

  154. 17:38 CEST

    The peloton has pulled apart, and 26 riders are now in the lead, six seconds ahead of the next group.

  155. 17:39 CEST

    Multiple attacks out of the group.  Three riders are building up a lead, with two more behind them.

  156. 17:40 CEST

     A Dutch rider is in the lead.

  157. 17:41 CEST

    Romain Sicard of France and Michel Kreder of the Netherlands have a slight lead.

  158. 17:41 CEST

    With, of course, a Colombian giving chase.

  159. 17:42 CEST

    They are all really flying now......

  160. 17:43 CEST

    The two leaders are sharing the work.  Nicolas Edet of France is chasing his own landsman.

  161. 17:43 CEST

    Edet is 13 seconds back.

  162. 17:45 CEST

    Is the peloton slowing down?  The gap to Edet is getting larger and larger.

  163. 17:45 CEST

    Kreder indicates that Sicard should take his share of the leadwork now, thank you very much.

  164. 17:47 CEST

    Edet is joined by a Russian, but the peloton is not far back.  They are caught now.

  165. 17:48 CEST

    Sicard and Kreder go over the final climb of the lap.

  166. 17:49 CEST

    There is now a chase group of five.

  167. 17:50 CEST

    The two leaders come up to the finish line.  What is their gap?

  168. 17:50 CEST

    Only one more lap -- 13.8 km -- to go!

  169. 17:52 CEST 14.4km/165km

    Their chances are looking good.  the first chasers are 30 seconds back, with the peloton at 32 seconds.

  170. 17:52 CEST

    Will these two let it come down to a sprint?  Or will one take off?  Or will they be caught?

  171. 17:53 CEST

    The remaining peloton isnt wasting any time here...

  172. 17:54 CEST

    Italys Daniele Ratto jumps to try and bridge to the leaders.

  173. 17:55 CEST

    We see a group of eight being followed by one, witha peloton of 15-20 further back.  Ratto leads the chase group of 8.

  174. 17:55 CEST

    But our two leaders are still holding firm.

  175. 17:56 CEST

    It looks like there are three Colombians in the chase group.

  176. 17:57 CEST

    Up they go......

  177. 17:57 CEST

    These climlbs aren't long, but you can tell they are getting to those young legs.

  178. 17:58 CEST

    Sicard pulls away from Kreder.

  179. 17:59 CEST

    Sicard pulls away.....


  180. 18:00 CEST

    The Frenchman now has a huge lead!

  181. 18:00 CEST

    He only has about 10 km to go, can he hold on to it?

  182. 18:01 CEST

    He has 39 seconds now.

  183. 18:03 CEST

    Sicard looks back to see see no one behind him.  Well, other than the motorcycles.

  184. 18:05 CEST

    It is looking good for Sicard!

  185. 18:07 CEST

    Kreder is now caught by the chase group.

  186. 18:07 CEST

    Sicard tops out at the very final climb of the race.

  187. 18:08 CEST

    He is starting to grin now.....

  188. 18:08 CEST

    The first two chasers hit the top now, an Italian and a Colombian.

  189. 18:09 CEST 2.4km/177km

    Only 2.4 km for Sicard.  Can he hold off his two chasers? They are 33 seconds back, so it seems likely.

  190. 18:11 CEST

    Not an Italian, but a Russian:  Silin.  And the Colombian is Betancur.

  191. 18:11 CEST

    The end is in sight for Sicard!  And it wil be a happy ending!

  192. 18:12 CEST

    The last km for him...

  193. 18:12 CEST

    He looks back once again befre raising his arms in victory!

  194. 18:13 CEST

    The next two sprint for silver, with Betancur taking it ahead of Silin.

  195. 18:14 CEST

    The top four:

    1 Romain Sicard (France)
    2 Betancur Gomez Carlos Alberto (Colombia)
    3 Egor Silin (Russia)
    4 Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain)

  196. 18:15 CEST

    Congratulations to our new World Champion, 21-year-old Romain Sicard of France!

  197. 18:21 CEST

    Our top seven in the world:

    1 Romain Sicard (France)
    2 Betancur Gomez Carlos Alberto (Colombia)
    3 Egor Silin (Russia)
    4 Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain)
    5 Jérôme Baugnies (Belgium)
    6 Marko Kump (Slovenia)
    7 Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kazakhstan)

  198. 18:40 CEST

    That was an exciting and exhausting day!  But we aren't done, there is more to come.  Join us again tomorrow for the Elite Men's Road Race.  And thanks for reading along with us today.


FINAL

1 Romain Sicard (France) 4:41:54
2 Betancur Gomez Carlos Alberto (Colombia) 4:42:21
3 Egor Silin (Russian Federation) 4:42:21
4 Peter Kennaugh (Great Britain) 4:42:43
5 Jérôme Baugnies (Belgium) 4:42:48
6 Marko Kump (Slovenia) 4:42:48
7 Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kazakhstan) 4:42:48
8 Sarmiento Tunarrosa Jose Cayetano (Colombia) 4:42:48
9 Matthias Brandle (Austria) 4:42:54
10 Damiano Caruso (Italy) 4:43:27