The 182km race comprised 10 laps of an 18.2km circuit in and around Ponferrada, the course defined by a roughly 5km climb in the first half followed by a 1km climb in the second half of the course. The day’s first breakaway formed in the opening kilometre with Sebastian Schonberger (Austria), Rasim Reis (Turkey) and Eduard Michael Grosu (Romania) setting off together. Reis was dropped in the first lap but with Tural Isgandarov (Azerbaidjan) coming across, the group stayed three-strong.
The trio got a lead of as much as 1:10 before that was whittled away by some aggressive riding in the peloton on the second climb of lap 1. A chase group of roughly 20 riders swept up the three leaders on the opening climb of lap 2, with the peloton catching on shortly after.
Schonberger attacked again a short time later and was joined by Adil Barbari (Algeria) and Roman Kustadinchev (Russia). With the Australian-led peloton seemingly content with the make-up of the lead trio, the leaders were given some latitude and the gap was allowed to grow to 1:08 after two laps and 2:10 by the end of lap 3. It was out to 3:16 with four laps completed as the Australian squad was joined at the front by the riders of Poland.
The action resumed on lap 5 when four riders broke clear of the peloton: Arakdiusz Owsian (Poland), Pierre-Roger Latour (France), Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Norway) and Lennard Hofstede (Netherlands). They were joined by Dylan Teuns (Belgium) but the move was ill-fated, getting absorbed by the peloton soon after. Another group of four tried to get clear but was swept up as well. Meanwhile in the lead group, Barbari was dropped, leaving just Schonberger and Kustadinchev in the race lead.
Australian pair Caleb Ewan and Jack Haig drifted off the back of the peloton on the main climb of lap 5, with some suggestions the pair had cracked. But the following lap they had rejoined their Australian teammates near the front of the peloton, suggesting a mechanical incident was the more likely explanation.
With half the race completed at the end of lap 5, the two leaders held an advantage of 2:08. After a series of attacks Jose Luis Rodriguez (Chile) got clear solo, but behind him a group of six riders was coming across: Amanuel Gebrezgabihier (Eritrea), Willem Jakobus Smit (South Africa), Tilegen Maidos (Kazakhstan), Ruben Zepuntke (Germany), Lennard Hofstede and Kenneth Van Rooy (Belgium). Rodriguez was caught by the chasers as lap 6 ended, the seven riders crossing the line 1:25 behind the two leaders. The peloton, still led by Australia, began lap 7 2:14 behind the two leaders.
Rodriguez was dropped on the first climb of lap 7, as the chase group of seven started to disintegrate under the pace of Ruben Zepunkte. France’s Pierre-Roger Latour attacked from the peloton, picking up the remnants of the chase group on his way through. At the top of the main climb of lap 7 Zepunkte, Hofstede and Maidos joined the two leaders of the race, Schonberger and Kustadinchev, making a group of five at the head of affairs.
On the second climb of lap 7 Maidos was dropped from the leading group of five, before joining a rampaging Latour ahead of the descent towards the end of the lap. Meanwhile a chain of Australian riders continued to patrol the peloton.
With seven laps completed Zepunkte, Hofstede, Schonberger and Kustadinchev led by just 18 seconds over the chasing duo of Maidos and Latour while the peloton was 1:10 behind.
Maidos and Latour soon made contact with the leaders, as the peloton closed in to just 46 seconds behind the leaders. South Africa’s Louis Meintjes sensed the impending catch and attacked solo, bridging to the four leaders then continuing on alone, opening up a lead. The four riders behind were joined by Stefan Küng (Switzerland), Piotr Brozyna (Poland), Ignacio Prado (Mexico) and Hernando Bohorquez Sanchez (Colombia), leaving eight riders chasing Meintjes and the peloton behind them.
In the closing stages of lap 8 Stefan Küng attacked from the chase group but the move didn’t last long — the peloton was just behind the group he’d attacked from, and he was soon caught by a group of 15 riders.
When Meintjes crossed the start/finish line to begin the penultimate lap, he held an advantage of just 16 seconds over the chasing group of 16 riders. The peloton, meanwhile, was just a further 10 seconds behind.
Meintjes was caught by the group of 16 very early in lap 9 as the entire Australian team continued to control the front of the peloton. On the first climb on lap 9 Merhawi Kudus (Eritrea) joined the lead group after bridging across solo, while several riders dropped off leaving just 11 in the group.
Kevin Ledanois (France) attacked solo in the closing stages of lap 9, getting a small gap over Sam Oomen (Netherlands) who chased alone. Behind those two, the rest of the chase group was swallowed up, and then Oomen was caught as well, leaving just Ledanois alone.
Three riders bridged across to the Frenchman on the descent towards the finish line, but Ledanois’ technical skills were strong enough to drop the trio and continue on alone. As lap 9 ended, and the bell rang out to begin the final 18.2km lap, Ledanois held an advantage of just 13 seconds.
With 13km to go in the race, on the main climb of the final lap, Joaquim Silva (Portugal) attacked out of the bunch and was followed by Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spain). Both riders flew past Ledanois as a group of chasers formed up behind.
Australia’s control of the peloton fell apart as riders darted ahead on the climb, with a promising move from Brayan Stiven Ramirez Chacon (Colombia) prompting a further flurry of attacks. The splintered chase group appeared to reform slightly as the road flattened out briefly on the approach to the final climb of the race.
Ramirez’s time in the lead came to a close when a handful of riders attacked out of the bunch, led by Katusha signee Sven Erik Bystrom. Australia’s Robert Power was in second wheel and was followed by a handful of others, including Dylan Teuns.
Bystrom reached the top of the final climb with a small advantage and began the fast descent back into Ponferrada as the peloton swept up the chasers, apart from Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Colombia) who found himself chasing just ahead of the peloton.
But Bystrom had done enough — he came into the finishing straight with enough of an advantage to be able to sit up, look around, and celebrate while the peloton sprinted for second. Australian national road race and criterium champion Caleb Ewan proved fastest in the bunch kick, leading in the rest of the field seven seconds after a jubilant Bystrom.
World Championships U23 - Road Race
: Ponferrada > Ponferrada
Friday 26th September (2014)
Classification: WC
Category: Int. Espoirs
Distance: 182km
| 1. |  |
BYSTRøM Sven Erik
Team Oster Hus - Ridley
|
04:32:39 |
| 2. |  |
EWAN Caleb
Orica GreenEDGE
|
0:07 |
| 3. | |
SKJERPING Kristoffer
Team Joker
|
- |
| 4. |  |
BENOOT Tiesj
Lotto Belisol
|
- |
| 5. | |
ENGER Sondre Holst
IAM Cycling
|
- |
| 6. |  |
FILOSI Iuri
|
- |
| 7. | BOHORQUEZ SANCHEZ Hernando
|
- | |
| 8. |  |
DAVIDENOK Ilya
Continental Team Astana
|
- |
| 9. |  |
HERKLOTZ Silvio
Team Stölting
|
- |
| 10. |  |
VAN DER POEL Mathieu
BKCP - Powerplus
|
- |
| 11. |  |
SMITH Dion
Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
|
- |
| 12. |  |
LIENHARD Fabian
|
- |
| 13. |  |
PUTT Tanner
Bissell Development Team
|
- |
| 14. | |
ROOSEN Timo
Rabobank Development Team
|
- |
| 15. |  |
PIBERNIK Luka
Radenska
|
- |
| 16. |  |
SILVA Joaquim
|
- |
| 17. | |
EIKING Odd Christian
Team Joker
|
- |
| 18. |  |
BENITO DIEZ Miguel Ángel
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
|
- |
| 19. |  |
DOULL Owain
An Post - Chain Reaction
|
- |
| 20. | GAVIRIA Fernando
|
- | |
| 21. | |
TEUNISSEN Mike
Rabobank Development Team
|
- |
| 22. |  |
CORT NIELSEN Magnus
Cult Energy Vital Water
|
- |
| 23. |  |
NYCH Artem
Russian Helicopters
|
- |
| 24. | |
HOELGAARD Markus
Etixx
|
- |
| 25. |  |
KUDUS Merhawi
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 26. | |
LóPEZ Miguel
|
- |
| 27. |  |
BOUDAT Thomas
|
- |
| 28. |  |
MEINTJES Louis
MTN - Qhubeka
|
- |
| 29. | |
TEUNS Dylan
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 30. | |
OOMEN Sam
Rabobank Development Team
|
- |
| 31. | |
ORAM James
Bissell Development Team
|
- |
| 32. | |
LUNKE Sindre
Team Sparebanken Sør
|
- |
| 33. | |
DE BUYST Jasper
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
|
- |
| 34. | |
DAVIES Scott
Madison Genesis
|
- |
| 35. | |
POWER Robert
|
- |
| 36. | RAMIREZ CHACON Brayan Stiven
|
- | |
| 37. |  |
MüHLBERGER Gregor
Tirol Cycling Team
|
- |
| 38. | |
VLIEGEN Loïc
BMC Racing Team
|
- |
| 39. | |
DE TIER Floris
|
- |
| 40. | |
ITURRIA SEGUROLA Mikel
Euskadi
|
0:20 |
| 41. | |
BUCHMANN Emanuel
Rad-Net Rose Team
|
0:22 |
| 42. | |
CHIRICO Luca
MG Kvis - Wilier
|
0:36 |
| 43. | |
PELLAUD Simon
IAM Cycling
|
0:42 |
| 44. |  |
AIT EL ABDIA Anass
|
- |
| 45. | |
ZEMLYAKOV Oleg
Vino 4ever
|
- |
| 46. | |
REIS Rafael
Banco BIC - Carmim
|
1:03 |
| 47. | |
KOZHATAYEV Bakhtiyar
Continental Team Astana
|
- |
| 48. | |
GROßSCHARTNER Felix
Team Gourmetfein Simplon Wels
|
- |
| 49. | |
GONZALEZ SALAS Mario
ActiveJet Team
|
- |
| 50. | |
CARBEL SVENDGAARD Michael
Cult Energy Vital Water
|
1:11 |
| 51. | |
MOSCON Gianni
|
1:13 |
| 52. |  |
LEMUS Luis
Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
|
2:01 |
| 53. | |
ZURLO Federico
UnitedHealthcare
|
- |
| 54. |  |
CAMPOS Roniel
|
- |
| 55. | |
GODOY Yonder
Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela
|
- |
| 56. | |
FOLIFOROV Alexander
Itera - Katusha
|
- |
| 57. | |
CARPENTER Robin
Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
|
2:31 |
| 58. | GODOY ORMENESE Caio
|
- | |
| 59. | |
VERMEULEN Alexey
|
2:48 |
| 60. |  |
ILTJAN Nikaj
|
3:46 |
| 61. | |
SPENGLER Lukas
|
- |
| 62. | |
MARTINELLI Davide
Team Sky
|
- |
| 63. |  |
MULLEN Ryan
An Post - Chain Reaction
|
- |
| 64. | |
VOGT Mario
Rad-Net Rose Team
|
- |
| 65. | |
SCHIR Théry
|
- |
| 66. | |
SOLER Marc
|
- |
| 67. | |
HAIG Jack
Avanti Racing Team
|
- |
| 68. | |
AYAZBAYEV Maxat
Continental Team Astana
|
- |
| 69. | |
JAUREGUI Quentin
Roubaix Lille Métropole
|
- |
| 70. | |
LEVEAU Jeremy
Roubaix Lille Métropole
|
- |
| 71. | |
GOGL Michael
Gebrüder Weiss - Oberndorfer
|
- |
| 72. | |
DUNNE Conor
An Post - Chain Reaction
|
5:11 |
| 73. |  |
NEILANDS Krists
Rietumu - Delfin
|
6:10 |
| 74. | |
OWEN Logan
Bissell Development Team
|
- |
| 75. | |
GUERREIRO Ruben
|
- |
| 76. | |
RYBALKIN Aleksey
Lokosphinx
|
- |
| 77. |  |
BORISAVLJEVIC Milo
Marchiol Emisfero
|
- |
| 78. | |
SPOKES Samuel
Etixx
|
8:34 |
| 79. | |
LEDANOIS Kevin
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
|
8:42 |
| 80. | |
FERREIRA Ricardo
Rádio Popular
|
9:18 |
| 81. | |
DIETEREN Jan
Team Stölting
|
- |
| 82. |  |
KIRSCH Alex
Trek Factory Racing
|
10:34 |
| 83. | |
KüNG Stefan
|
- |
| 84. |  |
BAKA Erik
Dukla Trencin Trek
|
- |
| 85. |  |
OWSIAN Arkadiusz
ActiveJet Team
|
- |
| 86. |  |
RIABUSHENKO Alexandr
|
- |
| 87. | |
SCHöNBERGER Sebastian
Team Gourmetfein Simplon Wels
|
11:48 |
| 88. | |
KUSTADINCHEV Roman
Russian Helicopters
|
- |
| 89. | |
EYOB Metkel
|
- |
| 90. | JABRAYILOV Samir
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
|
- | |
| 91. | |
KATRANIK Gaper
|
- |
| 92. | |
WARCHOł Bartosz
|
- |
| 93. | |
PöSTLBERGER Lukas
Tirol Cycling Team
|
- |
| 94. | |
RAZINGAR Matej
|
- |
| 95. | |
KOMIN Aleksandr
Russian Helicopters
|
- |
| 96. | |
LATOUR Pierre-Roger
|
- |
| 97. | |
PRADO Ignacio de Jesús
|
- |
| 98. | |
NOVAK Domen
Adria Mobil
|
- |
| 99. | RAMIREZ Carlos Mario
|
- | |
| 100. | |
KASPERKIEWICZ Przemysław
Bauknecht - Author
|
- |
| 101. | |
WILSON Jack
An Post - Chain Reaction
|
- |
| 102. | |
ZEPUNTKE Ruben
Bissell Development Team
|
- |
| 103. | |
GEOGHEGAN HART Tao
Bissell Development Team
|
- |
| 104. | |
HOFSTEDE Lennard
Rabobank Development Team
|
- |
| 105. | |
PETERS Alex
Madison Genesis
|
- |
| 106. |  |
MANNINEN Matti
|
- |
| 107. | |
ANDERSEN Søren Kragh
Team Trefor - Blue Water
|
- |
| 108. | |
GALEYEV Vadim
Continental Team Astana
|
11:54 |
| 109. | |
TESHOME Meron
|
18:24 |
| 110. | |
KOROEC Rok
Radenska
|
19:07 |
| 111. |  |
BALKAN Serkan
|
20:24 |
| 112. |  |
VEGA SOLANO Jeison Elias
|
- |
| 113. | |
SHUMOV Nikolai
|
20:47 |
| 114. | |
SMIT Willie
Vini Fantini Nippo
|
- |
| 115. | |
MRAOUNI Salah Eddine
|
- |
| 116. | MANSOURI Abderrahmane
Velo Club Sovac
|
21:27 | |
| 117. | YAHMI Abdenour
Groupement Sportif des Petrolier Algerie
|
- | |
| 118. | |
JAYDE Julius
|
27:00 |
| 119. | |
PATTEN Kevin
|
- |
| 120. |  |
NDAYISENGA Valens
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MALOVEC Lubos
Dukla Trencin Trek
|
- |
| DNF. | ISGANDAROV Tural
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
|
- | |
| DNF. | |
VAN ROOY Kenneth
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CHOUMOUCH Othmane
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SAMLI Feritcam
Torku Şekerspor
|
- |
| DNF. | GROSU Eduard Michael
Vini Fantini Nippo
|
- | |
| DNF. | BARBARI Adil
Velo Club Sovac
|
- | |
| DNF. | |
XHULIANO Kamberaj
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ÖRKEN Ahmet
Torku Şekerspor
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LAJCHA Juraj
EPIC Janom Greenway
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SHALUNOV Evgeny
Lokosphinx
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ANDERSEN Asbjørn Kragh
|
- |
| DNF. | |
NSENGIMANA Jean Bosco
|
- |
| DNF. | ASANOV Enver
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
|
- | |
| DNF. |  |
RODRIGUEZ Jose Luis
|
- |
| DNF. | |
PEDERSEN Mads
Cult Energy Vital Water
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DEBRETSION BARANCEAL Aron
|
- |
| DNF. | |
WILLIAMS Tyler
|
- |
| DNF. | |
FEIEREISEN Kevin
Leopard Development Team
|
- |
| DNF. | |
LATON Eryk
BDC Marcpol
|
- |
| DNF. | |
SOTO Andres
|
- |
| DNF. | DOS SANTOS Carlos Henrique
Start - Trigon Cycling Team
|
- | |
| DNF. | SZABOLCS Sebestyen
Tusnad Cycling Team
|
- | |
| DNF. | |
FLAKEMORE Campbell
Avanti Racing Team
|
- |
| DNF. | |
UWIZEYIMANA Bonaventure
|
- |
| DNF. | |
REIS Rasim
Torku Şekerspor
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MCLAY Daniel
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BOHLI Tom
|
- |
| DNF. | |
MAIDOS Tilegen
Continental Team Astana
|
- |
| DNF. | |
KELES Fatih
Torku Şekerspor
|
- |
| DNF. | |
ESTEVEZ SALAS Imanol
|
- |
| DNF. | |
BROżYNA Piotr
|
- |
| DNF. | |
GIMENEZ Carlos
|
- |
| DNF. | |
GEBREIGZABHIER Amanuel
|
- |
| DNF. |  |
CARTIN Victor
|
- |
| DNF. | OLIVARES Carlos
|
- | |
| DNF. | |
MEDINA Gerardo
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CLEMENTS Alex
Avanti Racing Team
|
- |
| DNF. | |
CHETOUT Loïc
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
|
- |
| DNF. | MOLANO Sebastian
|
- | |
| DNF. | |
TURCHI Luc
Leopard Development Team
|
- |
| DNF. | |
DAKO Mario
Dukla Trencin Trek
|
- |
