It promised to be an eventful day on the Tour de Yorkshire, and the show was at the height of expectations. A group of favourites including around 30 riders powered away with over 50kms to go including Van Avermaet and Froome. Only 21 remained together all the way to the finish line in Scarborough where Dane Alexander Kamp claimed the win. The blue jersey changes shoulders and goes to Chris Lawless.
Wind was to be the main topic of the day. After Marianne Vos mastered the tough conditions on the stage between Bridlington and Scarborough to win her first ASDA Tour de Yorkshire, it was the men’s turn to battle it out on the 132kms of the hilly course by the North Sea. The 114 riders took off just after 3:00 PM under the rain.
But as the conditions got dryer, 9 riders managed to break away at km15: Cuming (MGT), Sicard (TDE), Carpenter (RLY), Reza (VCB), Scott (WGN), Zijlaard (HBA), Bradbury (SCB), Mottram (VIT) and Archibald (RPC). At km 22, the front group could enjoy a 1’30’’ advantage. Robert Scott was the first to reach the top of the Côte de Silpho (km 38.5) as the gap grew to 1’55’’. It even reached 2 minutes at the first intermediate sprint (km 48) won by Mottram.
The pack led by teams CCC, Roompot-Charles and Katusha-Alpecin kept good control on the escapees and started moving closer. At the summit of the Côte de Hooks House Farm (km 60.5), once again conquered by Davis, the gap was 1’50’’ and then 50’’ at the second bonus sprint (km 67) won by Mottram.
Just after the third climb of the day, the Côte de Lythe Bank (km 75) where Davis again claimed the most mountain points, the pack broke into several bunches. A group of over 30 riders powered away including the likes of Blue Jersey, Jesper Asselman (ROC), Greg Van Avermaet (CCC) and Chris Froome (INS). The surviving breakaway group was rapidly gobbled up with over fifty kilometres to go and the gap grew for the front riders. At the top of penultimate climb of the day, the Côte de Grosmont, the favourites led by Vinjebo (RIW) at the top could enjoy a 55’’ advantage overt their closest chasers.
The final climb up the Côte de Ugglebarnby (km 101.5) proved to be too hard for Asselman to keep up with the top guns and only 21 riders remained at the front while the race leader lost ground (1’20’’ adrift at the top).
That group including 5 Riwal riders, 4 Ineos men and 3 members of team CCC continued their fast progression towards Scarborough. They remained bunched on the final straight by the sea. The sprint was eventually claimed by Alexander Kamp (RIW) ahead of Chris Lawless (INS) and Greg Van Avermaet (CCC), giving the Dane the biggest win of his career so far.
Crossing the line close to 2 minutes later, Jesper Asselman loses his overall leader’s Blue Jersey that goes to Chris Lawless. In the new GC, the Brit is in the same second as Kamp and has a 6’’ lead over Van Avermaet. He also takes command of the points classification while Robert Scott is the new best climber.

1 Alexander Kamp (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 3:23:24
2 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Ineos
3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team
4 Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Dimension Data
5 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
6 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos
7 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison Genesis
8 Andreas Nielsen (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
9 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
10 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
11 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Ineos

GC:
1 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Ineos 10:38:15
2 Alexander Kamp (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team
3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) CCC Team 0:00:06
4 Andreas Nielsen (Den) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team 0:00:10
5 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK
6 Connor Swift (GBr) Madison Genesis
7 Nick van der Lijke (Ned) Roompot-Charles
8 Owain Doull (GBr) Team Ineos
9 Edward Dunbar (Irl) Team Ineos
10 Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
@ASO