Etixx - Quick-Step stagiaire Fernando Gaviria made the eight rider selection that went on to decide 200km Prudential RideLondon & Surrey Classic on Sunday, finishing 8th as the breakaway split up going into the final kilometers.
Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL - Jumbo) went solo with 12km to go, with the peloton already losing its grip on the race 1'40" back from the leaders. The seven riders, including Gaviria, were forced to chase but were not organized for several kilometers.
Eventually several of the riders in the group saw the gap to Vanmarcke was a threat having a 20" advantage to them with 5km to go. Unsatisfied with the cooperation in the group, Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC Racing Team), Mike Teunissen (LottoNL - Jumbo), and Ben Swift (Team Sky) went ahead and bridged to Vanmarcke with 1.7km remaining. Kristian Sbaragli (MTN - Qhubeka) and Leigh Howard (Orica - GreenEDGE) were close behind.
It would be Drucker who won the race. Teunissen was 2nd, Swift was 3rd, and Gaviria sprinted to fight for his 8th place. Yves Lampaert also fought in a group behind for the minor placings, finishing 10th.
Mark Cavendish was a protagonist more than once in the race, making an early breakaway and going off the front again with 42.5km remaining. Iljo Keisse was another rider who did a tremendous job, sitting on the front helping to controll the race. Fabio Sabatini was also present in support of the team during the day. The race was full of attacks in the hilly sections of the parcours, and the peloton kept the pace high until they were finally satisfied with the breakaway that decided the Prudential RideLondon & Surrey Classic.
"It was difficult to control today," Sport Director Brian Holm said. "We decided with Mark and Fernando to try and jump into the breakaway. Cav jumped a couple of times, and also Fernando managed to get into the key selection. At five kilometers to go Fernando had cramps in his left leg, and couldn't stay with the best of the group. It was maybe a little bit of jet lag and also the emotions from his first time with the team as a stagiaire. Fernando did well in his first race, considering the situation, showing his talent."