Greig Leach

As the pair of Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) and Matteo Trentin (CCC) went over the top of the Kimmelberg for the final time they found themselves opening up a bit of a gap on the front group. As the others reached for bottles, gels and whatever else from their soigneurs at the summit, Kung and Trentin saw their chance to push on with their advantage. The back side of the Kimmelberg was extremely narrow with some tight turns so it was more advantageous to be in a small group then back in the peloton. As you can see from the pair's legs and jersey, this was definitely a mud-fest race that was presenting its own challenges for the riders and their mechanics. And again, the further back you are in the peloton, the muddier you get from the spray off the wheels of the other bikes. Thirty four kilometers to the end might be a bit much for the duo, but this is a race for the daring.