Clásica de San Sebastián 2021: Powless wins sprint à trois

foto: Cor VosNeilson Powless outsprints his fellow attackers Matej Mohoric and Mikkel Honoré to win the Clásica de San Sebastián (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Clásica de San Sebastián 2021

1. Neilson Powless (usa)
2. Matej Mohoric (slo) s.t.
3. Mikkel Honoré (den) s.t.
4. Lorenzo Rota (ita) + 0.30
5. Alessandro Covi (ita) + 1.04
6. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
7. Odd Christian Eiking (nor) s.t.
8. Jonas Vingegaard (den) s.t.
9. Gianni Moscon (ita) s.t.
10. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.

Race report
The breakaway takes shape after the first climb of the day, the Azkarate. Valerio Conti, Alexandr Riabuschenko, Johan Jacobs, José Joaquin Rojas, Jérémy Cabot, Jon Barrenetxea, Mikel Bizkarra, Romain Hardy, Lilian Calmejane, Xandres Vervloesem, Oscar Cabedo, Mikaël Cherel, Javier Romo, Jokin Mrguialday and Daniel Navarro carve out a lead of 4 minutes.

Romo heads out alone on the Jaizkibel before his attack ends on the Erlaitz when Simon Carr and Mikel Landa bring him back. Carr pushes on alone to open up a 50 seconds gap.

Neilson Powless, Lorenzo Rota, Mikkel Honoré and Matej Mohoric go after him to rejoin the Briton with 23 kilometres to go.

The five enter the Murgil Tontorra 1.10 minutes ahead of the main group. Powless strikes on the steep ramps, but Mohoric and Honoré bring him back just before the summit. Rota rejoins the three a little later.

Rota and Honoré lose contact on descent, while Powless goes solo. Mohoric tracks him down before Honoré regains contact inside the last 1.5 kilometres.

Mohoric opens the sprint, but Powless overhauls him to take the best win in his career. The Slovene finishes in second, Honoré in third.

22 year old Covi wins the group sprint ahead of Alaphilippe.

Another interesting reads: route 2021 Clásica de San Sebastián.