Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) sprinted to victory at the RideLondon Classic on Sunday, beating Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orica-Scott) and Michael Matthews (Sunweb) to the line on The Mall.
The sprinters' teams left it until late to marshal escapees Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) but ultimately made the catch with a kilometre to go to set up a bunch finish.
Bora-Hansgrohe led the pack into the final 500 metres for Sam Bennett, with the final lead-out man peeling off with around 250 metres to go as Bennett launched his effort. The Irishman couldn't fend off his surging rivals, however, with Kristoff pulling past on his right to take a commanding lead that he held all the way across the line to triumph in the event's first running as a WorldTour race.
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Cort Nielsen made a late push to finish a close second, with Matthews settling for third ahead of a surprising Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac).
Kristoff's victory – his second at the WorldTour level this season after Eschborn-Frankfurt – will be a welcome change of pace for the Norwegian on the heels of a frustrating Tour de France, where he was unable to win a stage. It comes at a time of uncertainty as well, with Kristoff undecided on whose kit he'll wear next season after his current contract with Katusha runs out at the end of this year.
"We weren't able to win at all in the Tour, so we wanted to bounce back today," Kristoff said. "Today we showed we still have a good level and everybody was committed. I knew this course and knew it suited me quite well."
How it unfolded
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