Wet & Hydrated Bergen-31
Today marked the end of the time trials and the first day of road racing. It also marked the end of summer and the start of the cold, wet, dreary days of autumn. While there as been some intermittant showers this week, today was the first day of sustained rain combined with temperatures in the mid 50's. Awet Hastom Tekle (Eritrea) was making sure he had enough fluids in him, and with his rain coat he was also trying to keep the fluids off of himself as well. Tekle was in the early break of the day along with Atsushi Oka (Japan), Gustav Hoog (Sweden) and Vasili Strokau (Belarus). The quintet build up about a two minute lead on the peloton in the early going, but the fireworks were about to start behind, even though there was still another 168 kilometers to race.