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The breakaway spoiled the party on the last mountain stage, but now that Emu Export have the yellow jersey on Raisin's shoulders could we see some different tactics today. Already different from the other mountain stages are our favourites, Nazaret, Marzano, and Jaramillo. Some strange decisions by the bookmakers, but what else would you expect from this crazy tour so far.
The peloton happily just rides over the first climb, 10 more to go.
1 Evans
2 Navarro
3 Krasnoperov
As you can see Emu Export are on the front right away.
The first climb is to much for many of the sprinters! Uugunbayer Clarke & Anuawar Loddo Vingerling Sinner
All get dropped along with a few other helpers. It will be a struggle for them to make the time limit today with a flat stage to wrap up the tour tomorrow.
Now 2 circuits have been complete, and Emu Export have such a nice tempo going that there hasn't been a breakaway attempt yet.
Then finally as we start up the climb for the third time today the attacks fly. Hicks Pfannberger Fajt Tizza Criel
Van Niekerk also joins them. So D2 Team is playing their cards well on this stage as well.
And it stays like this all the way to top of the climb.
1 Hicks
2 Pfannberger
3 Van Niekerk
They just ride over the line with none of them having any intentions on winning this competition. Oh and the snow starts falling, that's always fun.
Shortly after Zaballa realizes that he could win the KoM competition, so he goes off to catch the breakaway.
62 riders are left in the peloton chasing the 7 man breakaway after the fourth circuit.
The breakaway has broken free now as they hold a 3 minute lead over the third classified climb.
1 Pfannberger
2 Fajt
3 Zaballa
So Zaballa now has 24 points compared to KoM leader Marzano's 26.
A horrible crash on the downhill by Jorgensen. The Aker sprinter had to withdrawal from the race as he was rushed to hospital with severe injuries.
Diniz missed out on the earlier attacks but decides it's now or never as the breakaway now holds a 4 minute lead.
And Diniz flys up the climb and catches the breakaway at the start of the 7th circuit.
1 Diniz
2 Pfannberger
3 Zaballa
Zaballa ties Marzano with 26 points, as Diniz moves up to 16 but he would need to win the other two climbs to take the lead.
Emu Export have the race well under control as we start the 8th circuit with the breakaway still at 4 minutes.
Rodas Van der Velde
Fancy themselves an attack at the top of the climb, a very interesting move.
While Rodas and Van der Velde get a minute gap the riders they are chasing are starting to split. Pfannbeger, Diniz, Fajt, and Tizza are the strong men that survive the split.
With Zaballa dropped Diniz takes advantage and wins the second to last KoM, bringing his total to 22 points; 2nd Pfannberger, 3rd Tizza. But more importantly we start heading into lapped traffic.
Colorado triggers the next move. CSC is causing all the trouble in the last few kilometers, just like they did on stage 5. However Colorado doesn't break free but his follower Quintero does.
The pace has been picked up as a few good climbers now get dropped, leaving 33 riders in the peloton. Cattaneo Lewis
Cal Giant now starts helping with the chase and they reel back Rodas, Quintero, and a few of the dropped breakaway riders at the bottom of circuit 9.
Marzano can't wait any longer he wants yellow back. With two climbs left this move was needed.
Marzano quickly bridges the gap to the remaining three leaders.
But the peloton closes the gap as well, so everyone is back together with 24kms to go.
More riders are falling off the back. Jaramillo & Agudelo Osella Cuapio Astarloza Mercado
19 riders are present as we reach the final circuit. They are: Vasquez, Ortega Peterson, Stetina, Brandt Van der Velde Raisin, Nazaret, Krasnoperov, Navarro, Orozco Quintero, Martinez Saldarriaga Colorado Diniz Bosisio Marzano, Pfannberger
Marzano isn't going to give up on yellow.
But Ortega drags Marzano back by himself. That's going to hurt Marzano's confidence.
Or not! It just made him strong. Try pulling that back he says.
With just 1200 meters left in the final climb, Nazaret goes after Marzano. Has Emu Export given up on Saul Raisin?
Marzano holds his lead as he goes over the climb in first and starts heading downhill towards the finish. Nazaret goes through 30 seconds later. And sorry D2 supporters/managers that rider between Marzano and Nazaret is a lap down.
A minute later Quintero is over the top in 3rd with a small gap to the rest of the climbers including Raisin. So Marzano still needs so more time to take yellow back.
Nazaret catches Marzano on the downhill. These two will battle it out for the stage win.
No contest as Marzano easily beats Nazaret in the sprint. The clock starts as Marzano waits to see if it is enough to win the tour with a flat stage tomorrow.
Quintero with a nice 3rd, 1'15" behind Marzano and Nazaret.
Stetina leads the rest of the climbers to the line for 4th.
Ricardo Van der Velde, Francisco Colorado, Saul Raisin, Andres Saldarriaga, Mauricio Ortega, Daniel Navarro, Thomas Peterson, Mikayil Krasnoperov, and Wilmer Vasquez in that order for spots 5th through 13th. But more importantly is the time ...
1'35", Saul Raisin holds off Marzano to keep 1st overall! Marzano moves up to 2nd, Peterson just falls 1 spot to 3rd. Nazaret into 4th, and Ortega 5th. Also a lot of withdrawals today as many riders didn't make the time limit, most notably a lot of the sprinters. Which normally won't have been much of a big deal but there is still a flat stage tomorrow to finish the Tour of Colorado.
