It's time for the Mountains to begin - and about time too! The day starts in Montalto di Castro, but it is all about the summit finish at Pian de' Valli and the Monte Terminillo climb. It's a long climb, with 15km at an average of 7.6%. The opening week has done a good job already of spreading the field, and this will surely add to that.
The best climber in the field is Angel Madrazo. And boy do Santander need him to show it. Emanuele Sella always goes strong on the Italian climbs, and there are a whole host of 82 rated climbers: Markus Fothen, Riccardo Ricco, Sergio Luis Henao Montoya, Simon Spilak, Taylor Phinney and Vincenzo Nibali. Some going into this stage in a better position than others. Phinney of course, holds the Maglia Rosa, marginally ahead of Yuri Trofimov. How well can the Russian do today after bossing the hill stages?
There are attacks right from the start as Coen Vermeltfoort storms off the startling line, but the most interesting presence in this first move is Jelle Wallays. He is really getting everywhere so far this race.
Also getting his name mentioned at any opportunity is Kristjan Koren, while William Walker seems keen to be involved in a breakaway with company - after his solo efforts on Stage 1.
Johannes Frohlinger William Walker Johann Tschopp Tim Kennaugh Coen Vermeltfoort Thomas Vedel Kvist Kristjan Koren Jakub Kratochvila Matea Kvasina
The pairing of Diego Ulissi and Cesare di Maggio would make for a formidable duo in the hills, but somewhat less so in the mountains - as the battle continues of a breakaway trying to form.
But while Wikipedia do chase those 5 down, the gap to the 8 ahead still stays. And that is the breakaway!
Well not quite. Marco Corti times his first attack of the race right as Wikipedia sit up, and despite not being suited to this terrain, sets about crossing the gap to the break as they tackle Colli Nivoli, the first climb.
This is a good move for Riblon, as he is able to build on the King of the Mountains points he picked up on Stage 5. Nobody else in the break has scored points in that competition so far, so he has an easy ride to the top.
Colli Nivoli
Total
1
Christophe Riblon
6
20
2
Rafel Majka
4
4
3
Philip Deignan
2
2
Bad news on the descent though as we have our 2nd abandon of the race. After attacking earlier, the stage has gone wrong for Cesare Di Maggio who seems to have crashed out of the race.
Matteo Rabottini lead the break through the sprint, while Wikipedia have full control of the peloton still.
The break holds a 6 minute lead at just over 42km, as they ride on to the 2nd climb, Colle della Fonte.
And attacks! 8th overall Manuel Lloret is starting things early.
Gianpaolo Caruso, Petar Panayotov, Vitor Rodrigues and Aleksandr Dyachenko follow the move - although the Kazakh isnt a match for the others.
Action all over the route as that attack went off. Jelle Wallays crashed and now finds himself in the Gruppetto of dropped riders that have just formed (although he may have ended up there anyway) - which includes all of the sprinters. Bennati isnt going to push himself up the climbs anymore, he has learnt his lesson.
Meanwhile it was 10 more easy points for Riblon at the climb's summit. This puts him to 30 - a joint lead with Efimkin. It's very unlikely he will add to that on the final climb, so we look set to have 2 leaders in the competition at the end of the day.
Colle della Fonte
Total
1
Christophe Riblon
10
30
2
Thomas Peterson
8
8
3
Maciej Paterski
6
6
4
Philip Deignan
4
6
5
Matteo Rabottini
2
2
Despite instigating the mid-stage attack, and being the best placed overall in the move, Lloret has been dropped by Caruso, Panayotov and Rodrigues.
Dyachenko catches up to Lloret, but both are then caught on the descent.
20km to go:
+ 2'37
+ 3'44
Riblon
Caruso
Peloton
Corti
Panayotov
(82 Riders)
Deignan
Rodrigues
Facci
Majka
Paterski
Peterson
Rabottini
Vandborg
Onto the final climb, and Majka leads the attacks in the break. Even with their lead, they will have to ride very hard to stand a chance.
Despite attacking, being dropped, and getting caught, Manuel Lloret is unperturbed and attacks again from the peloton. Daniel Navarro follows him and gets a little gap, but Lloret failed to get away and quickly disappears from the front of the peloton - for good this time.
In the breakaway, Thomas Peterson had moved past Majka and into a solo lead - although it is quite small.
Artemio Moschella is the next Lotto rider to try to get ahead of the peloton, but also fails.
Then into the final 10 kilometres and Sergio Luis Henao Montoya launches the first serious move from the peloton.
Peter Velits, Markus Fothen and Romain Sicard follow him.
Initially Fothen looks to be the strongest, but then Henao accelerates again and goes alone up to Caruso, Panayotov and Rodrigues.
Next to attack is Emanuele Sella! Curiously the Bacardi rider trying to follow him is Navarro and not Ricco.
Pinot and Mai are the last remaining Wikipedia riders. Angel Madrazo tries to attack them, but they brutally swing across the road to block his move.
Joint King of the Mountains Christophe Riblon has now made his bid for glory in the breakaway, with Peterson now back in the chasing group.
Robert Kiserlovski, Simon Spilak and Vincenzo Nibali are the next attackers - but with riders scattered about on the climb, the groups are all merging back together.
Henao Montoya isn't about to see his efforts of riding up to the breakaway go to nothing, so makes a 2nd move.
Sicard, Caruso, Kiserlovski and Ricco follow this move, as they look to close down Riblon.
Spilak and Madrazo now give it a go, but these attacks don't seem to be able to create anything.
The best riders in the race are attacking, but they can't close down the lead of Riblon.
The peloton has now been reduced to just 10 though, as the leading climbers in the race come to the fore.
Angel Madrazo Emanuele Sella Markus Fothen Riccardo Ricco Robert Kiserlovski Romain Sicard Sergio Luis Henao Montoya Simon Spilak Taylor Phinney Vincenzo Nibali
Velits tries to bridge across to them, as they all spread out across the road in a line - not a sign of urgency amongst them.
Another attack attempt from Sicard, who is having an aggressive day. He is meant to be one of the weaker climbers of the 10 that are left.
The final kilometre is now near. Kohl, Keinath, Trofimov, Eastman, Faiers, Duarte and López Garcia lead the chasing group behind the front 10, with Caruso, Mai and Brambilla slightly further behind them.
But STILL Christophe Riblon leads the race. A mixture of the Frenchman having the climb of his life, and the favourites behind really not racing as hard as they could do.
Entering the final kilometre, effort has to be given now, as they start to sprint. Kiserlovski is on the front for now.
This is where Angel Madrazo comes to the fore and proves himself to be the best climber in the field, as he quickly gaps the rest of the group - and finally catches Riblon.
It's been a poor season for Santander so far - but this could be the turning point as Madrazo takes victory. That's a stage win in all three Grand Tours for him now as well.
Taylor Phinney fights hard to take a crucial 2nd place and the time bonus that goes with it - as Christophe Riblon holds on for a fantastic 3rd.
Riblon therefore takes an outright lead in the King of the Mountains competition, while Ricco and Spilak complete the Top 5.
Madrazo is actually awarded an 11 second gap thanks to his last kilometre charge, and he rises to 3rd overall. Still behind Spilak and race leader Phinney.
Velits takes 12th, 46 seconds down. He came so close to joining the front group, but faded in the final kilometre. There is a faster finish for Fabio Duarte, who crosses the line at 58 seconds.
Kohl leads in the next group, with Trofimov in here. Despite not looking at all good today, his losses are limited to 1'08 and he only falls to 4th overall.
Teodoro Costagli managed to join that chasing group in the final kilometre.
Aside from the likes of Koren and Wallays who were well placed going into the stage but always going to lose a lot of time, a big loser today is Manuel Lloret. He tried to attack to hide his bad legs, but that just made it worse, and he ultimately finished 6 minutes down.
1
Angel Madrazo
Santander
4h31'02
2
Taylor Phinney
Wikipedia
+ 11
3
Christophe Riblon
UBS - BMC
s.t.
4
Riccardo Ricco
Team Bacardi
s.t.
5
Simon Spilak
Aker - MOT
s.t.
6
Robert Kiserlovski
Hollister Pro Cycling
s.t.
7
Sergio Luis Henao Montoya
Milka - AVG
s.t.
8
Vincenzo Nibali
UBS - BMC
s.t.
9
Markus Fothen
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
10
Emanuele Sella
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
11
Romain Sicard
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
12
Peter Velits
Project 1t4i
+ 46
13
Fabio Duarte
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 58
14
Bernhard Kohl
Pendleton's
+ 1'08
15
Nico Keinath
Team B&O
s.t.
16
David López Garcia
Santander
s.t.
17
Ryan Eastman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Coen Vermeltfoort
Johann Tschopp
William Walker
José Antonio Redondo
Jelle Wallays
Philip Deignan
Mickaël Delage
Johannes Frohlinger
Tim Kennaugh
Thomas Vedel Kvist
Kristjan Koren
Jakub Kratochvila
Matea Kvasina
Moris Possoni
Thomas Peterson
Maciej Paterski
Sergio Luis Henao Montoya
