The race doesn`t have the easiest flat stages and so todays start is an expected sprint finish with a Cat.2 climb not far from the line.
The fast men like Day Friedman Rizza Anton Martin will have to fight a lot but also try to save their energy for the sprint.
So it might be a good chance for the hilly sprinters Torckler and Nardin. Both have already shown their skills this season and might want to continue here.
Only 2 riders in todays breakaway and actually the two only PCT teams in this race. Both teams don`t really have a strong sprinter here and so it was pretty much expected that they would try it today. Hamza Burlutsky
Mainly the sprinter teams with MTN and Die Berg Komt Er is doing the pace. And also Gazelle is seen in the front working for Nardin or already for Weening as top favourite in the GC.
With 80km and a gap of a bit above 6min it`s time for the peloton to speed up.
Burlutsky definitely is a dangerous rider as proven regularly in the last season. He is capable to fight over the hills to keep contact with the best. So taking the 6 bonus seconds at the only sprint today might help him later in the race eventually.
Tyler Day is proving his ambitions to win the point jersey and is taking the last points out of the peloton in a close sprint with Rizza.
Also Anton Martin was trying to sprint but had a gap to those two already.
20km mark is reached and the duo has still a gap of 1'35.
But it`s definitely not over yet as the sprinter teams most likely can`t go full power on the uphill part. Otherwise some of the sprinters might be dropped.
Burlutsky definitely was the strongest of the duo and also takes the KoM sprint, which will give him the KoM jersey tomorrow.
He already has a 30s gap to Hamza and another 30s to the peloton, where the pace making riders from Kenya, Gazelle and Die Berg Er are taking the remaining points.
The real descent is starting with 11km to go, while Hamza is caught. Burlutsky is still 42s ahead but in sight of the peloton.
Also the rain unfortunately did not stop and so it will be 11 dangerous kilometers.
And indeed the first crash didn`t waited very long. 4 riders crashed in a corner and are on the ground. Njoroge went backwards through the peloton after doing the pace on the uphill part and somehow must have hit another rider. Rabie Kriek Anton Martin couldn`t escape and crashed into him.
This is tough news for MTN, who lose a good GC rider and Iberia, who won`t be able to play a role in todays sprint.
6 Die Berg Komt Er riders in the front did also catch Burlutsky now with 6km to go.
With Duque and in especially Rizza they have two very fast riders for today.
3 Iberia riders were asked to help Anton Martin and dropped from the peloton. These are Toribio, Gallego and Perez Sanchez and only Chacon is remaining in the front group as they started with only 5 riders.
This is not the most ideal position for them as Toribio might have been their best chance for a high GC position but so he will definitely lose time today.
We only see the Die Berg Komt Er train today. All other sprinters are behind them.
Kochetkov
Duque
Rizza
Murray
Day
Torckler
Meenhorst
Nardin in ~15th-20th position might be a bit too far behind as also Friedman, who is at the end of the peloton. Ekspla obviously going for Meenhorst instead.
With 2,1km to go Duque goes fast and no one is following him. Is Rizza just waiting or did the climb cost him too much energy?
Also Torckler on the other side is coming early.
Rizza had to close the gap on his own, while Day is having the perfect position now with another team mate ahead of him.
Meenhorst also started the sprint while Cadbury is having a nice collection here.
In 10th position Nardin found a way through the other riders and looks much better now.
Nardin is super strong now and goes into the lead with 600m next to Meenhorst.
Rizza seems to be too exhausted and Torckler went too early.
Instead it`s Murray coming fast from behind. Also Tyler Day wants to improve his actual position a bit more.
Close finish but in the end Nardin was still outsprinted.
Murray with a surprising win. He surely is a known sprinter but he wasn`t expected to do so well on a tougher stage like this one.
Cadbury really played this one here smart and while everyone was looking at Torckler, Murray somehow came towards the front quite unseen.
Nardin still with a strong sprint today is taking important bonus seconds for the GC fight ahead of Tyler Day with a strong finish as well.
With David another Cadbury rider as 4th today is outsprinting Meenhorst.
In general a strong Cadbury appearance with 4 riders in the top10! today while Die Berg Komt Er can`t be that happy as Rizza could only finish as 11th. Maybe going for Duque would have been the better option today.
