After four days of sprinting the peleton have arrived for the final and queen stage of the Olympia Tour. It has the feel of a classic and with much of the field relatively closely packed together well it is going to be much like a classic.
Certainly the parcours suggest this, with no less than 11 categorised climbs and many little uncategorised little bergs as well this has a touch of the Amstal Gold about it. In fact many of the climbs featured in todays race also feature there particularly in the opening 51 km in which 7 of the KOM primes take place. The sprint bonifications could prove crucial also - this could be a very hard one to control.
There is a big question over who should control it, Mohs the race leader of Pokerstars surely has no chance of lasting the hills. Bozic (Pendletons) in second place can climb better and may be favourite to take the overall here. The bookies were undecided on the stage winner going for good hilly men such as Flugel (Ikea), Froome (100% Me), Kirylenka (Tinkoff) and Gerrans (Petronas) as the main men to follow.
The action begins and after 7km an early climb and the contenders for the KOM jersey reveal themselves.
Gerrans (Petronas) and Brutt (Tinkoff)
Its 3,2,1 on each of the climbs so it will take a good while for the results to reveal themselves. At the first prime its Brutt first, then Gerrans and Delage of Intesa is 3rd. These riders are unwilling to push the pace and get absorbed back, but two riders decided to try and get away before the KOM point hunters go again.
Gaywood (100% Me) and Wei (Bbox)
The second climb of Gulperberg is a short sharp dig, that categorises todays racing.
Its very hilly today.
Whilst Wei and Gaywood had built a nice lead, the last KOM position was hard fought for and these guys are so strong they almost catch the twosome.
Under the prime.
Wei got there ahead of Gaywood, but Gerrens got a point for third place. So after two Wei, Gerrens and Brutt all had 3 points a piece. We are starting to get a pattern here as Gerrans drops back, once again Gaywood and Wei try to open up a gap. It looks like they have an agreement in early stages as at the next the roles are reversed Gaywood taking it over Wei.
Another time where Gerrans nearly gets them.
Gerrans does take third so this puts Wei and Gaywood level with Wei on 5 points and Gerrens on 4 points. The Fromberg is only 4km after, but a new attacker from the peleton joins Wei and Gaywood in Kevin Barclay (Youtube) his presence powers the 3 to the next prime.
The peleton are now happy to let them have it, it would seem as Barcley gets it ahead of Wei and Gaywood. This gives Wei the lead after 4 KOM primes on 7 points, Gaywood with 6, Gerrans with 4. But the peleton are coming back because of the sprint between climbs 5 and 6. This enables Gerrans to get full points at the 6th ahead of Bernucci (Pirelli) and Barcley. This takes Gerrens level with Wei on 7 points with Gaywood on 6.
Its all a bit choatic and the camaras don't really pick up the sprint, we are later informed Chicchi took it ahead of Loddo. This means that Loddo moves to joint 1st on that competation, as the sprinters drift back as a new attack before climb six establishes itself. Richie Porte (Milka) takes it over Barcley who is now up to six points and Traksel (Intesa) takes a third place. The last of the set of seven is nabbed by Traksel over Tinkoff attacker Ilya Chernetsky and Gaywood nabs the third place.
The KOM competition is all over the place! Gaywood, Wei and Gerrens all have seven points and Barclay has six points. But with four more left its all to play for. But now we have a bit of a gap and at last a decent break can establish itself.
six man lead group
These six men with their current GC positions and if applicable KOM situation:
Gaywood (100% Me) - GC 39th at 49 seconds - KOM joint lead 7 points
Giaux (Ikea) - GC 20th at 20 seconds
Porte (Milka) - GC 61st at 4.02 - KOM 3 points
Chernetsky (Tinkoff) - GC 56th at 2.14 - KOM 2 points
Barclay (Youtube) - GC 65th at 5.00 - KOM 6 points
Traksel (Intesa) - GC 57th at 3.33 - KOM 3 points
Traksel has also 63 points in overall sprint comp (currently joint led by Loddo and Hutorovich on 90 points) so absolutely loads going on. But there is also a group of three trying to latch onto this group.
Desperate chasers
These are Burke (Youtube) - 54th at 2.07, Wei(Bbox) - 85th at 11.34 [KOM joint lead 7 points) and Tzortzakis(Falcon) 40th at 53 seconds. These riders are about a minute behind and truth be told are not good enough to get up to the lead six. The Pokerstars led peleton are back now 3.36 down. I think the KOM will come from the lead group or possibly the three behind.
The next landmark is a sprint at 71km, its a close run thing but Gaywood takes it over Traksel...
Simon beats Bobbie
Traksel moves to 67 points, this will not be that useful unless he can get to the end of the stage in the lead group. Gaywood takes the six bonuses to move himself forward, really him and Giaux could move themselves forward as GC contenders. Very soon afterwards we have the 8th KOM prime.
Milka man leads over.
Porte leads us over this one ahead of Traksel and Gaywood takes third and a very slender out right lead. Its Gaywood on 8, Wei/Gerrans on 7, Barclay/Porte on 6 and Traksel has 5 points. So now with 75 to go things have been tense all day but the rope has slackened.
e1: Lead 6 e2: 3 chasers at 1.51 e3: six new riders attack lethargic peleton at 2.25
These are:
Paolini (Pirelli) - 44th at 56 seconds, Arekejev (Tinkoff) 21st at 37 seconds, Ovechkin (Tinkoff) 13th at 35 seconds, Laloutte (Petronas) 60th at 3.56, Gottfried (Bbox) 51st at 2.05 and Lindgren (IKEA) 23rd at 39 seconds.
More riders coming out of the peleton.
The peleton is at 4 minutes and still is being controlled by Pokerstars. These six chasers quickly catch the 3 riders in e2. This gives Wei in particular a chance of catching the other six and taking KOM points. But another prime comes at 64 to go and the lead six are still well clear to collect points there....
Milka man again
Porte takes it, with Gaywood second and Giaux is third. This moves Gaywood up to 10 points but now with Porte in second on 9 points and Gerrens/Wei on 7 points, Barclay 6 and Traksel on 5. The winner of this comp will come from those riders. (Gerrens of course highly doubtful unless peleton speeds up). With 60 km to the chasing group has split up and the five strongest are making up ground on the breakaway.
e1: six riders e2: Paolini (Pirelli), Arekejev + Ovechkin (Tinkoff), Gottfried (Bbox) and Laloutte (Petronas) at 54 seconds e3: Tzortkazis (Falcon), Wei (Bbox), Lindgren (IKEA) and Burke (Youtube) at 2.08 Peleton at 2.53
Looks like Wei's KOM hopes have gone. The five riders make it to the lead six and the next prime sees the now group of 11 stretched.
Not a massive battle but important moments.
Its Arekejev who takes it from Gottfried and Paolini is third. With one prime left it will either be Porte or Gaywood. It seems as if nobody cares about these primes, actually with 3 Tinkoff riders in the break there is a real pace about it. They roll over the sprint and only Gottfried goes for it and gets it, with Ovechkin and Arekejev getting 2nd and 3rd. With 25k to go this is getting interesting:
Peleton is at 2 minutes and beginning to dwindle it has 50 riders left in it. The GC riders left in the peleton begin to eye the opportunity to bridge.
2nd in GC Bozic is going.
Also responding to this is Irishman Dan Martin...
Another good climber...
Finally two of the big favourites for the days stage go clearly marking each other!
F + F
Its Flugel (IKEA) and Froome (100% Me), both guys are reasonably placed on GC so this is a good move they both have riders up the road as well.
Meanwhile the break very disappointingly do not have a competition of the last KOM prime. Gottfried takes it over Laloutte and Ovechkin. This means that Simon Gaywood wins the KOM! 15km to go then up front 11 has become 9 as Barclay and one of the Tinkoff pace men Chernetsky have gone. Its...
lead 9 - > at 1.10 (Bozic, Martin, Barclay, Chernetsky) - > at 1.29 (Flugal, Froome) - > at 1.43 45 man peleton.
Tinkoff are feeling real good about this and with 11km to go Ovechkin goes and leads under the 10km to go banner.
Big day for Tinkoff
As if this was not enough we now see Kirylenka with the power to come out of the forever dwindling peleton.
Kirylenka bridges
The Russian is joined by Gerrans (Petronas) and Swift (100% Me), but Kirylenka does notice that the chasers are not all chasing hard. Flugel with Giaux up front the best GC placed is not working. The attacking Russian just rides away from them incredible. Up front though the other Russian attacker Ovechkin is brough back and with 5 km to go we have.
lead nine now look like they will make it
Under five to go these riders have 45 seconds on Kirylenka and 1.08 to the other chasers (Gerrens, Froome, Martin, Swift, Flugel, Bozic ) the peleton is at 2.17.
Its going to be Giaux against the two Russians Ovechkin and Arekejev for GC. The Ikea man knows a 2nd place will be enough, with Traksel and Gaywood also here in the break a sprint win will not be easy. One of those sprinting number is reduced though...
Gaywood falls.
Some of the riders have been coasting in final kilometers and when the sprint starts Pirelli normal lead out man Paolini jumps hard...
Its quite a gap already
Laloutte and Gottfried have tried to go with the powerful move. But this launched a bit early and Giaux knowing second place was enough steadily sprints himself up there. Traksel takes third but also the points jersey.
Great win for the Italian, thinking Loddo should lead him out!
These riders had a 26 second gap to the second group led over by Kirylenka.
Kirylenka, Flugal, Froome and Gerrans.
The pre-race favourites either left it too late or has team orders perhaps preventing them from crossing! Behind that is Bozic, Swift, Gaywood and Martin, kind of a nearly day for 100% Me really, at least Gaywood gets the KOM jersey. The peleton crosses 2.33 later.
