Tough stage already early in the race. 7 hills on 164km to the finish. In especially the final circuit with a Cat.3 each lap will surely be a great opportunity for an attack.
Race leader Cancellara is a decent puncheur but can he keep contact with the best today?
After a few attacks during the first climb, it is Grippo attacking for the KoM. Behind him Summerhill and Ortega.
Those three then also form the breakaway as no new attacks appeared and the peloton obviously is fine with them.
Simply Red Bull still has the leader jersey. So it`s no surprise that they send Cominelli and Viviani to the front controlling the gap a bit.
Summerhill the strongest on the next hill as he is taking the Cat.3 ahead of Grippo. Ortega not really interested or was he too weak?
Probably not as the Spaniard is taking "revenge" just a little bit later to take the next KoM. Summerhill and Grippo follow.
Bouygues Telecom wants to bring Bakelants to the GC win here and so they higher the pace. 85km to go and ~6min.
Also Pokerstars for Ginanni is seen at the front. So is Festina for Ricco.
That double climb here was really tough and many riders has lost contact.
Mentionable probably Malori, Siutsou, Furdi, Favilli or Aru.
Some of those though are able to make it back. Siutsou and Furdi were probably badly placed as they are normally too strong to struggle on those climbs. But also Malori is back as he is sitting in a good GC position after yesterdays prologue. But he probably won`t be able to defend it.
Cat.4 and Summerhill again the stongest ahead of Ortega and Grippo. So far they are sharing the points a lot and it could be a thrilling fight until the next mountain sprints.
60km and still 4'30 for the breakaway. Festina, Bouygues and Pokerstars still doing the main work in front. The peloton is down to 127 riders.
47km and the first attacks out of the peloton. And surprisingly it`s Siutsou, who was dropped earlier.
He is followed by Sinkewitz, Preidler and also Furdi, who is the 2nd former dropped rider here.
The finish line is passed for the first time. So the first ascent will start soon. The four recent attackers still with a gap chasing the breakaway at the moment.
First time the hill is passed for the breakaway at least. Summerhill taking 6 more points with Ortega and Grippo coming next.
109 riders left in the peloton and one rider is pretty far behind and was even dropped for a moment: Van Garderen.
The US American should go to the front rows soon. Otherwise his GC chances are gone before the race really started.
The two groups in front fusion and we have 7 riders in the lead now.
30km left and 2'10 for those.
Realizing that the peloton is slowly closing the gap and being on the 2nd uphill part, Sinkewitz goes solo. He probably was the strongest puncheur in that group and with Valverde still being in the peloton, Team Vueling played their cards nicely so far.
Also some action in the peloton. Ricco attacks with 26km to go. Who is going to follow?
Surely you can`t ignore one of the top favourites.
Schleck and Ginanni are first. Together they are a bit behind the Italian and also parts of the former breakaway is dropping back to them.
Back in the peloton Boasson Hagen has sent his team mate and luxury helper Levarlet to the front.
Immediately the peloton splits again and only 80 riders are able to follow with many more struggling.
Sinkewitz still in front with Siutsou, Preidler and Furdi following 30s later.
Then with a 22s gap Ricco another 21s ahead of Schleck.
Ginanni couldn`t follow and is 15s behind together with the morning breakaway.
Only 14s behind the big group of now 75 riders including more puncheurs like Boasson Hagen, Cunego, Ponzi, Van Garderen, Bakelants, Gilbert...
Those actually attack now: Cunego Boasson Hagen Ponzi Van Garderen Gilbert Pozzato Bakelants Valverde
So good news for Wikipedia to see Van Garderen being active again instead of hanging around in the 2nd half of the peloton.
In the end though those attacks just brought back Ginanni, while Ricco/Schleck etc. are still a bit in front.
So another attack: Bakelants Ginanni Boasson Hagen Cunego Ponzi
and new in this wave: Roux
All others are staying in the peloton this time.
Bpost for van der Hugenhaben doing the pace behind. And as you can see the gap is not that big.
Once again Ginanni with problems to follow the others. Together with Roux he is behind the group of top favourites ahead. That said the group around Schleck/Ricco fusioned with the Boasson Hagen/Bakelants group and only Sinkewitz is still 48s ahead.
The gap became smaller but still he is the first to go onto the last climb.
Cunego, Schleck, Ponzi, Ricco, Hagen, Bakelants follow 37s later.
Former attackers Furdi, Siutsou and Preidler can`t follow and drop back.
Ginanni and Roux with a 28s gap to the Cunego group, while the peloton is another 31s back. 50 riders still in there.
Close to the top Sinkewitz is caught and we have a new situation as surprisingly Ricco has problems to follow.
The Italian is following the 6 in front with a small gap. 24s with ~10km left. Still time to come back on the descent.
Behind those a new group has formed: Van der Hugenhaben Gilbert Valverde Van Garderen Ginanni
Can they make it back, too?
A little bit further behind a duo next: Sagan Roux
They obviously are not belonging to the strongest puncheurs but show a nice fight today.
Around the corner still Preidler, Siutsou and Furdi together with Vanendert now.
The peloton another 50s behind.
Cancellara most likely will lose his jersey today. But he is not giving up yet as he is chasing on his own. Behind him some B&O jerseys as Guldhammer belongs to those being left in here.
Also mentionable names still in the peloton: Levarlet Caruso Boom Pozzato
who all three have a team mate in front even though in Pozzato`s case not a stronger one actually.
Then also some teams, who completely did not make it into the attacks such as: Rovny Ben Nasser
5,5km left and Sinkewitz struggles on that short wave before the finish.
Meanwhile Sagan and Roux made it back to the Valverde/Gilbert group being 7 riders now. 17s behind them Vanendert still trying to join them.
But the gap to the front is already more than 1min.
Ricco and Sinkewitz are still a bit behind the top5 and those accelerate once again. Bakelants goes with Schleck immediately following. How great were their duels in recent seasons. So it`s nice to see them still battleing it out.
The Belgium actually opened a small gap and looks strong here.
Cunego, Ponzi, Boasson Hagen and Schleck 8s behind while Ricco/Sinkewitz have already a 36s gap.
56s for the next group.
Cunego closing the gap to Bakelants. Behind him Ponzi and Boasson Hagen, while Schleck is probably the weakest sprinter in that group.
Flamme Rouge though not reached yet. It`s gonna be a long sprint.
Bakelants still fighting with Ponzi now passing Cunego. Boasson Hagen a bit behind while Schleck must be careful to not get gapped here.
Bakelants no longer in the lead as Ponzi goes by. He surely is the strongest sprinter here, so not the biggest surprise. And still 750m to go!
Schleck is beaten already and also Boasson Hagen does not look like he could come back.
Ponzi seems to win the stage but who is taking the 2nd? Bakelants still in the lead for that fight with Cunego trying to pass him.
Big win for Ponzi. With quite a gap he takes todays stage. Will this one be rewarded by the officials?
Yes. It is. Great news for Good Energy.
Cunego as 2nd gets a 8s gap with Bakelants, Boasson Hagen and Schleck all in that same group. So lucky Schleck was able to hang on until the end and Boasson Hagen being a nice puffer in between of course.
Ricco was very unlucky today. After being in that winning group first he lost contact again and was not able to come back. Together with Sinkewitz, who showed a strong race after attacking earlier, he comes in with a 58s gap. This will surely hurt the Festina rider as he needs to gain that back in case to win the GC.
Gilbert wins the sprint for 8th ahead of Van Garderen, Valverde, Roux and Sagan. +1'43 though which is quite a lot to get into the GC podium fight again.
Surprisingly only 5 riders in here!
Ginanni and Van der Hugenhaben lost contact in the end and lose another 16s.
Vanendert showed a great fight until the end but could never made it into the group. So he is reducing his loss with 2'22 though.
Guldhammer apparently created a gap on the final kilometers as he jumped out of the peloton. He almost reached Vanendert losing 2'49 today. His strongest stage might be the 4th though.
Behind him two more riders did attack the peloton in the end and come in solo: Pozzato (+3'07) Ben Nasser (+3'35)
4'05 in the end for the peloton who never gave up as B&O took the pace high for a long time as also Cancellara who tried everything.
Damiano Caruso wins the sprint against Lars Boom. Also in here Cancellara, Levarlet, Rovny as also the morning breakaway and former attackers.
New GC leader though will be Ponzi ahead of Cunego and Boasson Hagen. Cancellara keeps the point jersey though with Summerhill conquering the KoM lead.
No abandons today as all riders made it inside the time limit and no crashes.
