The race continues its ride over the Alpes. Two hard mountains to climb before a long descent will bring the riders into the finish.
It`s much harder to gain time on a stage like this as you normally need a gap already on the top but still we can expect a nice stage today.
Pluchkin was the strongest yesterday gaining time on his opponents and taking the leader jersey. Will he be able to defend it or will we see another change.
No group has been formed at the first intermediate sprint. Tschopp leads the peloton over the line with Suaza and Margaliot being next. No real fight for the points here.
12 riders in the first successful group start the first shorter climb. Rodriguez Segarra, Voss Margaliot, Ji Tschopp Camier Nepomnyachsniy Florencio Brizuela Kadri Duque Kocjan
A group of 3 are forming the first chasing group 56s back and already 1'30 ahead of the peloton. Broco Van Rensburg Edet
Behind B&O seems to be happy with the group. 2 riders do the full work in the peloton but allowing the group to get away.
Kocjan is the first, who can`t follow the pace in the breakaway still before the first mountain sprint.
When the breakaway got a 4min gap more attacks in the peloton. This time far more dangerous ones. Carrara Medvedev Ghisalberti Kangert
Especially first two are within 2min to race leader Pluchkin and should be watched.
Tschopp proves to be the strongest climber in the breakaway and takes the maximum 16 points ahead of Brizuela and Margaliot.
Nepomnyachsniy, Voss, Florencio and Camier are coming over the line next.
Medvedev reaches the group during the descent. The Russian was clearly the strongest of the new attackers.
1'24 behind Carrara, Kangert and Ghisalberti are trying to join them, too. Former breakaway rider Kocjan is also in this group.
Another 1'41 behind Edet, Van Rensburg, Duque and Broco seem to give up to reach the first groups.
So the peloton catches these 4 soon.
Next to B&O also Wiggle and Santander are doing the pace.
So we have 3 of the biggest favourites sending their riders to the front.
The other teams such as Festina, Pendleton`s or Vespa have riders in one of the groups, so they can still wait safely in the peloton.
Kadri takes the 2nd sprint with Medvedev and Margaliot following.
Bad luck for Intxausti. The Vesuvio leader crashes just before the 2nd climb. It`s pretty rainy at the moment and the other riders should be warned now.
Claerebout is trying to bring his leader back. Medvedev is in front riding in the break, so the Spaniard`s most important helper can`t support him right now.
A little bit later Intxausti reaches the end of the peloton. Now he must try to come back to the front quickly before the first attacks come. Just 24,5km to go.
Medvedev is the strongest climber now and so more and more riders can`t follow and fall back.
Tschopp, Nepomnyachsniy, Camier and Voss are the strongest next to him and the last men standing with the Russian.
Daniel Martin is the first with an attack with 18km to go. Loosli and Sinkewitz follow.
Martin reaches the Carrara group soon but the peloton also increased now not being far behind.
Most other favourites also attack now with 15km to go. Abal is starting the move with Pluchkin and Tenorio being the first to counter.
Behind Fothen, Hacecky, Pozzovivo and others are are increasing and try to bring the others back.
Ardila, Intxausti, Velits and Marquez are the poor guys, who missed the last split being 1min behind the peloton.
The favourite group is catching lots of the former breakaway. Camier is riding 42s ahead while the leading group is another 55s ahead.
Group Intxausti is still 1min behind.
Abal with another attack with 13km to go. He is looking very strong today. He is just 46s behind Pluchkin being 11th at the moment.
Again most other favourites follow this move. Pluchkin, Popovych, Martin and most others.
On top of the 2nd climb Medvedev takes the maximum amount. Tschopp is riding a bit behind taking 2nd and securing the KoM jersey. Nepomnyachsniy is the last of the former break to survive the mountain.
Pluchkin comes over the top with a small gap next ahead of Fothen, Denifl, Popovych, Abal, Martin and Pozzovivo.
Medvedev gained some time again and had a 16s gap to Tschopp.
Pluchkin is another 1'24 back, 16s to the next group.
49s later the next favourites around Intxausti, Velits, Ardila, Gomez Marchante, Marquez and Henao need a good descent.
Especially Suisse team UBS can`t be pleased at the moment with both leaders being behind.
Medvedev kept his advance and wins todays stage. He will also improve in the overall but how far will be seen later.
27s later Tschopp comes in 2nd and misses a Suisse win by just a little bit today.
Pluchkin finishing 3rd taking a few bonus seconds. Pity for him the next riders are counted the same time. 1'10 later than Medvedev, This means the Russian climbs up to 3rd in the overall ranking just 16s behind Pluchkin and same time with Tenorio.
Even better for Vesuvio that the Intxausti group was able to regroup and doesn`t lose time today.
Therefore bad news for Jack Wolfskin`s Ten Dam. After crashing he has to abandon the race.
And he is not the only one. Quite a few riders can`t finish inside the time limit including Milka`s Nepomnyachsniy, who obviously must have crashed on the last descent as well.
These riders are: Bos, Peeters, Vandousselaere Drapac, Sentjens Ratto, Rowe Johansson De Vocht Ford Jorgensen Gazvoda
