It`s by far the shortest stage and leads over 9 laps a 7km. It`s pretty flat so the sprinters will get a chance to conquer the yellow jersey today.
Stage favourites are Assan Bazajev (Di Nucci)
and Sung Baek Park (Manan).
But also Feillu, Haidar Anuawar, Gavazzi, De Fauw and Haedo have to be mentioned.
Two riders attacked just before the first intermediate sprint. Cheung Le Gac
In this order they also passed the sprint with Cheung`s team mate Haidar Anuawar being the winner of the peloton.
Pirelli mainly focusses on the sprints, so no surprise that they do the pace behind. They are supported by a single Focus rider.
It`s the same order on the 2nd sprint and Cheung is taking another 6 bonus seconds.
This time Sung Baek Park is taking the last points.
Quinziato (7th/+2s) with a nice attack 25km to the finish. No one is following, so he tries solo.
No changes at the last intermediate. Again Cheung wins the small sprint and so he collected 18s today.
Quinziato being third here annulled the 2s from yesterdays time trial to Morizot.
15km to go and the huge Pirelli/Meiji train caught Quinziato again. The first fights for the best positions are starting.
Obviously he isn`t pleased yet. Quinziato gives it another try with 2 laps to go.
But again not succesful. With 10km to go all 3 riders are back in the peloton.
7 Pirelli riders at the front now. That`s an impressive sprint train here.
With 5km to go Assan Bazajev has still Di Nucci and Kinney ahead of him.
Behind him Haedo has the perfect position ahead of Park and Feillu.
A bit later all the other sprinters are behind this train in a long line. Only Manan is missing as Meiji could have done their own train otherwise.
With 3km to go Di Nucci is leading Bazajev perfectly.
And with 1km to go he overtakes his team mate but bringing some of the others with him.
In the last corner Haedo had the shorter way and overtakes Bazayev. Also Park is coming closer and closer.
Heado continues with Aker`s great debut season so far and celebrates another win this season.
Park and Feillu are coming next with a slightly disappointed Bazajev as 4th.
Also great news for Oz Cycling. Haedo lost too much time in the time trial yesterday, so Cheung collected enough bonus seconds to take the overall lead.
