Reus will hope to defend the race lead, but Koren and Ignatiev will both fancy their chances of challenging him.
But can we rule out those who lost more time in the time trial, but are capable of gaining more back today? Ben Nasser is the stage favourite, and he isnt the only potential threat. The stage ending hill is certainly a tough one - so anything is possible.
The breakaway:
Didier
Tolleson
Pantano Gomez
Williams
Degenkolb
Novak
Cooper
Petrie-Armstrong
The first sprint:
1
Tolleson
2
Degenkolb
3
Didier
The first KoM is the first of three times that the big climb of the day is ridden. Theres some steep slopes, but what the breakaway only cares about is the top - the winner of the KoM competition is likely to be found within this group
1
Pantano Gomez
2
Tolleson
3
Novak
And as the peloton take this climb, a group of 43 is dropped! Most notable is Vansummeren, who shouldnt really be here, and best young rider Schadlich who is expected to struggle today. The peloton does regroup though as the break reach the 2nd sprint.
1
Didier
2
Degenkolb
3
Cooper
Soon eyes turn back to the peloton though with another split! This time 58 are caught out, again including Vansummeren and Schadlich as well as Ma, Bonnet, Lloyd, and others. And we havent even reached the second ascent of the main climb yet!
6 minutes up the road, the breakaway are on their way to the 2nd KoM though, and so the battle commences at the top.
1
Novak
2
Tolleson
3
Pantano Gomez
Remarkably, this is the same Top 3 as at the first climb, only reversed! All 3 are now on 16 KoM points, and unless they stay away to the finish that would mean that the KoM jersey is shared by the three of them!
Back to the peloton again and Volkswagen-Siemens are tearing it up on the climb and create a new split! An elite group of 15.
Brenes, Anacona, Zabel, Reus Kirchen, Vorganov, Tzortzakis Ben Nasser, Kopp Capecchi, Longo Borghini Shikai, Hiratsuka Salguiero Kern
Vansummeren is back in the main peloton and now leads it in pursuit of these 15, with help from Mandri, and a Rothaus rider. On the descent, it all comes back together.
22km to go - just before a short steep hill. The break leads by 2 and a half minutes, and 5 riders attack
Salerno
Agnoli
Szmyd
Doi
Richardson
Ben Nasser follows and commences to power the attack, and it's chaos behind with a chasing group of just 22 riders,
Those 22 catch the 6 and under 10km to go, the break are in sight.
The group of 28 are:
Koren
Richardson
Salerno
Longo Borghini
Santambrogio
Skuijns
Szmyd
Shikai
Lloyd
Hiratsuka
Doi
Kern
Kopp
Ben Nasser
Kirchen
Vorganov
Veloso
Cherel
Salgueiro
Anacona
Reus
Brenes
Rovny
Brutt
Ignatiev
Bosisio
Agnoli
Pineau
The next 20 arent too far behind though with Hesjedal amongst those leading the chasing. He would be Rothaus' best bet for the day, but it seems like he is in domestique duties - for Velits perhaps? Higher up GC wise - both 2nd and 3rd in GC are in this 20: Rolland and Elijzen. Rolland is isolated, but Elijzen has Vansummern helping the chase.
8km to go and the climbing begins. Richardson immediately attacks, Ben Nasser follows
They pass the breakaway, which is good for them as Cherel has brought the rest of the group up to the break aswell.
Ben Nasser really puts the hammer down, and Richardson can do nothing
Richardson is soon caught, with Lloyd relaying, and you can see that the chasing group of 20 is close to regaining contact
Lloyd keeps on going, trying to close the gap to Ben Nasser - already up to 40 seconds - and suddenly theres nobody behind him, he has a gap!
Behind him, a group of 12:
Kern
Szmyd
Kirchen
Pineau
Bosisio
Richardson
Reus
Santambrogio
Vorganov
Koren
Cherel
Rovny
A key development here is that Ignatiev is missing!
Now for a weird move. Having created the split, Meiji team leader Lloyd stops by the side of the road. It seems he has been ordered to wait, but why??? The only Meiji riders he could be waiting for are Doi, Shikai and Hiratsuka ... who are all lower than Lloyd in the GC.
With Ignatiev missing, and Reus making the split, is the race sewn up for Reus then? Not at all! Ben Nasser is on a charge. 1'18 down on GC, with 20 bonus seconds for victory surely his, and the gap is up to 53 seconds - Reus provisional GC lead is hanging by a thread, at just 5 seconds! And theres only 1 kilometre to go!
Kirchen now attacks, and knowing the danger - and perhaps importance of bonus seconds available - Reus is quick to follow
Ignatiev wakes up now aswell and attacks out of his group. Following him is Bobridge, who has climbed well given that he was not in the 28 man peloton at the start of the climb!
Up front, stage victory is guaranteed for Ben Nasser. He celebrates, but will he soon be celebrating more?
Following Kirchen and Reus in attacking were Koren and Bosisio and the four are clear of the rest of their group. Sprinting it out to the line, it is Reus who takes 2nd and 12 vital bonus seconds. Is it enough to hold onto the race lead?
Kirchen takes 3rd, then Koren 4th and Bosisio 5th.
Solo in 6th is Pineau
Szymd is also awarded a gap to himself in 7th
Kern is 8th, Richardson 9th.
Santambrogio just does enough to make sure he is given the same time as those two as he takes 10th - just beating Vorganov and Ignatiev, the latter's resurgence coming far too late.
Next we have Rovny in 13th, before Cherel and Bobridge. Crucially Bobridge has limited his losses to Rovny, and so wins the best young rider competition ahead of the Russian.
The time gaps are in for the battle that matters aswell. Ben Nasser won the stage from Reus by 43 seconds. That isnt enough, so Kai Reus wins the Tour of the Czech Republic! Ben Nasser does move up to 2nd overall, while Koren and Kirchen are rewarded for their efforts today with 3rd and 4th in GC.
Ignatiev must settle for 5th in GC after two dissapointing performances on the stages that counted, while Bobridge, Veloso, Bosisio, Santambrogio and Vorganov all climb into the top 10 after today.
Rolland slips from 2nd to 11th overall, while Elijzen falls all the way to 21st from 3rd. Schadlich, Hushovd, Bodnar and Ma are other big losers.
Vaitkus wins the points jersey, the 3 riders from the break (Novak, Tolleson and Pantano Gomez) share the KoM jersey, and Jayco-Red Bull win the teams classification.
