Andorra hosts the big mountain top finish that looks set to decide the fate of this year's Volta.
Petar Panayotov
is our surprise leader and the Bulgarian may well look to count upon Tiago Machado
for support in today's tough stage.
Spanish riders such as yesterdays stage winner Rubén Plaza
prologue winner Justo Tenorio
the on form Vesuvio stable's Beñat Intxausti
UBS mercenary José Angel Gomez Marchante
Cafe de Colombia refugee David Abal
and Festina superstar Alberto Contador
are hoping to do something today. Though the cautious Spanish bookmakers are not offering generous odds on Moldovan megastar Aleksandr Pluchkin
or wildcard climber José Rujano
for todays stage. It looks wide open with gaps small on general classification.
It will be the King of the Mountains that will take plenty of interest early on with a number of 16 point for the winner climbs out there today.
Five riders lead going up the first of those climbs: Óscar Pereiro Sio Matej Vysna Jude Libert Thomas Frei
and Didac Ortega
None of these riders are a threat on classification and also cannot get that far away from the peloton to prevent another attacker coming forward and taking the points.
It's Chris Barton
who snatches the points ahead of Matej Vysna
and Marcus Burghardt
No-one gains points here who is any threat at all to Paolo Scarponi
lead with 38 King of the Mountains points.
But if someone was to win a number of these climbs they would soon reel in the Italian. A 12 man break forms by the next climb.
This involves Barton, Vysna, Burghardt, Libert, Pererio, Frei, Ortega and new names David Claerebout Yonathan Monsalve Jurgen Van Goolen Egoi Martínez de Esteban Philip Deignan
Some curses in the commentary booth as Behnam Khalilikhosroshani
tries to bridge alone.
At the second King of the mountains the break seems more interested in carrying on the momentum rather than attacking to take the points.
Martinez gets the 16 point prize ahead of Libert (who moves onto 20 KoM points), and Claerebont (14). This really is good news for Scarponi back in the peloton.
The pack reside some eight minutes back of the break with 100km to go with the intrepid Webeffect rider Khalilikhosroshani right in the middle at four minutes either side.
Jack Wolfskin will be pleased that Plaza has got his nose ahead of a number of other GC rivals after winning yesterdays stage 2. The take the responsibility to chase with B and O here.
The pace though cannot be that quick as Bernhard Kohl
launches over 75km to go till the finish.
An incredible move from the Austrian who has looked to attack often in this years Volta, he is perhaps still settling into his new Sony team and indeed Protour life. He is making a big early effort on this tough mountain stage and passes Khalilikhosroshani with 50 kilometres to go.
He has 3 minutes to the break at this point 50km from the finish line and has gained a minute and a half on the steadily moving peloton. By the foot of the steeper portion of the third KoM climb he is on the back of the breakaway and nearly three minutes clear of the peloton.
It's a great little ride by Kohl but will this effort be worth anything?
It seems to encourage other attacks as now Denis Menchov
attacks
He is marked by Rein Taaramäe Yasmani Martinez Rafael Valls Walter Pedraza
Up front we have our next King of the Mountains and finally a rider looks hungry to take Scarponi's jersey with Jude Libert
taking it out ahead of Chris Barton
and Thomas Frei
This moves Libert onto 36 KoM points and Barton onto 28 KoM points. The American decides to keep his attack going as he nips past Libert toward the 4th prime that is only worth 10 points to teh winner.
Libert is pretty wasted after going for that effort but Carmuese have a new rider in the mix as the Menchov group joins the break and Taaramae attacks past Barton to deny the Wikipedia top prize and moving alongside Scarponi.
Barton can only get second ahead of Pedraza which moves him to 36 KoM points with Libert - which makes it likely that Scraponi will hold the jersey for another day.
Everything seems to be getting neutralised as we move onto the final official climb.
No-one seems ready to attack or put the pace on here and some shadow boxing begins. Ever alert to outside oppurtunites Sony Ericsson ease Walter Pedraza
with Rein Taaramäe
off the front.
Pearl Adidas decide to make a sensible pace, though probably not so sensible that they are doing it with Tiago Machado
He does though make a good pace that is catching some major favourites unawares, amazingly a group of 15 forms at the front. Examine the names: Machado, Panayotov Kohl, Pedraza Intxausti, Claerebont Menchov, Martin, Deignan Marcus Burghardt Rein Taaramäe Rafael Valls Egoi Martínez de Esteban Timofey Kritskiy
There is a huge amount of favourites playing about behind and it is David Abal
leading them a minute behind our lead group of 15 riders.
8.2km till the end: Claerbont, Burghardt, Martinez, Deignan drop back.
They are soon followed seemingly by Barton, but a shame for Pearl Adidas whose leader Machado is causing the damage as Kohl and Panayotov are starting to struggle.
7.4km to go: Sensing Machado is easing off, Pedraza attacks to keep the pressure on Taaramae and Menchov respond.
The favourites behind the front group are still watching each other, finally though José Rujano
loses his patience and attacks.
This proves to light the touchpaper as green jersey wearer Rubén Plaza
and Justo Tenorio David Abal Alberto Contador
and white jersey wearer Aleksandr Pluchkin
move forward.
Also joining the fun is José Angel Gomez Marchante
but Robert Kiserlovski
cannot quite make it across.
It is Taaramae who leads us now under the 5km to go banner:
He is just ahead if a 16 man favourites group
Machado/Panayotov (Pearl Adidas)
Martin/Menchov (Pendletons)
Pedraza/Kohl (Sony)
Valls/Tenorio (Santander)
Plaza (Jack Wolfskin)
Rujano (Pokerstars)
Intxausti (Vesuvio)
Pluchkin (B + O)
Contador (Festina)
Abal (Cafe de Colombia)
Gomez Marchante (UBS)
4.2km to go: Rujano leads the catch of Taaramae.
3.8km to go: Panayotov is in trouble again, dangling off the back.
3.3km to go: He claws his way back overtaking a falling back Kohl
The Austrian hooks up with Kiserlowski
Behind him Rohregger, Suaza, Rodrigues and Martinez are trying to bridge.
The favourites are still eyeing each other up, the devil placed himself at 2.2km to go expecting to see a big attack. He urges the riders ATTACK!
2.2km to go: No real attack, but Pluchkin eeks out a gap.
Plaza/Contador/Intxausti/Rujano/Tenorio watch on with
Martin/Pedraza/Gomez Marchante/Taaramae behind.
The others begin to lose touch especially a really on the limit Panayotov.
Sensing the danger with Pluchkin eases off the front Intxausti from the on fire Vesuvio outfit manages to muster the strength to bridge.
Behind it is Pedraza who can respond dragging Contador, Rujano and Tenorio with him.
Wow Panayotov is able to battle his way back again, sadly for Pearl really Machado seems to be waiting for him.
1km to go: Intxausti leads into the finale over Pluchkin
Pedraza is still trying to get back with his three followers.
Meanwhile further back Martin is trying to help Plaza chase back.
700m left: Pluchkin tries to kick on.
Behind Contador launches a devastating kick.
The Festina man is flying, Pluchkin and Intxausti suddenly appear in range.
The line is approaching, Pluchkin could be denied again.
Anyone of the three could win, Intxausti has just about got his nose in front of Pluchkin but Contador is approaching fast.
On the line Intxausti takes the win for Vesuvio.
Once again a Spanish rider denies Pluchkin, Intxausti not having to attack to bridge to that earlier split seemed to help him have something special there.
These three have a gap of over 30 seconds to the next bunch of riders led home by Rujano.
Pedraza is fifth with Tenorio 6th and then a small gap to Plaza/Taaramae/Gomez Marchante/Martin
Abal loses a bit and he is followed by a group with Menchov, Machado, Kritskiy and Valls with Panayotov a little way back.
It was a pretty brave battle by the Bulgarian there who drops down to 6th overall behind our new leader Pluchkin who leads by 12 seconds to Intxausti and 17 to Contador.
