In yesterdays stage we saw that this stage race is far from predictable, with the sheer volume of climbs on the menu in most stages making for some very exciting racing. Whilst the time gaps may have been small every second could count in the final shake up and it certainly makes a change from the everyone finishes on the same time routine in the European peleton.
The third stage (and second road stage) has a nasty 20 + km climb about two-thirds of the way though it called the Alto de Chitlas and the finale is on a slight incline into Socorro. It could be a difficult one for the attacking Pirelli team to defend, whose shoes are firmly on the other foot today. In fact, one of the very riders who was trying to control in the peleton yesterday is one of our early attackers.
Rui Costa (Benfica) is joined by Page (Youtube)
Just the two men up the road here perhaps indicating some tired legs in the peleton already, guys only 12 more tough stages after today! Youtube will probably feature in a number of breakaways here, their main GC man will be Oliver Zaugg but he may struggle against the strongest men. These two roll over the first sprint point (Costa first, then Page) as the few sprinters in the peleton had a battle won by Manarelli (Red Bull). Page though cannot really live with Rui Costa on the climbs, Sport Lisboa have few men on their squad who do not climb mountains well.
Costa drops Page on the first incline
Rui Costa takes the first KOM points ahead of a fading Page and three riders attack out of the peleton for the minor placings. Zaugg (Youtube) takes third over Ndbri and Orozco is the third rider here. These three riders carry on with their move and catch/drop Page.
Three man chase group
With a Pirelli man on the move looking to defend his KOM jersey the chase work in the peleton falls to Lego and Quiksliver.
Trying to keep the breaks under control
Both teams will feel happy with yesterdays work with Gil and Martinez gaining some time on some of their rivals. Today may be an opportunity once more, though the three men up the road are also not really riders you want to get away from you.
Meanwhile Rui Costa is climbing very smoothly, his lead is not really coming down even though he is now on the long 20km main climb of the day.
Here there be mountains
The three chasers will feel more of a threat and the peleton is not really allowing them to get comfortable. Nethertheless they are still trying to maintain a gap for KOM points at least as they climb about a minute ahead of a reducing peleton.
Zaugg, Ndbri and Orozco try to maintain tempo
There are two KOM points really for the price of one at the top of this one as soon after the 10 point prime there is a 4 point one. Rui Costa is clocking up the points here by taking both comfortably.
Point bagging trip by Costa
Behind though, KOM leader Ndbri is doing a fine job of defending his lead by taking second at the first prime over Orozco. By the time we get to the second though it is Zaugg who takes second just ahead of an attacking Parra Pinto (Yamaha) from the peleton. Ndbri will be sage in his beloved polkadot jersey for another day with a four point lead over todays main protagonist Rui Costa.
Parra Pinto’s attack comes to nothing as the peleton reel in all the breakaways apart from Costa who still has a handy three and a half minute lead with 20km to go. Pirelli now look to close it down by enough to protect Iban Mayo’s lead.
Pirelli power
However this slight uphill finale and reduced peleton sees the GC men active eyeing an opportunity for some more cheap seconds over their rivals. It is Koldo Gil who initiates followed by Van den Broeck and Hesjedal.
Three GC men try to gain some seconds
There are bonifications for second and third so this will also be on the minds of these favourites, Gil though fades back to the peleton leaving VdB and Hesj to fight it out for the second place.
Two man sprint for second
Van den Broeck and Hesjedal are very decent all rounders who can both climb and sprint well – though perhaps not as well as the best. This is an ideal opportunity for them to gain a little bit on rivals before the big mountains. Meanwhile Costa has enough in the tank to take a brilliant stage win.
Solo stage wins becoming a Benfica speciality
The second place is won by Van den Broeck too, showing yesterdays rough stage is a blip for Benfica.
VdB - > Hesjedal
Credit to Pirelli though as they have maintained both Ndbri’s KOM lead and Mayo’s GC led for another day. Of course, things do not get any easier tomorrow not many easy flat stages on this tour!
