Whilst stage 3 had the toughest finish of the race it would be a mistake to believe that things are sorted now for the final time trial.
Stage 4 has with the exception of the cat 3 Alto De Itziar early on a flattish profile for the first half of the stage. But the last half is brutal with six climbs four of which are categorised and we finish up the five kilometre ramp the 'Ibardin'.
It's a short stage at just 133km but will be tough one to control of Robert Gesink's Project 1t4i team against the hilly monsters.
Several decent riders are trying to get clear on that early climb with Summerhill leading the moves trying to pick his teams fortunes up.
Caruso 18th on GC at 2.45, Kwiatkowski 24th on GC at 3.05 Van Goolen 37th on GC at 7.39 join Summerhill, who leads over the top ahead of Caruso and Kwiatkowski.
This move is not allowed any leeway though and is soon swallowed. 25km up the road and we have a new group of 10 riders clear.
Di Maggio 22nd at 3.05 is the headline name here.
Kwiatkowski, Van Goolen and Caruso are also here. Facci Hernandez Gutierrez Pardilla Mollema Morizot Bugge also are here.
This is not particularly palatable for the pack with Lotto, UBS, Pendletons, Calgiant helping 1t4i chase.
The break is reeled in but Pardilla, Morizot and Facci get clear just before the catch.
It's a safe trio of escapees Morizot being best paced on GC at 11.48. However Venchi put a fly in the ointment as Sagan (17th at 2.45) chases across with Ulissi.
The dangerous Sagan, who is leading the young rider standings is allowed to go by the pack who realise they cannot chase everything.
Onto the two big second category climbs we have this lead five who have forged a four minute gap on the pack with 55km to go.
Ulissi having scored 20 KoM points already attacks for the points (the others in the break having scored no KoM points are uninterested).
Ulissi seizes control over the KoM comp by taking the overall lead in the competition at the next second category summit.
It places the Italian top with 40 points over that stage 1 trio, who have led the competition since then.
The pack meanwhile are chasing as the lead had got to touching five minutes with B and O helping 1t4i out.
Sagan sprints clear to take the sprint prime.
Here is today's last 30kms.
The lead five advantage has dropped fairly quickly to 2.30, they should make it to the 2nd category climb.
Ulissi makes it three second cats out of three moving to 50 KoM points.
The others in the break have scored:
Morizot 20
Pardilla 16
Sagan 14
Facci 10
Drama meanwhile in the pack as Di Maggio who was sitting near the back is detached.
Craven and Favilli are trying to bring him back.
The break meanwhile are proving a tough but to crack holding this two minute lead into the last twenty kilometres.
It means another prime for Sagan.
Schumacher (11th at 1.33) decides to put in a dig at this penultimate sprint prime.
Koeniggsegg are now the big chasers, they allow Schmucher to dangle 20 seconds clear for a couple of kilometres as the five man breaks lead reduces to about a minute.
12km to go: A Wiggle riders attacks the now 85 man pack.
It's Ponzi!
Meanwhile as the five man break surrenders, one of its group puts in a final assault in Pardilla.
Schumacher and Ponzi are reeled in, with Kangert stringing the pack out over the last rise before the finishing climb.
Pardilla takes the last sprint hotspot over Sagan.
5km left we have.
Pardilla leads Sagan at 13 seconds Facci, Ulissi, Morizot at 40 seconds
85 man pack at 55 seconds
Group Di Maggio at 7.41 (!)
Mercurial climber Rujano (25th on GC at 4.07) attacks the final climb overhaul all of the break bar Pardilla.
Three km to go: He joins Pardilla
It's all about to explode behind as Van Den Broeck, Keinath, Trofimov, Schleck and Gesink look to attack.
Monfort and Hagen also join in.
2km left:
Rujano, Pardilla lead
Van Den Broeck, Keinath, Gesink, Trofimov, Schleck at 25 seconds
Monfort, Hagen at 47 seconds
Pack at 1.21
1.75km left: Pardilla drops off Rujano as Van Den Broeck powers the five man favourites group.
Claeys, Frank, Sagan, Nepomnyachsniy, Rabottini, Bakelants, Schumacher and Ponzi are also trying to move clear.
1.5km out: Having used VdB to reel in Rujano, Schleck now looks to attack Gesink and Trofimov.
1.2km to go: Five riders are clear
Schleck and Gesink look strong as they draw level with Rujano. Trofimov is battling the impressive Van Den Broeck.
Behind Keinath is alone just ahead of Pardilla and Hagen.
Monfort is joined by Claeys, Bakelants, Schumacher et al.
800m left Schleck, Gesink and Rujuno duke it out.
Trofimov has lost the wheels here as he battles with Van Den Broeck for 4th and 5th. Keinath and Hagen are alone behind ahead of Pardilla and the other favourites.
Monfort, Schumahcer, Claeys, Bakelants, Ponzi, Gilbert and Nepomnyachsniy.
Up front Schleck seems to have the best legs today.
He celebrates looking down his nose at Gesink.
Gesink though will be happy enough to have kept the leaders jersey by nabbing second. Nice attack from Rujano showing himself on the most 'mountainous' day.
Trofimov will lose at least bonus time and maybe a bit more to his podium rivals Schleck and Gesink. he finishes behind Van Den Broeck who had another brilliant day.
Keinath also had a good day but is it will be close to see if he loses a place on GC to Van Den Broeck.
Hagen finishes alone in 7th, but ahead of Bakelants so he could move up on GC.
Bakelants sprints home ahead of Schumacher, Monfort, Ponzi and Pardilla.
Sagan took control of that young riders jersey, Bobridge has struggled on this climb and we have seen no attacks from Tejay Van Garderen with Sagan's teammate Di Maggio way back.
