And back to the stages for the sprinters. Heavy winds and rain are forecast for most of the day. It is interesting to note just how much of an effect the weather is having on this race – it has been causing gaps and difficulties the whole time. Speaking of difficulties, there are two climbs today. There is a small hill on the run up to the main climb to Benwerrin. This climb is only 4.4% on average but at 9.6km in length it isn’t exactly easy.
First to try to make a break today is Kairelis.
He is quickly joined by: Marcato Ariesen Pietropolli Pineau
Soon afterwards Matthews and Opie bridge up creating our lead group of 7. They all go through the first check together, with Ariesen leading over ahead of Marcato and then Pietropolli.
The next rider to bridge up is Petrie-Armstrong.
And then, much more dangerously we get Gerrans attempting to get away. Though he isn’t a threat on GC he is a strong enough rider to be able to help this break stay away to the end.
The pace is still fairly high, causing Caminiti to fall. He gets back without too much trouble, however, but it does slow Hollister’s chase slightly.
Up front, meanwhile, Pineau goes over the top first. He was the only one to fight for the points. He came in to today with 3 points already and this brings his total to 9. If he wins the 16 points at the top of the next climb he will take the mountain jersey. Kairelis is second and Opie is in third.
Gerrans crosses the summit 1’55” behind the leaders and the peloton are another 1’12” behind him. They are either unwilling or unable to match his pace uphill.
Ariesen leads onto the second climb of the day, which is almost 10km long with an average of 4.4%. the only truly difficult part is close to the beginning where it maxes out at around 10% for a short time.
Gerrans is only 1’29” behind the break at the beginning of the climb and the peloton have resigned themselves to letting him get away, being now another 2’20” behind. In fact so good is Gerrans uphill that he catches the break within the next kilometre just as the road hits the 10% section. He comes straight to the front and helps pace, not trying to hurt anyone’s legs too badly.
At the summit Pineau is once again uncontested, taking the 16 points and the mountain jersey. He can’t lose it from here as these are the last mountain points on offer in the entire race. Pietropolli takes second place and Petrie-Armstrong is in third.
The gap is out to 7’19” over the top as the rain stops. Gerrans is the best placed rider in the group, being 4’25” down on GC, so that’s the time which everyone needs to keep in mind. As the gap goes out to maximum of 8’40” Hollister begin to work to defend the lead of Davis.
The rain’s absence was only short-lived, however, and it starts up again as heavy as it was before. This time there is a serious accident as Bonnet takes a fall. He was one of the biggest favourites for tomorrow’s stage and if he is injured this could be huge news. He certainly isn’t looking good as he can’t get back into the bunch.
The long flat continues, as do the terrible conditions. No one seems willing to help Hollister here. Through the sprint point with 43km remaining Gerrans takes the 6” time bonus and the points, so now is 4’19” down on GC. The gap is still at 5’44” and has been hovering there for some time. Pietropolli is second and Pineau is third.
Finally Dowsett and Clement come to the front to help to do some work and almost immediately the gap plummets under the 4 minute mark with 30km remaining. The wind is certainly hurting some legs as the pack strings out.
And amongst the first to be broken off in the wind is Impey, whose manager will be even less impressed with his race now.
There are a lot of corners here, twisting and turning, causing the wind direction to constantly change. With 20km to go the race turns into a headwind and it is clear that the breakaway riders are suffering. The gap is down to 1’25”, meaning that about 2’30” has been lost in the last 10km. Dowsett and Clement are still doing most of the work here.
About 5km later Ariesen tries an attack from the break as the gap comes under a minute.
He is followed by: Kairelis Marcato Matthews Pietropolli Opie
Just as the dropped riders from the break are caught Rothua’s plan becomes obvious as Hermans puts in a dig!
Hermans causes a new group to form at the front with himself, Pietropolli, Opie, Matthews and Kairelis in it, with 10km remaining. However, this effort is short lived as the Rapha train takes over and brings everything back.
The pace is incredibly high in these final 10km and as we come along the seaside a group of 36 group is split off including some riders inside the top 30. The best placed riders are: Agostini (18) Efimkin (22) Smukulis (23) Jacques-Maynes (25) Beppu (26) Battaglin (27) Valjavec (28) Speirs (29)
Almost a kilometre later 9 more riders are dropped, including: Van Goolen (14) Beyer (16) Evans (24)
With 4km to go the sprint starts to ramp up. Kennaugh has been caught out of position, sitting in behind several other sprinters. Rapha drop back to try to bring him up. This gives Hollister a great chance and the train forms: Sambris Martinez Davis Rizza Gatto Sinner Velits
But Kennaugh gets onto his train and there is a huge injection of pace from his team as they bring him to the front. The new train is: Tennant Sulzberger Kennaugh Cucinotta Park Cooke
The wind is making it hard to keep onto the back of any of these trains and so with 2.7km to the line there is another reforming. The front four riders in the Rapha chain remain much the same but the Hollister train changes. Sambris has to stop pulling, making Martinez pull over, which causes the train to speed ahead. Seeing this Park moves to the right-hand train behind Rizza, with Cooke also changing trains further back. Gatto falls off the pace.
With 2km to go, Davis is forced to go and he blazes past Sulzberger.
Kennaugh starts to fast, coming up behind Davis. Sinner goes past Rizza and Park.
With 800 metres to go Kennaugh and Sinner start to come even with Davis. Park is well placed on the other side of the road.
With 600 to go it is clear that Kennaugh is the fastest here. Davis starts to fade, can he hold on for a podium here?
And Kennaugh takes an easy sprint victory!
Park just takes second place ahead of a surprising Cucinotta, who came out of nowhere. Rizza beats Sinner to take fifth place, showing how much the Frenchman started to fade. Gatto takes sixth and, speaking of fading, Davis can only manage seventh. Cooke, Sulzberger and Duyn round out the top ten.
The lead 13 almost opened up a gap at the end there, but it was closed, which was rather lucky for most of the favourites. One man who was rather unlucky was Dowsett, who lost contact after all his work and ended up losing almost 2 minutes. In fact everyone else who was dropped during the run-in lost over 2 minutes, putting them well out of contention for strong GC places. Rapha will have to be content with the fact that Kennaugh takes the points jersey.
