The stage starts in La Punta, a town of about 11.500 people located 10-15 km north of San Luis. After moving west for a climb near La Florida, it is back for a hill top finish at Mirador del Potrero, a viewpoint in the mountains close to where it all began.

Besides the KoM points at Alto La Florida, there are also 16 points at the finish, making it likely to see a GC favorite taking the KoM lead after today’s stage.

Top 5 media favorites:
Peter Sagan (BORA) Diego Ulissi (UAE) Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First)
Roman Kreuziger (Michelton) Adam Yates (Michelton)

Km: 175

Sunweb‘s Michael Storer initiates the morning breakaway, joined by Filippo Pozzato (Wilier Triestina), Andriy Grivko (Astana) and Franklin Six (WB Aqua Protect)

Soon after also Luca Pacioni (Wilier Triestina) and Marc Fournier (Vital Concept) joins. At this point the breakaway has 59�.

Km: 116
Likely not to get a stage win, the motivation for most going into today’s break was the KoM, Grivko attacks first but too early, Franklin Six takes the maximum points, but with KoM at the finish not securing the jersey.

Result of KoM at Alto La Florida.

Franklin Six	WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic	6
Filippo Pozzato	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	4
Marc Fournier	Vital Concept Cycling Club	2

Km : 115

We get a very nasty crash in the front section of the peloton, but with this many riders either down or blocked they will surely get back. Dario Cataldo (Astana) though is surrounded by staff members, spectators and colleagues, it is not looking good.

Km : 10

Everyone else gets back in the peloton, but Cataldo was forced to abandon.

Combined result of sprints in El Durazno and Villa de la Quebrada

Luca Pacioni	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	8
Marc Fournier	Vital Concept Cycling Club	8
Filippo Pozzato	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	6
Franklin Six	WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic	2

The final climb is close and the fight for position is hard, team attempting to position their leaders.

Km : 1

Astana takes the lead on the climb, Jesper Hansen up to 5 km and then it is Davide Villella with great legs leading for Fuglsang right up to 1.5 km

Race leader Peter Sagan accelerated, first under the red kite, Ulissi (UAE), Kreuziger (Michelton), Fuglsang all close.

Km : 0

But out of nowhere comes Adam Yates (Michelton) with a much faster finish than everyone else, Yates wins at Mirador del Potrero also taking the KoM lead. Jakob Fuglsang 2nd in front of Roman Kreuziger, it was a great day for Michelton – Scott with two riders on the podium.

Astana Pro Team
A very mixed day for us, losing Cataldo was a blow; we really don’t need a long term recovery period from him. But seeing especially Davide with these legs was amazing he was very much part of Fuglsang’s good result.

Stage

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	4h35'25
2	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
3	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	s.t.
4	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
5	Davide Villella	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
6	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	s.t.
7	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	s.t.
8	Damiano Cunego	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.
9	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
10	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	s.t.

GC

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	9h01'11
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	s.t.
3	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 4
4	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	+ 6
5	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	+ 10
6	Laurent Pichon	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
7	Damiano Cunego	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.
8	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
9	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
10	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	s.t.

Points

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	35
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	27
3	Alexander Kristoff	UAE Team Emirates	20

KoM

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	16
2	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	12
3	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	10

Team: Team Fortuneo - Samsic

Young: Wilmar Paredes (Manzana Postobon Team)

The stage starts in Concarán, a town in north west part of San Luis province with approx. 6500 inhabitants. Concarán was founded in 1858, from the beginning of 1900’s becoming an important mining town. The stage finishes in Juana Koslay, a town located 9 km east of San Luis city.

A flat mid race stage, this one may prove to be an option for a breakaway win, the two sprints being the only interruption on a flat profile.

Top 5 media favorites:
Peter Sagan (BORA) Alexander Kristoff (UAE)
Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina) Andrea Guardini (Bardiani)
Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept)

Km: 150
There was a bit of fighting to get a breakaway established this morning, it ends up with 6 riders, no one very noteworthy in the group best placed Luca Pacioni (Wilier Triestina) 80th at 4’03 he is also 14th in youth at 2’55, Pacioni was also in the breakaway yesterday.
They got 4’29�

Km : 20

After doing a fair share of work in the breakaway Bram Welten (Fortuneo) fall back, leaving it to teammate Arnaud Gérard. Gérard attacks with 6.8 km to the last sprint.

Arnaud Gérard passes under the 20 km banner alone in front
At 8� Pursuit
At 1’00� Peloton

Combined result of sprint in Plaza and Heladeria

Awet Andemeskel	Israel Cycling Academy	8
Marco Maronese	Bardiani CSF	8
Arnaud Gérard	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	6
Simone Sterbini	Bardiani CSF	2

Km : 1

We get a small crash but no important riders affected. The breakaway was over with 5.5 km left.

Under the red kite we got Peter Sagan in front, at right side Manuele Mori for Alexander Kristoff, left side Jakub Mareczko.

Km : 0

Peter Sagan very fast on the last km, with a clear win in Juana Koslay, his 2nd stage win in the race.

Astana Pro Team
A very quiet day, staying out of trouble

Stage

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	4h31'11
2	Alexander Kristoff	UAE Team Emirates	s.t.
3	Kristian Sbaragli	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
4	Laurent Pichon	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
5	Manuel Belletti	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	s.t.
6	Kenny Dehaes	WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic	s.t.
7	Jakub Mareczko	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	s.t.
8	Simone Ponzi	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.
9	Manuele Mori	UAE Team Emirates	s.t.
10	Juan Jose Lobato	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.

GC

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	13h32'12
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	+ 10
3	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 14
4	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	+ 16
5	Laurent Pichon	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 20
6	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	s.t.
7	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
8	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	s.t.
9	Damiano Cunego	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.
10	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.

Points

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	60
2	Alexander Kristoff	UAE Team Emirates	40
3	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	28

KoM

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	16
2	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	12
3	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	10

Team: Team Fortuneo - Samsic

Young: Jakub Mareczko Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia

The stage starts Villa Dolores a town in western side of the province of Córdoba, founded in 1853. The area is based on agricultural production mainly potatoes and herbs. The route travels south west into the province of San Luis with summit finish at Alto del Amago, about 20 km south of San Francisco del Monte de Oro.

A short stage basically flat on the first 138 km, but the final climb has an average gradient of 7.2% over 10.5 km.

Top 5 media favorites:
Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) Adam Yates (Michelton)
Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) Fabio Aru (UAE) Roman Kreuziger (Michelton)

Km: 76
4 riders attack early, most interesting Wilmar Paredes (Manzana) 2nd in youth competition, later another two riders join, we see some other riders attempt and fail, but quite unusual mid-stage everyone are back in the peloton.

Km: 16
At new attack was soon launched with four riders, again including Wilmar Paredes, they make it to the first intermediate sprint, but never getting more than 30�, with 40 km left it is over again.

The 2nd sprint is close to the final climb, the fight for position has begun with EF Education First leading the peloton at more than 50 km/hour.

Combined result of sprints in El Pantanillo and Club Sportivo Pringles

Filippo Pozzato	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	6
Sep Vanmarcke	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	6
Jakub Mareczko	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	4
Wilmar Paredes	Manzana Postobon Team	4
Luka Mezgec	Michelton - Scott	2
Simone Andreetta	Bardiani CSF	2

Km : 9
Yates attack early and takes all the other top favorites by surprise, while Damiano Cunego (NIPPO), Amaël Moinard (Fortuneo) and Ben Hermans (Israel Cycling) was alert and follow in his wheel.

Km : 4.5
Cunego and Moinard fell back to the large group with Jakob Fuglsang, Fabio Aru (UAE) and race leader Sagan, but Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) has attacked at joined Ben Hermans sitting 13� behind Yates. Group Sagan is at 51�

700 meters
Yates is still in front, but just 17� ahead of Uran. Fabio Aru have attacked now 3rd at 40�
The “favorite group� now melted down to 8 riders Moinard, Ulissi, Fuglsang, Monfort, Sagan, Torres, Hardy and also Hermans have falled back to this group.

Km : 0 meters
With a final acceleration Fuglsang almost caught Aru and Uran but ran out of energy. Adam Yates wins in the snow at Alto del Amago, his 2nd stage win of the tour and he is also taking the race lead. Peter Sagan fought bravely but lost almost 2 minutes in the end.

Astana Pro Team
We are disappointed with the positioning at the start of the climb, which was just not good enough, not the best day honestly

Stage

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	3h48'12
2	Fabio Aru	UAE Team Emirates	+ 12
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
4	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 27
5	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	+ 51
6	Amaël Moinard	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
7	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Soudal	+ 1'17
8	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
9	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	+ 1'33
10	Romain Hardy	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 1'50

GC

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	17h20'24
2	Fabio Aru	UAE Team Emirates	+ 26
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	+ 28
4	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 41
5	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	+ 1'11
6	Amaël Moinard	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
7	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	+ 1'37
8	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
9	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	+ 1'53
10	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	+ 1'58

Points

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	65
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	53
3	Alexander Kristoff	UAE Team Emirates	40
4	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	34

KoM

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	32
2	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	20
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	18

Team: Team Fortuneo - Samsic

Young: Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon Team)

The stage starts in Santanyí on the southern tip of Mallorca, a circular route at south Mallorca, finishing some 19 km southwest of where it began in Campos.

The stage is very flat everyone having fresh legs we can expect a mass sprint finish

Top 5 media favorites:
André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) Daniel McLay (EF Education First)
Matteo Pelucchi (BORA) Kristoffer Halvorsen (Sky)
Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky)

Km: 163
The early breakaway was also a fight for the first sprint in Ses Salines, coming up after just 6.9 km, Nick Schultz (Caja Rural) first over the line. It ended in a group of 6 riders. Gijs Van Hoecke (Lotto Jumbo) in paper the overall strongest.

Km: 90

It is raining hard and after 75 km David Arroyo (Efapel) crashes, triggering a chain reaction taking down an uncountable number of riders, some get up fast but many ends in a group behind the peloton and worst of all four riders won’t make it to the line today. It is too early to know how many others are cribbled.

Km : 25

It took almost 30 km for everyone to get back after the accident.
We are now past the KoMs and intermediate sprints and the pace is very high splitting the peloton into many pieces.

Result of three intermediate sprints in Ses Salines.

Nick Schultz	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	18
Egoitz Fernandez	Team Euskadi	8
Michele Gazzoli	Polartec Kometa	6
Gijs Van Hoecke	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	4

Result of two climbs over Coll de Santanyí

Gijs Van Hoecke	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	8
Nick Schultz	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	5
Michele Gazzoli	Polartec Kometa	3
Nikolay Mihaylov	Delko Marseille Provence KTM	1
Egoitz Fernandez	Team Euskadi	1

600 meters:

Form 8 km Omar Fraile (Astana) attack, at this point only 20 riders in the first group, but he was brought back.
It is a technical finish. Jos Van Emden (Lotto Jumbo) first into the last cornor, leading for Enrico Battaglin. The weather is still horrible.

Km: 0
André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) shows that he is clearly the world class sprinter in this race, very fast on the last 600 meter he the takes the win in Campos, Enrico Battaglin 2nd and Raymond Kreder 3rd (Team UKYO) both doing very well here today, beating on paper much better sprinters.

Astana Pro Team
A hard stage! We had Yevgeniy Gidich, Jan Hirt, Sergey Chernetckii and Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev down in the crach, Fraile took a calculated risk on a stage we could not win, that was fine and Luis León Sánchez in top 10 was better than expected.

Stage

1	André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	4h00'11
2	Enrico Battaglin	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	s.t.
3	Raymond Kreder	Team UKYO	s.t.
4	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
5	Fabio Felline	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
6	Daniel McLay	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
7	Luis León Sánchez	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
8	Benoît Jarrier	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
9	Ryan Mullen	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
10	Greg Van Avermaet	BMC Racing Team	s.t.

GC

1	André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	4h00'01
2	Nick Schultz	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	+ 1
3	Enrico Battaglin	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	+ 4
4	Raymond Kreder	Team UKYO	+ 6
5	Egoitz Fernandez	Team Euskadi	s.t.
6	Michele Gazzoli	Polartec Kometa	+ 7
7	Gijs Van Hoecke	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	+ 8
8	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	+ 10
9	Fabio Felline	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
10	Daniel McLay	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.

Points

1	André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	25
2	Enrico Battaglin	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	20
3	Nick Schultz	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	18

KoM

1	Gijs Van Hoecke	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	8
2	Nick Schultz	Caja Rural - Seguros RGA	5
3	Michele Gazzoli	Polartec Kometa	3
4	Nikolay Mihaylov	Delko Marseille Provence KTM	1
5	Egoitz Fernandez	Team Euskadi	1

Team: Trek - Segafredo

Young: Nick Schultz Caja Rural - Seguros RGA

The stage starts in Andratx an ancient Mallorcan town in the valleys of the southern Tramuntana Mountains, in the most western part of Mallorca. The town dates back to pre-roman times before 2nd century BC. From there we are heading Northeast to Mirador d’Es Colomer, a pictures view spot overlooking the sea and cliffs, at the northern most part of Mallorca.

A light mountain stage with several hard climbs in the Sierra de Tramontana mountains, but with the top of Puig Major more than 50 km from the finish, some time to catch up before the short uphill finish. The finish line also counts in the KoM with 6 points to the winner.

Top 5 media favorites:
Mikel Landa (Movistar) Bauke Mollema (Trek) Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain) Warren Barguil (Fortuneo) Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL)

Several riders are starting the stage with injuries from yesterday’s crashes, but no one important in the expected final GC.

Km: 131

Over the first 15 km a breakaway was formed with a total of 14 riders, amongst the strongest David López García (Sky) Garikoitz Bravo (Euskadi) and maybe also young upcoming climber Yevgeniy Gidich (Astana) may be able to do well at this type of stage. The distance at this point is 2’53�

Km: 75

Even though it is nice weather again today the stage is cursed with crashes, the first right after the climb takes down 43 riders including for rider from the top 10, André Greipel, Nick Schultz, Raymond Kreder, Fabio Felline, Daniel McLay. Also Astana’s best placed rider Omar Fraile down. It took them 30 km of hard chase to get back.

The 2nd crash happens on the downhill from the 2nd KoM climb, this time in the breakaway, taking 9 riders down, leaving only Yevgeniy Gidich, Garikoitz Bravo, Marc De Maar (UKYO) Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Jérémy Cornu (Direct Energie) in front.

That is not enough misfortune, almost simultaneous another huge crash in the peloton. Nick Schultz and Raymond Kreder down 2nd time, 33 riders all in all. Hardly have we seem them all up, and we get another one, in this one we see Luis León Sánchez (Astana) and Gianni Moscon (Sky) Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain) and Gianluca Brambilla (Trek) 21 down.
Distance at this point 2’11�, 22 km to the top of Puig Major

3 riders was forced to abandon Nick Schultz, Maxim Belkov and Joseph Areruya

Km : 25

Less than 2 km to the top for what is now 3 riders alone in front, Yevgeniy Gidich, Garikoitz Bravo and Sergio Paulinho (Efapel), Marc De Maar (UKYO) hanging in between.

The peloton (35 riders) is getting closer to the break now at 1’00, Domenico Pozzovivo impressively the only one able to get back after the crash.

Garikoitz Bravo attacks from the breakaway he wins the KoM in front of Yevgeniy Gidich

Result of the 3 KoM sprints:

1	Yevgeniy Gidich	Astana Pro Team	10
2	Garikoitz Bravo	Euskadi Basque Country - Murias	10
5	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	6
6	Delio Fernández	Delko Marseille Provence KTM	6
7	Jérémy Cornu	Direct Energie	6
9	Marc De Maar	Team UKYO	4
10	Lars Ytting Bak	Lotto Soudal	4
11	Alejandro Marque	Sporting / Tavira	4
13	Jordi Simón	Burgos - BH	2
14	Emanuel Buchmann	BORA - hansgrohe	2

3 km:

On the downhill the peloton has grown to 43 riders, with about 10 km left the break is over. We are now at the foot of the final uphill section, it front we have Rafal Majka (BORA), at his left Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) at his right Omar Fraile with Sergey Chernetckii at wheel, overtaken the Sky and Trek riders who was pulling the peloton, up to his point.

Km 0

Bauke Mollema attacks, Rafal Majka get on this wheel.

Michal Kwiatkowski accelerated very fast to join the duo, while Majka seem to struggle losing a meter to Kwiatkowski.

Although it ends rather close Bauke Mollema was the fastest today winning at Mirador d’Es Colomer, in front of Michal Kwiatkowski.
Notably Domenico Pozzovivo came 6th after his crash.

Astana Pro Team
A brutal day, Sergey Chernetckii the only one able to sit with the best over the climb, but with Yevgeniy Gidich out ahead and Omar Fraile able to re-join on the flat, turned out to be a fine day, compared to how bad it seemed at some point.

Stage

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	4h11'11
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	s.t.
3	Rafal Majka	BORA - hansgrohe	s.t.
4	Mikel Landa	Movistar Team	s.t.
5	Davide Formolo	BORA - hansgrohe	s.t.
6	Domenico Pozzovivo	Bahrain - Merida	s.t.
7	Sergey Chernetckii	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
8	Warren Barguil	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
9	Steven Kruijswijk	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	s.t.
10	Rein Taaramäe	Direct Energie	s.t.

GC

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	8h11'12
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	+ 4
3	Enrico Battaglin	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	s.t.
4	Rafal Majka	BORA - hansgrohe	+ 6
5	Lars Ytting Bak	Lotto Soudal	+ 7
6	Marc De Maar	Team UKYO	+ 8
7	Warren Barguil	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 10
8	Rein Taaramäe	Direct Energie	s.t.
9	Fabio Felline	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
10	Greg Van Avermaet	BMC Racing Team	s.t.

Points

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	39
2	André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	25
3	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	24

KoM

1	Yevgeniy Gidich	Astana Pro Team	10
2	Garikoitz Bravo	Euskadi Basque Country - Murias	10
5	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	6

Team: BORA - hansgrohe

Young: Gianni Moscon Team Sky

The 5t stage is an individual time trial over 17.4 km, the profile is almost flat, raising a few % up to the middle and falling a bit down towards the finish. The stage is set in San Luis where also the first stage began.

Although founded as early as 1594, San Luis developed slowly, mainly because the Araucanian tribe known to the Spanish as Mapuche, passed over the mountains from Chile and raided the European settlements in the area.

Top 5 media favorites:
Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) Svein Tuft (Michelton) Michael Hepburn (Michelton) Chad Haga (Sunweb) Lennard Kämna (Sunweb)

One of the very first riders to start today is media favourite Michael Hepburn, not surprisingly he set a time more than three minute faster than everyone that went out before him 21’09�

Astana’s first rider on the route is Andriy Grivko, not being the best tempo rider Grivko is having a fine day starting as the 11 riders he loses just 45� to Hepburn and comes in as provisional 2nd.

More stage favourites start relative early, first Sunwebs Lennard Kämna with a pretty bad ride losing 31� to Hepburn. Then Hepburn teammate Svein Tuft a bit better 2nd at +24�
Top favourite Victor Campenaerts on the route and he does what is expected from him, delivering a great new best 20’40�

Sunweb’s Chad Haga with a fine time but he can’t dethrone Campenaerts, 2nd at +25 and neither can Rubén Plaza coming in with 5th best time, seems the stage result is more or less settled with that.

So let’s follow the best riders in GC instead. UAE’s Diego Ulissi start as GC 5th at 1’11, he comes in at +1’29, that will cost him his position, overtakes by both Ben Hermans and especially Maxime Monfort who had a great rider coming in 4th at 32�

Then it is Jakob Fuglsang he comes in as 14th at 1’12�, being a quite good TT riders that was not especially great from him, but not too bad either his 4th is safe and may still move up.

3rd in GC Education First’s Rigoberto Uran may well be considered the strongest tempo rider between those that also may be able to win the race and he does just that coming in as 7th only 48� behind the stage leader, he clearly challenge both Yates and Aru for the race lead.

GC 2rd Fabio Aru loses 1’34� and that was too much, he drops to 4th overtaken by Jakob Fuglsang with 7� in GC.

And then we got race leader Adam Yates on the route, not being the tempo rider he is bound to struggle on a day like this, he does actually quite fine coming in as 25th but is it not enough to hold of Urán and Yates fall to 2nd in GC, 23� behind the Colombian.

Astana Pro Team
Andriy Grivko was on fire today with a super race, but sadly Jakob Fuglsang did not have that kind of legs, on paper a good result but actually we should have taken more time on Yates and Aru

Stage

1	Victor Campenaerts	Lotto Soudal	20'40
2	Chad Haga	Team Sunweb	+ 25
3	Michael Hepburn	Michelton - Scott	+ 29
4	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Soudal	+ 32
5	Rubén Plaza	Israel Cycling Academy	+ 46
6	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	+ 48
7	Svein Tuft	Michelton - Scott	+ 53
8	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	+ 59
9	Sebastian Langeveld	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	+ 1'00
10	Lennard Kämna	Team Sunweb	s.t.

GC

1	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	17h42'20
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	+ 23
3	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 37
4	Fabio Aru	UAE Team Emirates	+ 44
5	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Soudal	+ 53
6	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	+ 1'20
7	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	+ 1'24
8	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	+ 1'43
9	Amaël Moinard	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 2'01
10	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	+ 2'16

Points

1	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	70
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	53
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	40

KoM

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	32
2	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	20
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	18

Team: UAE Team Emirates

Young: Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon Team)

The stage starts in Valldemossa, a picturesque town located about 20 km north of the Palma in the Tramuntana Mountains. The entire stage will take place in the mountains with a hard late climb over Puig Major less than 25 km from the finish line.

Another short but late climb near Son Bleda Tramuntana Lodge, just 5 km before the finish in Deià, may well provide for the final selection between those that made it this far.
Deià is a small coastal village, known for its literary and musical residents and visitors often of international fame, Mick Jagger, Mark Knopfler, Mike Oldfield ect have jammed in the local bar.

Top 5 media favorites:
Mikel Landa (Movistar) Bauke Mollema (Trek) Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain) Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) Warren Barguil (Fortuneo)

Km: 120

Yevgeniy Gidich leading the KoM, sitting ready near the front to attempt following anyone that moves. Michele Gazzoli (Polartec Kometa) attacks and Gidich counters, thereby coming 2nd at the first KoM.

The duo was not allowed to go far, instead it ends with Gidich Wellens (Lotto Soudal) Paulinho (Efapel) De Maar (UKYO) Fernández (Marseille) Brandão (Tavira) Machado (Katusha) and Garcia (Euskadi).

Behind them we get the first crash, 28 riders down including Astana’s Luis León Sánchez and Jan Hirt, Pierre Rolland (Education First) and Gianluca Brambilla (Trek), soon after it also starts to rain making new crashes likely.

The crashed riders soon comes back to the bunch, breakaway holds a distance of about 2 minutes.

Km: 105

The pace is very hot at this section passing the next two KoM climbs, the leading group break over, now Gidich, Brandão, Paulinho and Fernández alone in front.

Also the peloton break over at the climbs, 37 riders left in the favourite group.

Virtual KoM after 3rd climb.

Yevgeniy Gidich	16
Delio Fernández	15
Garikoitz Bravo	10
Marc De Maar	10
Sergio Paulinho	9

Km : 47

Over the next section the leading group have grown to 6 riders, after Tim Wellens and Marc De Maar has re-joined.

On the cat.2 climb peloton breaks again and only Gidich, Wellens and Paulinho passes the top in the first group.
At 26� Fernández, at 1’14� the race leader group, 16 riders with Pozzovivo (Bahrain) Majka (BORA) Landa (Movistar) Barguil (Fortuneo) Kruijswijk (Lotto NL) Kwiatkowski (Sky) and Bauke Mollema (Trek), in this group Astana has Chernetckii and Omar Fraile

Disaster strike Astana, Chernetckii crashes, but it was not as bad as it seemed, the pace was surprisingly limited on the flat section between the climbs, approaching the double cat.2 climb the crashed riders are back in the favourite group

In the confusion Movistar’s Mikel Landa have accelerated and joined the breakaway, favourite group at 1’19�, Delio Fernández still alone between the two groups.

25 km:

Even though KoM jersey wearer Gidich did spent all day in the first group it was not enough, Sergio Paulinho was stronger on the important climbs today and will take over the jersey.

The breakaway was over on the climb to Puig Major. Passing over the top we got a group of 12 riders leading the stage. Mollema (Trek) Formolo (BORA) Pozzovivo (Bahrain) Kwiatkowski (Sky) Landa (Movistar) Majka (BORA) Taaramäe (Direct Energie) Chernetckii (Astana) Paulinho (Efapel) Van Garderen (BMC) Wellens (Lotto Soudal) Barguil (Fortuneo)

Km 7

The pace in the leading group slow down some on the downhill, the group grows to 18 riders, before the decisive attacks begin on the final hill before the finish.

First it is Kwiatkowski attacking, immediately followed by Barguil and Mollema.
Then also Landa and Pozzovivo starts to lay some distance to the larger group.

0 Km

Trek’s Bauke Mollema with back to back stage win in Deià, again with Michal Kwiatkowski as runner up, Warren Barguil with a great 3rd place also putting him on the podium overall.

Astana Pro Team
Sergey Chernetckii came 6th a very good result, especially considering he was down. This results in 10th overall a respectable result for us.
A bit sad that we lost the KoM, and had Luis León Sánchez down early, although he is not badly hurt as far as we can tell at this point.

Stage

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	4h40'16
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	s.t.
3	Warren Barguil	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
4	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	+ 24
5	Gianni Moscon	Team Sky	s.t.
6	Sergey Chernetckii	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
7	Eduard Prades	Euskadi Basque Country - Murias	s.t.
8	Mikel Landa	Movistar Team	s.t.
9	Rafal Majka	BORA - hansgrohe	s.t.
10	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	s.t.

GC

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	12h51'18
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	+ 8
3	Warren Barguil	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 16
4	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	+ 39
5	Rafal Majka	BORA - hansgrohe	+ 40
6	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	+ 43
7	Gianni Moscon	Team Sky	+ 44
8	Rein Taaramäe	Direct Energie	s.t.
9	Steven Kruijswijk	Team Lotto NL - Jumbo	s.t.
10	Sergey Chernetckii	Astana Pro Team	s.t.

Points

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	64
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	44
3	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	29

KoM

1	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	29
2	Yevgeniy Gidich	Astana Pro Team	28
3	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	24

Team: Team Sky

Young: Gianni Moscon - Team Sky

Tamijo wrote:
Thanks
It was some good race days for us - hope it will continue when the World Tour starts for real

The 6th stage starts in Achiras, a historical town founded back in 1570 located at the southern foothills of the Comechingones Mountains. From there we got an easy ride north alongside the mountains up to Villa de Merlo, where we make a right turn up to a summit in the Comechingones mountains, 17 km with gradients from 8-11%. Will be a short but hard day for most riders.

The Comechingones Mountains is names after a group of indigenous people to the Argentine provinces of Córdoba and San Luis, sadly exterminated by the Spanish conquistadores.

Top 5 media favorites:
Rigoberto Uran (Education First) Adam Yates (Michelton) Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) Fabio Aru (UAE) Patrick Konrad (BORA)

Km: 100
The stage started quiet with Education First leading in a limited pace, but now after 21 km we have got several riders attempting to form a breakaway.

Two Riders leading the stage: Francesco Gavazzi (Androni) Jelle Wallays (Lotto Soudal)
About 30� behind them, Edoardo Zardini (Triestina) Fabio Duarte (Manzana) Ludwig De Winter (Aqua Protect) Marco Tizza (NIPPO) Ricardo Vilela (Manzana) Yecid Sierra (Manzana)
About a minute further back Johannes Fröhlinger (Sunweb) Simone Sterbini (Bardiani) Miguel Eduardo Florez (Triestina), Peloton at a little under 2 minutes

Km: 75

The 11 riders mentioned above have now formed the breakaway of the day. The distance seems to be stabilized just below three minutes.

Most of the leading teams contributes 1 or 2 riders to the chase, except Astana down one man they have chosen not to take part, also because they are giving Jesper Hansen a protected role today, hoping he can make a result for himself on this profile.

Km: 12

There was no fight for the two intermediate sprints, basically nothing noteworthy has happened up to this point.

But now Astana, as mentioned having an easy day, decides to change that. Davide Villella moved to the front and started to push hard, so hard that the other domestics at front could not hold his wheel, so he is suddenly slipping away and why not keep going?

Km: 6
As expected Villella move was not decisive, he was reeled back in.
Astana as mentioned has given Jesper Hansen a protected role, his protection is now boiling over he needs to attempt something, accelerating to create a gap.

But even though he has fine legs today, he is just not powerful in these kinds as small sharp accelerations, he never get any gap.

Instead he just acts as a missile launcher for other more powerful riders, Ben Hermans (Israel) accelerates, on his wheel Diego Ulissi with teammate Fabio Aru, a dangerous UAE duo.

The breakaway is far from over, leading riders Gavazzi, Duarte, Zardini, Vilela and Fröhlinger got 1’40� to the peloton

Km: 2

There was an attack from stage favourites Rigoberto Uran (Education First) and Adam Yates (Michelton) closing the gap, but then the Uran/Aru group slowed down a bit and got caught by all the remaining favourite from behind.

Fabio Duarte is the only surviving rider in front of the yellow jersey now.

The favourite group is getting smaller and smaller with riders dropping one by one as we are getting closer to the finish, now just 6 riders, including Edoardo Zardini from the breakaway, the others are Adam Yates, Ben Hermans, Fabio Aru, Jakob Fuglsang and Rigoberto Uran.

Roman Kreuziger hanging with just 17�, Adam Yates attacks

Km: 0

Rigoberto Uran counter, but he was never able to threaten Adam Yates, conquering Sierras de Comechingones.
There was no measurable distance to Uran who will still lead the race.

Astana Pro Team
5th from Fuglsang was ok, not losing time to Fabio Aru was essential, all in all the team did OK, besides the fact that Jesper Hansen could have done better riding in his own pace

Stage

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	3h25'56
2	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
3	Fabio Duarte	Manzana Postobon Team	+ 1'10
4	Fabio Aru	UAE Team Emirates	+ 1'23
5	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	s.t.
6	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
7	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	+ 2'26
8	Edoardo Zardini	Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia	+ 2'34
9	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	+ 2'53
10	Damiano Cunego	NIPPO - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini	s.t.

GC

1	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	21h08'10
2	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	+ 19
3	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	+ 2'06
4	Fabio Aru	UAE Team Emirates	+ 2'13
5	Ben Hermans	Israel Cycling Academy	+ 2'49
6	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	+ 4'54
7	Rodolfo Torres	Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec	+ 5'15
8	Maxime Monfort	Lotto Soudal	+ 5'29
9	Amaël Moinard	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 5'31
10	Roman Kreuziger	Michelton - Scott	+ 5'37

Points

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	78
2	Peter Sagan	BORA - hansgrohe	70
3	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	60

KoM

1	Adam Yates	Michelton - Scott	48
2	Rigoberto Uran	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	30
3	Jakob Fuglsang	Astana Pro Team	26

Team: Michelton - Scott

Young: Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon Team)

The Stage starts at Playa de Palma also known by its Catalan-Mallorcan name "Platja de Palma" a 6 km long beach on the south coast of Mallorca , which moves in the bay of Palma from Can Pastilla to S'Arenal.

The route covers a large part of west inland Mallorca first going up north for a sprint in Santa Margalida, then back south for a climb at Coll des Grau in Tramuntana Mountains, before the final circular route building up to the final sprint in Palma.

It is widely believed that Palma de Mallorca was already founded by the pre-roman Talayotic Bronze Age culture that existed at Mallorca from around 1000 BC. During the Roman conquest of Mallorca a Roman camp was locates at the site and later a city (approx. 130-120 BC).

Top 5 media favorites:
André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) Daniel McLay (Education First) Matteo Pelucchi (BORA) Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) Kristoffer Halvorsen (Sky)

Km: 157
Mikel Iturria (Euskadi-Murias) initiates the early attack, followed by Mamykin (Burgos) and Goikoetxea (Team Euskadi)

Soon another 7 riders form a purchase group between the trio and the peloton, most notable in this group Tom Bohli (BMC) and Gijs Van Hoecke (Lotto Jumbo)

Km: 142

Astana has interest in somehow getting Gidich in today breakaway aiming for the KoM win, and together with other teams interested in reeling back in the breakaway they start working in the peloton.

Meanwhile the 10 riders in front of the bunch united.

After about 30 km the distance was bought down from about 2’30 to 1’10 but then the chasers gave in. Gidich decides to take things into his own hands and attacks, behind him another 6 riders follows his move and we got a new pursuit.

Km : 132

Group Gidich reach the front, he is on paper the strongest rider in the group, and also the best placed, GC 20th, KoM 2nd U23 2nd
Other notable riders are: Würtz (Katusha) GC 76th, U23 11th, Mamykin (Burgos) GC 61, U23 7th, Ferrari (Caja Rural) and Hucker (UKYO).

55 km:

The distance grew to a little more than three minutes, but after that it was slowly melting. Starting the KoM climb the breakaway has 2’26�.

Gidich has the group under control on the climb, there is no counter when he sprints for the KoM and by that he will become the overall KoM winner.

Km 0

Last rider from the breakaway Gidich was reeled in with 4 km to the line.

We get a sort of strange situation where Taylor Phinney leading out for Daniel McLay (Education First) was allowed to slip away with about 2 km left. Making the stage an easy win for McLay.

Raymond Kreder (UKYO) wins the bunch sprint for 2nd in front of André Greipel (Lotto Soudal)

Astana Pro Team
Sergey Chernetckii came in 16 without losing time, securing a top 10 result, but it was Yevgeniy Gidich comeback to win the KoM that made our day.

Stage

Daniel McLay	Team EF - Drapac p/b Cannondale	4h08'22
Raymond Kreder	Team UKYO	s.t.
André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
Taylor Phinney	Team EF Education First - Drapac p/b Cannondale	s.t.
Armindo Fonseca	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
Matteo Pelucchi	BORA - hansgrohe	s.t.
Benoît Jarrier	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	s.t.
Matthias Brandle	Trek - Segafredo	s.t.
Domenico Pozzovivo	Bahrain - Merida	s.t.

GC

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	16h59'40
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	+ 8
3	Warren Barguil	Team Fortuneo - Samsic	+ 16
4	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	+ 39
5	Rafal Majka	BORA - hansgrohe	+ 40
6	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	+ 43
7	Gianni Moscon	Team Sky	+ 44
8	Rein Taaramäe	Direct Energie	s.t.
9	Domenico Pozzovivo	Bahrain - Merida	s.t.
10	Sergey Chernetckii	Astana Pro Team	s.t.

Points

1	Bauke Mollema	Trek - Segafredo	69
2	Michal Kwiatkowski	Team Sky	44
3	André Greipel	Lotto Soudal	41

KoM

1	Yevgeniy Gidich	Astana Pro Team	34
2	Sergio Paulinho	Efapel	29
3	Tim Wellens	Lotto Soudal	24

Team: Team Sky

Young: Gianni Moscon - Team Sky