The Stirling stage might have led to a better GC picture with some names out of contention. That said, still a mix of puncheurs, punchy sprinters and even pure sprinters! Today will be the next chance for the sprinters to extend the gap and in especially Houle or Kump slowly prove to become difficult to catch with every bonus second they get before Willunga Hill.
5 riders in the break including Gautier. He lost big time yesterday and not even in the top100 right now but doesn`t want to end the Tour like this after all his success in the past. Kuznetsov Paajanen Thijssen
and for the third time Mostov
The break was strong and the sprinter teams waited with the catch quite some time.
With 20km to go Lirese is having 5 riders at the front as the gap still says 90s!
Vanbilsen, Biermans and Van Aert though are pure powerhorses putting a fast pace now.
Later Veyhe and Van der Haar added more power in addition for Bakkafrost!
So with just under 5km to go the catch is almost made!
They are not giving up yet though and with 3km to go still a small gap while the sprinter teams start the trains.
Sarreau
Pons
Guarnieri
Martinez
Wippert
Lo Cicero
Vesely
Gaviria
Nelson
Silvestre
Ulissi
Lay
Van der Sande
Bouhanni
Houle
Kump
Mostov has attacked and being a bit ahead of the others. With 2,3km to go though the peloton is not far behind neither and really speeding up.
The slightly downhill finish though helping the break clearly.
MOL around Lo Cicero having won the duel of the two trains with Pons still ahead while Guarnieri smartly has decided to move over sitting right behind with only Nelson there as well.
Wippert-Gaviria-Silvestre-Lay-Van der Sande-Bouhanni ... trying to close the gap.
With 800m also Mostov as last rider is caught. Bad luck for him.
Surprisingly the other breakaway riders though still going for it with Thijssen right now in the lead ahead of Nelson/Lo Cicero as also Gautier next to Guarnieri on the left.
Though as expected the three top sprinters all easily were able to hold the pace up for much longer and are now next to each other closing to the line.
From behind Gaviria best of the rest with Silvestre behind him. Can they still make it back to the front?
Easy answer: No! They came closer but far from contesting.
Guarnieri takes the win being the strongest of the three with Nelson again close to a win ahead of Lo Cicero.
Gaviria as 4th still getting some bonus seconds ahead of Silvestre and Lay.
Then already the break riders Gautier and Kuznetsov.
The GC sprinters all without bonus seconds today, which clearly was a missed opportunity. It also means that Guarnieri is back in the points lead with Nelson in 2nd there on par with Kump.
