From a race with no mountain stage to one with 2 MTFs. The route this year is going to be extremely tough. Can't wait to try to defend my title.

We bring a very strong lineup. Surprisingly, no one from the same country is here.

Not as big of a startlist as last time, but still some great riders.

*** Contador, D. Martin, Costa
** Kreuzinger, Wiggins, Scarponi, Mollema
* Kwiatkowski, Konig, F. Schleck, Fuglsang, Nieve

Well that's it! Stage 1 starts now!

Some hills early but should be for a sprint.

Early break.

Lotto and Cannondale were the main staples at the front.

With 20 km to go Lutsenko was the only one left. he too would be caught 5 km later.

We decided to go for Fernandez but once Johan got him up he couldn't get the wheel.

Under the red kite it was Kwiatek and Maes vs. Gallopin and Boeckmans. So far Gallopin's leadout had the edge.

But Boeckmans didn't have the kick. Perhaps they should have gone for Gallopin. It's Maes who leapt ahead!

Maes takes it! He got a good leadout and didn't waste it! Sagan lingered in third. I had forgotten he was here!

Same rankings overall, spare the bonus seconds.

That's all! Stage 2 here we come!

Flat stage. Meh.

Once again lotto had the best train. Koldo was trying to follow but Maes pushed him out of the wheel.

Sagan was coming fast on the left. Meanwhile it was Boeckmans vs. Maes in front.

But Sagan just managed to rocket past to flip the script, with the others fighting for the podium!

Sagan takes it and does his signature celebration!

My first mountain top finish of the year up next!

The stage started with another later irrelevant break going off the front. The gap went out to 6 minutes and was brought back quickly as the final climb approached.

At the bottom Scarponi attacked with Bardet, and before long half the race was up the road. I was left with just Acevedo. How could we possibly make this work?

The pace was high and we hung on the back in the group of about 30 riders. Movistar for Costa finally brought back the group, and with 9 km to go the pack completely stalled.

I found myself near the front. both Janier and I were still very fresh. I looked over at him and then the 5 Movistar riders still in the group, but all looking tired.

I changed gears and plowed away on the wheel of my teammate. Still, no reaction behind from Movistar who were falling off until Riccardo Zoidl scrambled to grab my wheel for Schleck.

But we were gone. By 7 km to go we had a 30 second gap. it was holding, but not extending to much. Behind, Kreuzinger had attacked and almost made it up to us.

And he did make it up, but not to me. only to Janier, who had dropped. Realizing he had no help and Contador behind, Kreuzinger held up, giving me a 45 second advantage on a group of about 10 behind.

It was Fuglsang on the front, pushing to drag me back. No doubt he did not want to relive seeing me win ahead of him in stage 9 of the tour last year. But my gap was extending to almost a minute, when Costa surged.

Costa attacked with 4 km to go, attempting to bridge the gap of almost a minute between us. It was Kreuzinger and Konig who marked him back, but the peloton of 9 could explode at any moment.

And it did. with riders being spit off the back in an instant with 3 km to go under the pressure of Bauke Mollema's attack! With 1 minute up to me, he knew it was now or never to both gain time back from me and ahead of the rest.

Meanwhile, I was still doing well. My cadence had gone down, but I didn't feel myself cracking at all. I knew I would make it, I just wanted to squeeze every second out I could.

Costa responded to the attack and the two of them broke away with 20 seconds to the peloton. However, it was obvious that COsta was regretting his earlier escapades, as he crack off with 1.5 km to go.

But it didn't matter, because I took it! Brilliant win for me, mirroring last year's. I couldn't be happier, and I had given everything to pull out the most time possible.

Bauke Mollema came in behind me, 1:30 back. I was set up for the win here!

Behind him rolled in Costa, just in front of the 3 man peloton led home by Kreuzinger. Contador had in fact dropped, it's obvious he is not on form this early in the season, but he still wasn't far off. Also nice rides from young Kwiatkowski and Fuglsang.

But it doesn't matter, because I won the stage! And with it the overall and mountains jerseys!

With a minute and a half advantage, today is the last day for anyone to challenge my overall victory. I hope to close it down like last year. We can only hope that happens!

The early breakaway contained 9 riders, some fairly strong, such as Lopez for Sky and Pirazzi for Bardiani.

Some riders fell off from attrition, but the real action started at the bottom of the 17 km final climb, where 3rd placed Costa attacked. We still had Dennis, Slagter, Cardoso, and Acevedo at the front, so nobody was panicking.

We brought it back in a false flat portion. Cardoso was on the front holding control for us; the break still had 3 minutes.

As we hit the climb again a four man group got away. This time we had to react, with Costa, Mollema, Poels and Zubeldia forming up the road. TJ set the pace while Janier protected me. And once again we brought it back without trouble, besides Poels, who attacked and managed to pull out a 30 second gap.

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No slower then they left, Mollema and Costa jumped again, each having to mark the other. Bardet tried too, but couldn't react. I thought about going after them but instead teamed up with Janier to up the tempo.

Once again, Costa had overextended himself and fallen off of Mollema, who had almost 45 seconds. I couldn't let it go any further. As we thinned the group and caught Poels, Kreuzinger countered on the right. Contador was struggling to close the gap just up to our group of about 10. It was obvious who Saxo's leader was by now.

Janier finally had had enough after doing amazing work for me with 3 km to go, so I forged ahead on my own, while Mollema, who still had 35 seconds rounded the next bend. Kreuzinger sat in between.

Up front there was just over one KM to go, and Lopez was putting the hurt on the remaining four of himself, Mourey, Pirazzi, and Paulinho.

Lopez gave his big kick and Mourey was gone from his wheel with 500 meters to go.

As I went under the red kite myself, I could sense the gap closing. Kreuzinger had caught Mollema, but both were failing.

Lopez takes it! Great positioning and strategy gave him the victory!

I just managed to tag on to their group in the end, and lost no time!

Costa and Contador led a group of 17 home 1:16 later than us, effectively putting them out of podium contention.

I ended up 7th, not bad for a stage result either.

No changes for me, although Kreuzinger jumps Costa and Kwiatkowski to 3rd place.