The queen stage of the race. GC will most likely be decided today. I've been feeling good obviously and believe that I can hold the lead heading into tomorrow.
The Race
A group of 6 riders in the break today, none are dangerous to the GC so we're happy to let them go.
Over the top of Willunga Hill for the first time, the pace wasnt high and the break actually opened their lead slightly. It's at 3'30 with 20km to go. They might hold on up the final climb.
The team drilled it all the way to the bottom of the final climb, it was all down to me now.
Reichenbach and Sutherland attacked at the bottom of the climb, both are a few mins off overall lead so im not too worried about it. Clarkey followed but ran out of legs early, might not be feeling too good
Sorensen, 8th overall attacked and I had to follow. We quickly jumped across to Clarkey but im really close to hitting my limits, just a few km to go.
Sorensen managed to open a gap as we approached the final km, I really had to dig deep here to limit my losses.
I didn't catch the finish but Pirmin Lang from IAM took the win out of the breakaway, Sorensen finishes 8th with a gap to myself, but was it enough?
Stage Results
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Pirmin Lang
IAM Cycling
3h28'19
2
David Millar
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
3
Johan Le Bon
FDJ.fr
+ 24
4
Rory Sutherland
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
5
Christian Knees
Team Sky
s.t.
6
Sébastien Reichenbach
IAM Cycling
s.t.
7
Michal Golas
Omega Pharma-Quick-Step
s.t.
8
Nicki Sørensen
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 50
9
Michael Matthews
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 1'04
10
Ben Hermans
BMC Racing Team
+ 1'26
General Classification
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Michael Matthews
Orica-GreenEDGE
16h48'16
2
Nicki Sørensen
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 15
3
Ben Hermans
BMC Racing Team
+ 47
4
Marco Marcato
Cannondale
+ 52
5
José Joaquin Rojas
Movistar Team
+ 1'00
6
Ramunas Navardauskas
Garmin Sharp
+ 1'02
7
Nathan Haas
Garmin Sharp
+ 1'06
8
Simon Clarke
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
9
Sébastien Reichenbach
IAM Cycling
+ 1'37
10
Karsten Kroon
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 1'53
YES! I rode out of my skin to keep the lead. I'll be wearing the leaders jersey once again and hopefully at the end of the race aswell, assuming nothing disasterous happens.