Stage Favourites:
*****Feillu(NES) ****Petacchi(BOR) ***Davis(BOR)
**Swift(KOE) *Napolitano(AER)

Szmyd starts in the race lead for the 22nd day. It is a pan flat one today, will the sprinters teams be up for it?

11 riders make the break, many regulars. Today in the mix we have: Dowsett, Willems, Kritsov, Brammeier, Parra, Roth, Bewley, Steveneson, Sullivan, Grau and Aranzazu.

Nespresso and Borussia Dortmund are the only chasers.

But even these teams don't put in a hard chase. There is only 1 rider on the front of the peloton at any one time whether it be Kozontchuk, Houle or Pliuschin.

Cheula attacks from the peloton with 24 KM to go and the break at 2'20. This attack is quickly swallowed up but it was good to see Semen Indonesia trying something and showing their colours.

Being '40 ahead of the peloton the break would contest the finish once again. The sprinter teams are either not willing or not strong enough to close down the breaks, probably the former. The sprinters would be fighting for the minor positions again. .

After Willems leads the break towards the finish Grau of Belgacom takes the lead. But it is not over.

Brammeier times his sprint well to hold off the faster finishing Stevenson and takes the win. Well done to him. It was nice to see everyone looked up for a photo at the finish. Treasured memories indeed!

Petacchi wins the hotly contested bunch sprint for 12th. The win would have been his if his team were able to support him by catching the break today.

Stage Favourites:
*****Hinault(TMP) ****Veelers(CAR) ***Bozic(PET)
**Petacchi(BOR) *Chainel(7up)

Four times in the last 50 KM we must deal with the 'dragon' which is 0.6 KM @ 12.9% on narrow roads!

The biggest break of this TOTC gets away today. The 15 man break consists of: Bernaudeu, Brammeier, McEvoy, Stamsnijder, Willems, Aranzazu, Malori, Sergent, Stevenson, Gazvoda, Preidler, B Schierlinckx, Jang, Marinangelli and van Heerden.

He did drop one but the latern rouge got most of the sustenance delivered!

With 105 KM to go the break have a max advantage of 8'05 before the teams of Clarke and Tschopp up the pace.

Willems and Schierlinckx are the strongest, they create a gap before being caught by the rest of the break.

Behind, the peloton and the big favourites are in pieces! The biggest losers? Paulinho and De Weert are, they are seen in a group well off the rear of the red jersey group as they were in a poor position on the narrow climb. Cummings and Geschke are also dropped from those in the top 10.

With 33 KM to go and the break at 2'30 O'Grady attacks. Balloni of the aggressive team of 7up tries to go with the Aussie but can't.

O'Grady caught the break and on the difficult climb distances everyone. The favourites group have pretty much given up the chase. Despite Malori trying desperately to cling to the Aussie, he just can't and watches as the likely stage winner zooms up the road.

The favourites may have slowed but, due to the nature of the climb, the likes of Paulinho, Cummings and De Weert can't make up ground and remain dropped.

One of the finest riders in the history of TOTC takes an emphatic win today and celebrates in suitable style. What a win!

Malori is the best of the original break, he distances Schierlinckx for a very good 2nd place.

Bozic was the first to 'sprint' home, but was too tired, and was passed by the GC men at the finish. The GC changes drastically today within the top 10. Well protected and some good decisions on where to stay in the peloton mean Sella rises to 4th in GC and Serpa rises to 8th whilst Semen Indonesia now have the white jersey leader in the top 10.