Another stage in the region of Puglia and the route is pretty similar to yesterday's route. Today, there are 31km more to be cycled. The start is in Polignano a Mare and the finish also along the Adriatic coast, in Manfredonia.
115km to go
The way the stage develops, is pretty similar compared to yesterday. A BOTD of 12 riders is formed, and among them, 7 that were also prsent yesterday: Ventoso, Mori, Pichot, Vissers, Riccio, Cuccinotta and Veelers. The 7 are joined by Alan Bazayev (Astana), Andreas Dietziker (BMC), Crescenzo D'Amore (Farnese Vini), Carlos Oyarzum (Movistar) and Danny Pate (Sony Ericsson). Mori succesfully defends his KOTM-jersey, although not winning all sprints.
3km to go
The margin grows to a maximum of 7'30, but when the domestiques of Dexia and Garmin start chasing the BOTD, that margin melts like snow for the snow.
So the teams are preparing for a mass sprint, with 3 sprint trains being formed: Dexia, Garmin and Petronas - Monster Energy.
2km to go
We try it all, but our sprint train isn't good enough today to match the Dexia-train. With 2km to go, final lead out man Koldo Fernández is doing a perfect lead out for Edvald Boasson Hagen. However, the Norwegian as a dangerous opponent in his back wheel, our former team mate Theo Bos.
Finish
But how hard Bos tries to pass the Norwegian Boss, he can't make it. So after yesterday's "failure", Edvald Boasson Hagen wins stage 3 in Manfredonia. Bos gets 2nd, Tyler Farrar 3rd and Peter Sagan has to settle with 7th.
After today's fairly normal mass sprint, we know our place. Now we gotta figure out, if we keep on forming our own train, or that Sagan hops on another one. I have to mention, that yesterday's final lead out man Pim Ligthart did crash with 30km to go, and although finishing in the peloton, couldn't take part in the sprint train.
After 3 days in Puglia, the peloton leaves the region and enters the region of Molise. Also the sea is left behind, meaning the route becomes more hilly. The difficult part of the 4th stage from Manfredonia to Campobasso lies in the last 50 kilometres, with the categorized climbs of the Colle dell Orso and the Colloe Longo. After the last summit (12km before the finish), the route stays undulating, with the last 1300 metres going uphill at a narrow road!
The ascend of the Colle Longo has begun and Cornu tries to surprise the 8 others with an early attack. The peloton follows at 1'59, so it'll be difficult for the 9 to stay in front.
12km to go
Cornu seems to have misjudged the climb, and gets caught by the other breakaway-members. Only Howard and Vrecer have been dropped. Solari is the first to crest the summit of the Colle Longo, but the peloton is coming closer fast. With first Team Sky and now Petronas - Monster Energy leading the chase, the margin has decreased to 48 seconds.
5km to go
Already in the streets of Campobasso, and thanks to great work by Rob Ruijgh, the BOTD has been caught. Only about 60 riders are able to follow the high pace. The most important victim is Cadel Evans, who has been dropped.
1300m to go
Due to the extremely high pace, no rider dares to attack. Then shortly before the last uphill sprint will begin, Wilc Kelderman takes over with Peter Sagan suited in his back wheel. Team Sky is the next, with Knees and Kocjan, and Edvald Boasson Hagen is in 8th place.
400m to go
The leading Petronas - Monster Energy-duo manages to create a small margin, and with this narrow road, this must be enough for the stage win. The pink jersey has some trouble in gaining places, due to the narrow road, and is in 5th.
Finish
Wilco Kelderman stays in the lead the entire hill and wins his first GT-stage, as well as 20 important bonus seconds! Sagan takes another 2nd, but doesn't look that happy, as has supposed to win here. But the cornery and narrow last kilometre, made it impossibe to pass his team mate. Knees takes the 3rd place, and Hagen the 4th.
And Cadel Evans? Well, he can forget the GC, as he finishes in a group with Andreas Klöden at 3'43.
First of all, the team is very delighted with the stage win. Goal 1 is already achieved. Secondly, I've arranged a small meeting with Wilco and Peter about that uphill sprint, and Wilco said that he was leading out as long as possible and the corners made it not possible to leave the best line, so Peter could pass him. And Peter admitted that Wilco was too strong today. So the 2 shook hands and all is forgiven.
Tomorrow is flat again!
Edited by dienblad on 09-01-2013 14:49
This Giro needs the Adriatic coast, as we are moving towards it again. The flat stage finishes in Pescara, in the region Abruzzo, after 165 kilometres.
87km to go
Good news for Alexandre Pichot (Europcar), Manuele Mori (Lampre), Tom Veelers (Vacansoleil), Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha), Marco Pinotti (Androni), Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana), Oscar Gatto (Farnese Vini), Kasper Jebjerg (Saxo Bank), Javier Iriarte (Movistar) and Aidis Kruopis (BMC): they'll battle for the win today!
As they have reached the Adriatic coast, the margin to the peloton has increased to 6'29, and it will increase even more to a maximum margin of 8'30. The peloton isn't interested in a mass sprint today.
14km to go
But with the pink jersey of Edvald Boasson Hagen being in danger, Dexia increases the pace of the peloton in the last 20 kilometres. And apparently, many riders get nervous and a mass crash is expected. Omega Pharma's Julien Vermote has brought his sprinter Theo Bos to the first ranks, when his attention slips for a second and he collides with Alejandro Valverde (Dexia). The 2 hit the tarmac, and so do a few others (including Iljo Keisse in the right part of the screen). And as this happens somewhere around place 20, a lot of other riders crash or have to brake hard. The first group of riders, including our important ones, can go on, and do go on.
Finish
Meanwhile, in Pescara: The BOTD has broken in 2 groups, and it's Movistar's Javier Iriarte who has the best sprint left, claiming his biggest career win. Tom Veelers gets 2nd and Alexandre Pichot 3rd.
And once again, being among the first ranks of the peloton pays off, as our riders managed to stay out of trouble. Too bad for the guys who lost 2'40, but they can blame Dexia. But it is obvious that they wanted to continue the high pace to keep the pink jersey (in the end by 1'13).
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Theo Bos
Tyler Farrar
Ben Swift
John Degenkolb
Michael Matthews
Enrico Rossi
Janez Brajkovic
Thomas Löfkvist
Frantisek Rabon
Rein Taaramäe
Francisco José Ventoso
Andreas Dietziker
Jan Bakelants
Rasmus Guldhammer
Alexandre Pichot
Valentin Iglinskiy
Aidis Kruopis
Bruno Pires
Katusha Team
