Real life: The site of Contadors big coupe. Valverde came 2nd ahead of Henao.

Nocentini first with the action today.

The peloton is having none of it and with 130 km to go no one has gotten a gap.

On the top of the first small climb Voeckler leads a 10-rider group with 4’13’’ to the peloton and 60 km to the finish line.

40 km and 4’42’’

Contador is off even before the climb begins. Just over three minutes to the break at this point.

Voeckler is the first to attack out of the break with 13,5 km to go.

Contador is reeled back in mainly by Sky Froome

With 10 km to go Wiggins and Nibali is putting in a joined attack.

Without luck, but the break seems doomed now.

3 km from the top Valverde is leading the charge.

Into the last km it’s Valverde – Sánches – Moreno – Basso.

Contador comes blasting from behind and passes Nibali with 300 m to go

He is not fast enough to catch Valverde though.

Real life: Bennati took a sprint win ahead of Swift and Davis.

There’s plenty of attacking right from the start with Luis León Sánchez in the front.

14 riders get away, but they are never really close to challenging the sprinters.

With 40 km to go the break has 3’14’’ to the peloton.

With 14 km to go the gap goes under a minute.

David Millar gives it one last go and is alone with 8,5 km to go. He doesn’t got much of a gap though.

With 5 km to go everyone but Millar is caught by OPQS and Cancellara decides to counterattack.

Spartacus is first into the last 3 km with about half a minute to the peloton.

It’s a highly disorganized sprint/chase and just before the 3 km mark Geraint Thomas leaves the pack as well.

Back in the peloton we have Contador next to Boonen in front with 1,7 km to go.

No one is able to beat Cancellara when he is in this mood!

Cavendish is fastest in the bunch sprint making it a British 2-3-4

Real life: In a punchy sprint Gilbert took the stage win ahead of Valverde and Moreno.

The riders barely got no their bikes before Mikel Astarloza went off on his own.

He doesn’t get a spot in the final break though and with 100 km to go 14 riders have 6 minute to the peloton.

80 km and 7 minutes

70 km and 6’10’’.
The sprinters are not giving this away for free.

60 km and 5’37’’.
This can still go either way.

50 km and 4’42’’.
The break is working nicely together.

40 km and 3’58’’.
Small cracks have suddenly started appearing in the peloton and Contador in the only GC rider not getting caught behind.
The peloton is quickly reunited.

30 km and 2’42’’.
Nothing is decided yet!

20 km and 1’50’’.
Geraint Thomas is on his way with Cancellara in his wheel.

The duo catch up with the break under the 10 km mark. They have just over a minute to the peloton.

Quick-Step is not giving up quite yet, but with only 7 km and a 48 second gap it can still go either way if someone hesitates the slightest.

Just as things look best for the break with 5 km to go and 44 seconds to the chasers Moser decides to take a nap on the tarmac.

He stays on the road and causes a huge crash when the peloton passes. Only 39 riders avoid the crash.
Nibali really has lost all his luck as he is once again pulled down by the crash.

Zabriskie opens the sprint in the break 3 km out.

1 km later he is still in front. LL Sánches is leading out Roy and Cancellara while Hoogerland is pulling Ulissi and Castroviejo on the far side.

With 1,5 km to go Koen de Kort shows his face with a great acceleration in the middle of the road.

600 m to the line and a very close finale.

In the end Spartacus makes full use of saving energy in the peloton most of the day making it two in a row.

Mikel Astarloza, Bak, Rolland and Hushovd had to abandon following the crash.