Fianlly some more mountains. Big time today; we're finishing on the Angliru. No time to hide for the GC contenders, it's time to play your cards!
Andy Schleck still holds half a minute to Intxausti with Uran and Plaza not too far away either. But there's not only the GC battle; there's one for the stage as well. So far, Schleck has proven to be unbeatable, but anyone attacker before the last climb migth just hold him off.
Áfter a bit of a battle, a break has formed. Yesterdays winner Bellis still isn't satisfied and is once again in the break, once again going for the KOM points.
With him are today Engels, Garzelli, Ford, Erviti, Christensen, Geslin and Lalouette.
With Domina Vacanze obviously doing the main part of the work in the pack, the gap grows big, peaking at 9'30 with 90km left. The attackers work well together but... there's still the Angliru to come...
As Bellis takes some more KOM points now the climbs have started, the gap is already down to 7'10 with 75km to go.
Up the next climb, the 4 better climbers (Ford, Engels, Bellis and Garzelli) leave behind the rest. The pack keeps closing in though, it's not for the break today.
While obviously Bellis took all points, Rujano and Perez Sanchez are the best attackers from the pack for the remaining points, as they come up to Geslin and Christensen.
As they are caugth after the decent, the pack no only has 3'30 left to corss to the first groupe. 45km left to do so.
While sadly, Duarte is dropped from the pack, Perez Sanchez is now at the top first to take the KOM points, since the break has been caugth. Now, only the Angliru left!
9km, on a flatter section just before the steep parts begin; Rujano is off first.
Suprizingly, Schleck is among the first to follow, as are Marchante, Uran, Perez Sanchez, van Huffel and de la Fuente.
And on the 19% gradients, Schleck storms rigth past everyone. Meanwhile, Cobo, Pereiro, L.L. Sanchez and Zubeldia are trying to get a gap now too.
5km: Schleck leads, followd closely by Rujano and Cobo. Castano, Marquez, Plaza, Intxausti and Zubeldia are trying to jump. There is no pack anymore; everybody for themselves!
Suprize; Intxausti takes over the lead! Schleck tries to counter. Here goes the battle for the jersey!
16% gradients, but there's still time to sit next to eachother, waiting with attacks. Schleck, Intxausti and Rujano - argueably the best climbers around.
But by doing nothing, they give Castano, Plaza, Marchante, Serpa and Cobo the chance to come back.
2km left, and as everyone closes in on eachother again, GC #3 Uran is still missing. People are passing him left and right. Is he having a bad day?
The final kilometer; the sprint is on between Schleck and Intxausti, having once again attacked away from the rest. Only Marchante and Rujano where able to stay close.
The finish is just around the corner, Rujano seems tired, but Marchante is flying now the gradients have gone!
But no! It's Schleck who doesn't fade to take another mountain stage! Can he be beaten? Intxausti again confirms his second place, with Marchante in third.
Rujano takes 4th, 50 seconds down, with Serpa having jumped up to him in the final 500m.
Shortly after we have Cobo, Perez Sanchez and Plaza.
at 2'00: Castano, Marquez and Zubeldia.
And finally, at 2'50 comes Uran with Abal. He's surely lost his third place now.
Small groupes keep coming; here it's Anton with LL Sanchez and Pereiro.
At nearly 4 minutes, de la Fuente finally leads home what you could call 'the pack'. But even this pack is shatterd.
Crash before exporting again, so screens instead of exported results...
