So, the mountains really begin today - the question is will anyone have a go on the downhill to the finish or will we have a repeat of yesterday's fairly lame finish?
No prizes for guessing that a break makes it away eventually. It's windy though and only six make it into the front group. Back down the road there are other groups of riders between them and the peloton, but really none of them have a chance on a day like today.
Tiralongo (Gazzetta) leads through the first KOM checkpoint. The main pack are 5'38" back. By the time they get to the second KOM point the gap is down to 5'05". Wikipedia and Phillips are doing most of the donkey work at the front of the bunch.
At the third KOM point, Redondo (Virgin) is the man who goes through first. He's a decent enough climber, but with just 4 minutes now back to the pack, I wouldn't bet on him staying out front.
And so to the final climb of the day and fireworks perhaps?
Here we are at the bottom. The escapees are here. The pack are 3'02" behind.
And what's this? Castano is having a go on the flat before the climb...
It's Phillips who take responsibility for chasing him down, but as the road goes up, he has a gap.
Brajkovic is the first to try and close it. Behind him Gadret and Mayo are trying to jump across.
Then it is Di Luca and Kohl who make a move as they sense weakness in the Phillips team.
Meanwhile, Castano is quickly riding down the remnants of the day's break and holding off anyone who is chasing him.
Intxausti and Gesink are the next two riders to jump from the pack. Thomas Dekker decides enough is enough and he goes after them.
3k to the summit and Castano is still out in front and things are beginning to look very good for him. 2k and Dekker has worked his way to the front of the chasers. Castano though is still holding his 30 second lead.
1k to the summit and it seems that Dekker is going to get no closer on this climb. Castano has 40 seconds. Dekker, in second, then has a 13 second gap back to closest rider. Over the top and it's just over 12 very downhill kilometers in to the finish. Castano has a great chance for Festina to pick up their second stage win of this race.
Castano holds absolutely nothing back on the downhill and sweeps home to victory.
The chasers are a little more careful in their descents and a fair size gap back has opened by the time Gadret and Intxausti cross the line in second and third.
Next up, at the head of a small group of four is pre-stage favorite to take the yellow jersey today, Thomas Dekker. I don't think he's managed to do it.
Castano has not only won the stage today, he has taken the yellow jersey and with just two stages of hard climbing to come is now perhaps favorite to take this race.
