We're in Spain for this hilly classic, clocking in at 169km. The profile is dominated by that shark toothed ending with 3 tough medium climbs, before the Alto del Naranco which lasts a total of 7.3km at 5.6%. It's not desperately steep, but a sapping climb so would suit the more staying hill man possibly with some mountain ability.
Gil (Lego) and Cobo (Santander) should know the terrain being Spanish and are two of the favourites here. A whole host of other hilly classic specialists are here but not Gilbert and Pozzato who probably decided the parcours are a bit too mountainous for them.
The first half of the race is a strange one, as almost from the gun a lone rider would race away on his own...
Linden's big day out
Youngster Linden of IKEA would ride off on his own on the mainly flat roads that begin this race, with the difficult ending, no-one was really that bothered about chasing. The furniture company man was free to build a nice lead for himself that topped out at around 8 and half minutes.
However he is not much a climber and he will have known the names of some of the riders back in the peleton...
Linden knows who the Spaniards want to win.
Eventually someone was going to have to take the responsibility to track the young man down a bit. In the Peleton Cillit Bang, Milka and Vespa stepped forwards.
Cillit Bangs Marc De Maar leads the peleton
Clearly Cillit Bang favour their duo Ben Nasser and Bellis, they rode okay in Germany a couple of days ago. This profile should suit Ben Nasser who of course is from Morocco not too dissimilar climate. Vespa are riding for their hilly man Ginanni, who has yet to fire this season. Bacardi though may have a really good bet in Kirchen who was outstanding in a stage race in Spain a couple of months ago. Kirchen should go well on the medium mountain at the end.
These teams bring down the gap to 5 minutes with 75km to go. Its a steady chase, so within the peleton a couple of riders decide to make more of a race of it...
UBS' Anthony Roux attacks
It's quite a long way out especially with the climb at the end, but other riders do decide to join him. Lloyd (Benfica), Evans (Yamaha) and Bertagnolli (Wiggle) are those riders.
The response
In the peleton, the teams are alert to this and panic stations go up as the pace is elevated. As is so often the case in this circumstance a crash occurs, Santander fans may wish to look away its bad news its COBO!
Nasty fall for Spanish favourite.
Also involved is Luzi (Vespa) and Mora (UBS), though those two are less of a story. Of course Santander knew that Cobo was their man for GC and went back en masse to help their meal ticket.
Its says so on the road Cobo Cobo but this is tough going.
With the race on the first of the four climbs, the Alto de Padrun the pace is really hot, at the front the 3 chasers catch an absolutely knackered Linden!
Lead group of 4.
As you can see the lead is not huge, in fact it is just 53 seconds and they catch it before the top of this Padrun climb. The Peleton still led by Bacardi, Milka and Cillit Bang are not easing up because of the Cobo incident. Cobo's Santander TTT is some two and a half minutes back, it really is looking desperately bad for JJ. Over the top of the Padrun and down to the third last little unnamed dig the other big Spanish favourite decides that he will have to carry the flag.
Gil (Lego) goes with 24 to go.
Towards the top of this interesting little climb, Froome (100% Me) and Flugel (Ikea) decide to try and chase. Froome made the big move at the Worlds View Challenge last month, he is a clever rider is this the right moment today?
The two F's fly away
Also following this is another LEGO man in Claeys, looks like LEGO are having a good day in Spain! With 15km and the two last climbs to go the situation is this..
e1: Gil (Lego) e2: Froome (100% Me), Flugel (Ikea), Claeys (Lego) at 20 seconds Peleton at 56 seconds Cobo group at 2.56
The second last climb is called the Manzaneda and with the action hot it was always likely that the favourites were going to use this as a launch pad. Gil, Froome, Flugel and Claeys have already gone so its time for others. First...
Ginanni and Ben Nasser make their first move
Behind the peleton has been marshalled by Milka but that will no longer be the case as their undisputed team leader Alex Efimkin goes on the attack.
Milka man
You can see here he quickly reels in a flagging Ginanni who seems to have misjudged his form! However Efimkin is absolutely flying, also flying behind him is Kirchen who responded to Efimkins move. Both teams Bacardi and Milka have been working all day and their leaders are paying them back here. They reel in and go past Froome and Flugel, with only Claeys able to respond to them.
Efimkin is powering up the Manzaneda
Its only Gill ahead now with Kirchen and Efimkin chasing (Claeys is sitting on). Behind them we have a couple of other riders choosing the now descent of the Manzaneda to make a move. Albasini (UBS) and Bellis (Cillit Bang) move up to the Froome, Flugal, Ginanni and Ben Nasser group. In fact Albasini just goes right past...
Super Swiss
Before we get to the bottom of the Naranca, we have news of Cobo. He has made it back to the peleton...
12km to go is it too late?
So we move onto the last climb of the Naranca and Albasini made it to the front group make it like this with 6.5 km to go:
e1: Kirchen (Bacardi), Gil + Claeys (Lego), Efimkin (Milka) and Albasini (UBS) e2: Ben Nasser + Bellis (Cillit Bang), Flugel (Ikea), Ginanni (Vespa) and Froome (100% Me) at 42 seconds e3: Roche (100% Me), Cassidy (Vespa) and Herve (Bacardi) at 1.43 Peleton (with Cobo) at 2.34
Previously following in Efimkins wake it is Kirchen who now decides to attack on the last climb with 5,600 metres to go....
Kirchen seems to like Spain!
Efimkin, Gil and Albasini are trying to respond but this is hurting, meanwhile Claeys looks like he has had it! As he drops back to the others its Flugel and Froome who are putting in their second big dig, Ginanni can only look on in despair...
FF fly again.
You may ask what an earth is happening to the Cillit bang duo and the answer is not a lot. If they are not careful they are going to get caught by the riders attacking from the reducing peleton. Speaking of which its happier times for Santander as late to the party their man attacks...
Comeback Cobo.
Alas it is way too late to crack to very top places, the very top place looks like it will go to Kirchen who with 2.5 km to go has powered to a 40 second lead over these 4 chasers:
Albasini, Efimkin, Flugel, Gil
Froome has cracked a bit and has dropped behind Ben Nasser and Ginanni who are riding steadily but with no sparkle. He is with Bellis who is also struggling, I don't think Brits like it at altitude.
Another rider really struggling behind them is Claeys, with Roche, Herve now being caught (and passed by Cobo) with Schwab (LEGO) also making a move. Back at the front in the 4 chasers its Albasini who slightly surprisingly is making the attacks now and gets away...
Not expected to be the strongest here, great news for UBS
You can see that Gil and Efimkin are battling for his wheel and Flugel is now flagging a bit. Back at the very front though there is no doubt about the winner. Kim Kirchen has dominated on this Naranca climb.
Cool Colt man has been brilliant
He attacked with 5.6km to go and no-one ever looked like they were going to get back to him. Meanwhile Albasini is the best of the rest, outfighting Gil and Efimkin to nab a useful 2nd place.
battle for minor placings
A fading Flugel just holds off Ben Nasser for 5th, with Ginanni 7th. Cobo ended up a gallent 11th, but ultimately a disappointing day for the Santander team who will be counting on the Spanish races this year.
