The last two stages of this Vuelta a Columbia are pan flat, which means today is the last day to make a difference on the Classification. It is tight at the top with Jurgen Van Den Broeck just about holding on to the yellow jersey by four seconds from Koldo Gil.
The Spanish Lego man also now joint leads the KOM competition with the long time leader Andrew Bajadali of Yamaha. It is also the last day of fun in that one and we have plenty of ups and downs to test the riders once more and get things sorted out.
Early days in this stage clearly there was a lot of tension in the peleton as we had no early breaks. The first part of the stage is on a longish circuit where they tackle the Pueblo Tapas three times and on the first ascent we finally get some action as we near the top.
Y Martinez and Zaugg go for KOM points
None of the main KOM contenders are here, but the summit has seen a number of riders trying to ride clear. Following a first sprint prime won by Evan Oliphant over Victor Orozco and Ivan Parra Pinto, latter two riders pushed clear. They were later joined by Santaromita of Pirelli.
Three riders push on clear of other breakaway attempts
Orozco would take the next two Pueblo Tapas climbs ahead of Santaromita and Parra Pinto, he could feasibly move up into a decent position in the KOM points competition. The Columbian would share the two sprint prizes with Santaromita, whereas Columbian veteran Parra Pinto takes third at these too. Behind these riders, three other riders try to bridge across later into the stage.
Three chase men
Mazet (Unicredit), Betencourt (Quiksilver) and Vandborg (also Unicredit) are looking to move across and with 50km to go they are 2.18 back from the break of three. The three lead riders have just over six minutes on the peleton, it could well go to the breakaway this. Meanwhile the two riders separated by 4 seconds are watching each other in the peleton.
Gil is green with envy!
At the bottom of the last of these long climbs in Columbia – the man currently 5 seconds off of a podium Martinez puts in a bold attack.
Martinez looking to put pressure on Hesjedal here
It is a good move, he is over five minutes behind Van den Broeck so the pressure is all on Pirelli who have faded somewhat since the race began.
Pirelli need to control this move
37km to go till finish and 10km till end of the climb, this is the situation:
e1Orozco, Santa, Parra P e2Mazet and Betencourt at 2.05 e3Vandborg and Y Martinez at 3.26 peleton 34 men at 4.30
As we begin to get into the peleton disintegration phase, the men who still feel they have something left attack. Rodrigues (Bimbo Nutella), Zaugg (Youtube), Montenegro (Yamaha) and ... also Koldo Gil (LEGO)!
As Vandborg fades, four riders including Gil make their move
This move is given a little while before Yellow jersey Van den Broeck finally makes his attempt to bridge. He is followed by Hesjedal, Ortega, Parra B and a few other riders.
Yellow jersey has to give it one last dig
Our three leaders on the stage Orozco, Santa and Parra P are still clear but behind an 11 man group has formed in the final section of climbing in this years race. The names:
Rodrigues, Mazet, Beread (Bimbo Nutella)
Martinez, Betencourt (Quiksilver)
Hesjedal, Ndbri (Pirelli)
Ortega (Unicredit)
Parra B (Red Bull)
Gil (LEGO)
Van den Broeck (Benfica)
All the top five on the GC are locked together, but the leaders teammates Saldarriaga(8th) and Krasnoperov (6th) and also former race leader Iban Mayo (9th) of Pirelli are not here.
Power group have formed
At the final KOM prime the headline is not really the first three as Pirelli's Santaromita takes it over Parra Pinto with Orozco third (that third place is mildly irritating ).
Pirelli man takes last KOM prime of the Vuelta
Koldo Gil takes 5th place on the climb and will therefore be the King of the Mountains at this year's Vuelta a Columbia. Difficult to argue with this as the Spanish rider has won the two toughest mountain top finishes in the tour. Can he somehow find a way of overturning the 4 second deficit for the overall?
The front group of three sense they have a shot of the stage win here and it is Santaromita who goes solo on the descent.
Santa is giving no gifts
Behind in the favourites group Ryder Hesjedal once again gives a demonstration of his bike handling skills as he does a trademark downhill attack.
Looking good for third place on GC - good riding by Pirelli again
Ryder pushes hard and reels in the breakaway but does pull Orozco and Parra Pinto back to his teammate. The Canadian had just five seconds on the young Martinez on GC and he is looking for a bit more of a buffer here.
Front group of four now
But behind the power group behind are restless with some battles for minor places going on as well as that key 1st and 2nd place battle. Numerous attacks bring this thing all together.
Lots of moves behind, VdB looks stronger than Gil here
Hesjedal grinds hard up front, but the other riders behind are getting closer and closer to him.
It is a question of timing and inevitably Bimbo Nutella play they numbers out well as Beraud bridges to Hesjedel in the finale towing up Parra Bustamante in the process.
Beraud overtakes Hesjedal in the final km
He holds off the Red Bull man to take Bimbo Nutella's second stage win of the tour.
Beraud takes it
Hesjedal takes a deserved time bonus for third with Van den Broeck taking 4th, perhaps now on his way to the overall win. Ortega and Rodrigues move into the top 7 despite not quite finishing with the front group as they finished with Koldo Gil some 55 seconds down on the leaders. The Lego man now has to be happy with second.
). 
