With just two small mid stage 4th category climbs today, this 228km run from Nacy to Dijon could well end up in a sprint. Vesuvio's Michael Ford will hope that he can keep the yellow jersey today with none of the main sprinters anyway near to taking the shirt off of him.
The sprinters listed as favourites today are Lo Cicero, Mayer, Serebrikov, Weylandt, Breschel and Rizza. However an early break of six riders establishes itself and they will be hoping for enough slack to win todays stage.
Five plus one follower - todays BotD
The riders here then Perget (Bacardi - Colt), Vaugranard (Jack Wolfskin), Kaisen (Wikipedia), Fleeman (Domina Vacanze), Chedhomme (Auber) and Joly (Cafe du Columbia). Vaugranard and Kaisen both reasonable TTers are the best placed on GC 21 seconds back. The Jack Wolfskin man strengthens his position as virtual leader by taking the first sprint.
Vaugranard - > Chedhomme - > Perget
The Jack Wolfskin man was on the break a lot in the Giro d'Italia, there he seemed to be one of the interested parties in the KOM jersey. Here though he is taking the sprint primes and he does so once again at the second and last of the two on the course bonifications.
Vaugranard - > Chedhomme - > Kaisen
This takes the Frenchmen to just 9 seconds behind Ford if they were to finish on the same time. It does seem unlikely that the peleton will not catch the breakaway, with 110km to go the gap is 8 minutes and it is falling. At the front of the back is Vesuvio lead drone Medvedev.
Vesuvio control, Festina near the front
Both Vesuvio and Festina had nightmare moments in the recent Vuelta, both their leaders for those races Intxausti and Contador are here in France to try and make amends. Though one could argue the field here is even more competitive. Back to the break at the front Sebastian Joly becomes King for the day (of the Mountains) by taking both the two KOM primes. The first he won over Vaiugranard and Fleeman and the second... well you can see for yourself.
Joly - > Fleeman - > Perget
With huge climbs later in the race these moments are slight insignificant, but gives some small glory for the Cafe du Columbia team, who contrary to the previous teams mentioned (Festina and Vesuvio) had a wonderful Vuelta win with Valverde. Gomez Marchante is their main man here, he will have a hard time repeating World Champion Valverde's accomplishments!
50km to go the gap is down to 2.31, so the writing is on the wall.
Last Man standing (well cycling) is Vaugranard
So a sprint train, today and tomorrow are probably the only days you will see this given the parcours of this race. Tomorrow is hilly at the end too, so for the more <ahem> weighty sprinters today is perhaps the only decent chance.
6km to go
On the right is the Nespresso train led out by Fedrigo, with Lo Cicero behind - he fits that sprinter who cannot climb. Minard of Lafarge is following this train, you may remember he was the Docker led out man from the Giro. On the other side we have the Pearl Adidas lead out driving is Vastaranta for Lloyd Mondory, this has Weylandt and Arango following.
Fast forward 3.5km....
Pearl train moves forward
That is a fail for Nespresso and success for Pearl Adidas, the rock band will be happy! Moving up to one side of the fading Nespresso boys is Jack Wolfskin rider Hans Dekkers, he was neatly deposited up here by Jos Van Emden.
1000 more metres roll by as the sprint begins.
1.5km to go
Mondory jumps past his companion, Weylandt maintains his position on his wheel with Arango behind. To the right Dekkers has jumped hard also with Lo Cicero trying to make up for the faded lead out.
Into the last kilometer the two riders following Mondory are trying to come around.
Here come the wheelsuckers
Mondory works hard and holds off Arango, but cannot stop the Belgian coming inside of him. Wouter Weylandt takes a nice stage win for Carmeuse.
Weylandt takes it by half a length
But his glory is rather distracted by news of the GC leader Ford, the long stage has led to some being tailled off. One of those riders is Vesuvio's Michael Ford, five teammates had dropped back to help him!
Vesuvio lose the race lead
So things pass on to Wikipedia's Kovalev who had a great day yesterday, wait a minute he is in the Ford group too!
Kovalev also loses time
Next in line for the GC throne is Sony Ericsson's Sebatian Lang who finishes comfortably in the 123 man front group.
