The opening Thuringer Berg is a prelude to the climbing that awaits the riders in stages 2 and 3. It is fairly clear that this is on the mind of the riders as we get no early attacks from the riders. Still this one is rated as 3rd category and soe about 3km of so from the top two ambitious riders move clear.
Persson (Falcon) and Laverde Velez (Benfica) attack
They are given about a kilometre to build a gap before more KOM points attackers go on the move. Sport Lisboa Club Benfica are renowned for their climbing ability and Laverde does his team proud by holding off a host of attackers including Guldhammer (Telenor) and Shpilevski (Tinkoff).
Laverde takes the 4 point maximum
However no breakaway forms as a result of this climb and we get to our next set of primes (a sprint and a 4th category road bump), the peleton still all together. So this means a bunch sprint for the first prime, could go some way to deciding the first race leader and possibly the points jersey.
Bimbo Nutella sprint train is by far the best and despite other sprinters coming at him quickly he holds on for the six points and bonification seconds.
Sabido - > Napolitano - > Guarnieri
With the climb coming just 4km after the sprint the peleton have no chance to catch the sprinters and so the heavy rollers get there first with Unicredits Italian powerhouse Napolitano taking the maximum 3 points.
KOM2: Napolitano - > Sabido - > Remme
Benfica and Pirelli pull the sprinters back on the descent and at last a rider decides it may be worth a bit of a punt.
Youtube's Rubens Bertogliati makes a break
He quickly gets a decent two minute advantage and this entices two more riders to give it a go.
Wilman (Telenor) and Ribeiro(Benfica) chase
With 50 to go then Berti has 1.40 on his two chasers who in turn have about a minute on the peleton. The peleton control the gap but it suits to keep the three riders out there for the last KOM prime, Bertogliati wins it from Ribeiro and then Wilman. This means that Ribeiro's teammate Laverde will wear the KOM top tomorrow.
These three will not get it their own way to the finish though as Tinkoff and Bimbo Nutella begin to chase this back.
Tinkoff and Bimbo systematically chase those breakaway nuts
They reel in the two chasers but Bertogliati keeps a decent advantage through the first prime that is once again set up by the sprint trains. But Bimbo cannot pull Sabido far enough ahead of the other sprinters and Unicredit take another second place through Napolitano.
Berti - > Nappy - > Trusov
The next sprint follows close to the finish, but Bertogliati has a minute at 15km to go and so just holds onto the prime with 11km to go.
Berti -> Sabido - > Nappy
Unicredits Napolitano and Bimbo Nutella's Sabido have 10 points and 10 seconds of time bonifications. They are just behind the Youtube breakaway man but are more likely to feature in the final sprint, speaking of which the sprinters still have a decent advantage with 5.5km to go.
Peleton a bit lazy about closing this thing up
It is the Bimbo Nutella Vangenechtan/Sabido train which once again is by far the strongest.
Bimbo Nutella have a nice gap
The Tinkoff train of Klimov and Trusov should get closer as the sprint opens up. Meanwhile Santanders chosen lead out man is Ortega for Galdos, Telenor are there with Remma and Siedler and Napolitano is in amongst them. The Italian realises he is in the a failing train and decides to move out with 2.5km to go.
Napolitano leaps first
Within 600m he makes it up level with the Bimbo Nutella train, Sabido better make his move soon here.
Unicredit man closes gap quickly
But the only powerful sprints come from behind as Galdos and Trusov move level with the Bimbo Nutella duo. Napotilano though zooms off in the distance towards an emphatic stage victory with 1.1km to go.
No catching the Italian
He takes a fine win and the race lead, not that he will expect to hold it for long! Still a fine win and he can think of more after the mountains are over with.
Unicredit crunch
It is Trusov who takes second over Galdos with Sabido perhaps a disappointing 4th place.
