Two more stages left and the sprinters continue to shuffle their big legs behind Adam Blythe. No surprises in the parcours today with three more sprint primes in the addition to that final fling.
Behind Blythe the sprinters are placed behind him as follows. Lets take Mohs, GC second place and stage three winner as a reference point:
Mohs - > stage 4 and 8 winner Loddo at 3 seconds - > stage 6 winner Van Heerden at 11 seconds - > stage 5 winner Gatto at 23 seconds - > Davis at 28 seconds - > Cucinotta at 32 seconds - > Thomas at 35 seconds and Haedo at 35 seconds.
The three sprint primers do not look available for the pack today as we have three riders in the breakaway. Bacardi have sent another rider out on an adventure Bagdonas and he is joined by an El Al and Cillit Bang rider namely Burlutsky and Zenagui.
Bagdonas goes with two others
None of these three are in contention for overall but it is El Al’s Burlutsky who takes the first two sprints.
Sprint 1 and sprint 2 results:
1.Burlutsky
2.Bagdonas
3. Zenagui
Unfortunately for our leading trio they are not given the leeway that Kroupis was yesterday and we have three main teams chasing this. Quiksilver still hunting a big moment from Allan Davis, Pokerstars perhaps hopeful that Mohs might snatch a second stage win and Pendletons who are probably feeling that Van Heerden should be on the podium.
Three tribes go to war on the breakaway
With the stages length at 124km and the last prime being at 105km this brings the last primer in the catch territory. However the break don’t give this one up without a fight as secondary sprinters only go forward realising it is a waste for proper sprinters to go for a prime that is only touch and go.
Zenagui acts as a spoiler taking the prime victory over one of pre-mentioned secondary sprinters
Lorenzatto (Intesa), who takes 2nd (jumping into the GC top 20) over Bagdonas.
Second men see the moon on Zenagui’s backside
The excitement subsides after this as the peleton is all back together preparing for the race to the line. We jump forward to 3.7km to go and sprint train anoraks get their notepads out as we can see 4 or 5 identifiable locomotives in operation
3.7 to go: Four trains to spot, Pirelli, Intesa, Bacardi and 100% Me
So how did you get on.
On the left we have a Bacardi train with Gajek, Nazon and Kluge (Pokerstars). Then it is the pace snake, with the Intesa train of Lorenzatto, Cucinotta and Gatto (Vespa) next to (and behind) the Pirelli train of Paolini, Loddo and Kip (Cillit Bang). The final ‘train’ is a bit messed up with Sulzberger then a gap with Weiss/Murphy and then Blythe and Tim Kennaugh. Davis, Mohs, JJ Haedo and Van Heerden are struggling to make it to their lead outs properly.
The latter name makes a sudden move clipping Haedo’s wheels and tumbling over. This could be a disaster for Pendletons!
Van Heerden falls
The South African desperately gets back on his feet and on his bike as he tried to close back to the peleton. Meanwhile up front the sprint is beginning.
Bacardi and Intesa’s trains operate well here, but Loddo is showing his wits again leaving Paolini early. Davis freed of Van Heerden shadowing as moved to the Intesa trains wheel, Gatto for some reason as ditched this to go to the Bacardi one. This is where Haedo’s gone too, but he is some way back. Mohs is trying to get to Davis’s wheel as Ismael Kip is following the Loddo move with Blythe behind that.
2.1km to go: Sprint battle is a tussle
Over the next kilometre Loddo pushes into the lead, what a Faso tour the Italian has had, with Kip really unable to make a move. The Bacardi and Intesa boys are trying hard though and with 900m to go they are still in the game as is Albie Davis.
900m to go: Loddo again?
Behind another rider is battling to save his and his teams race as Van Heerden sprints past the fading CONTROL riders.
Van Heerden battles back
The blue and black colours are in the spotlight again up front as Alberto Loddo takes his third stage win with Kip unable to come around.
Loddo wins stage 9
The Cillit Bang sprinter does finish second ahead of the well led out Cucinotta, Nazon is 4th ahead of Davis, Gatto and Blythe.
Kip takes second ahead of Intesa’s consistent rider
Behind the Faso school children cheer as ice cream company Pendletons Twicer’s star Van Heerden manages to reach the back of the peleton and same time company.
Van Heerden reachs peleton
Still he lost the opportunity of a bonus today as Loddo once again lapped up the accolades as he moves to 2nd on GC ahead of Mohs. Cucinotta moves up to sixth and Ismael Kip goes into the top 20 with Lorenzatto.
