One of the two big decisive days on GC this flat 16km time trial in San Juan will be one to keep an eye on a number of battles.
First the stage win and unsurprisingly a number of the best chrono men in the Division two teams are here almost specifically for today. The three riders seen has having a slight edge are: Logan Hutchings Thom Van Dulmen
and Cyril Lemoine
We also have the GC battle and riders like Stephen Gallagher
and Aleksandr Bespalov
will have to have a stormer to rip the yellow jersey off of Oleg Chuzhda
Finally we have to consider which climber will put themselves in with a shout of winning the overall and it is difficult to pick a definitive rider from the pack with so many on the same time so far.
The first non control rider to set a time, sets a very good benchmark for the course with a time just under 22 minutes (21.59).
Wilson Rincón
dropped time earlier in the race but has done a good early ride this year.
This time really stood out as we moved through a number of riders who had lost time earlier on in the race such as: Anthony Colby Paul Healion
and Stephen Vicelich
but none of these three could break 22.10 let alone get near to Rincon's 21.59.
Just as we were starting to think the Colombian had produced something extraordinary Frenchman Perrig Quemeneur
stormed through with a new best.
He sets a time of 21.54, but is closely followed by 35 year old Isidro Nozal
The Spanish veteren matches Quemeneur's time and only falls behind by hundredths of a second.
Name
Team
Time
1
Quemeneur
Alstom
21.54
2
Nozal
UPC
21.54
3
Rincon
Cativen
21.59
However Nozal will be pleased to set such a good time considering he is one of the better climbers in the race. A possible GC rival in compatriot Iván Melero
can only set 22.09 for example.
The three riders to set under 22 minutes times are soon joined by Aussie old timer Ben Day
and another UPC GC threat in Remmert Wielinga
UPC put a Dutchman and a Spaniard high on the rankings today with Wielinga just one second behind Quemeneur and Nozal. Day is a further second behind that.
1
Quemeneur
Alstom
21.54
2
Nozal
UPC
21.54
3
Wielinga
UPC
21.55
4
Day
EfTel
21.56
5
Rincon
Cativen
21.59
The UPC domination however is thrown into disarray following a sensational new best by one of the pre-stage favourites.
It's Ekspla's distinctive green jersey that can only mean Kiwi Logan Hutchings
and he has set a stonking new best time of 21.38!
Clearly the conditions out there are perhaps the best they have been so far Hutchings now has to watch and wait as he sees Thom Van Dulmen
come in.
The Dutchman sets a new second best time of 21.46, not able to find Hutchings' sizzling speed.
Name
Team
Time
GC
1
Hutchings
Ekspla
21.38
0
2
Van Dulman
Adecco
21.46
8
3
Quemeneur
Alstom
21.54
16
4
Nozal
UPC
21.54
16
5
Wielinga
UPC
21.55
17
UPC then nudged out of the top three today but you suspect that they will be eyeing up stage 7's monster climb to catapult their two riders Nozal and Wielinga up on GC. But they will have close company in the form of Hungarian Tamás Lengyel
He sets a time of 21.56 and the 32 year old is a decent climber, so someone for UPC to keep an eye on. He and the UPC's are nudged down by the attacking Ukrainian who shows his raw power once again as Juri Krivtsov
sets 21.52, good enough for provisional third.
1
Hutchings
Ekspla
21.38
0
2
Van Dulman
Adecco
21.46
8
3
Kvistov
Metinvest
21.52
14
4
Quemeneur
Alstom
21.54
16
5
Nozal
UPC
21.54
16
Now we move onto to the riders who have taken some time bonuses in the race so far, a number of them are decent testers. Aleksandr Bespalov
has two seconds on Hutchings before the day began.
He produces a good ride but at seven seconds slower to Hutchings he moves into second on the stage and on GC too.
Name
Team
Time
GC
1
Hutchings
Ekspla
21.38
0
2
Bespolov
Gazprom
21.45
5
3
Van Dulman
Adecco
21.46
8
4
Kvistov
Metinvest
21.52
14
5
Quemeneur
Alstom
21.54
16
The dark colours of Cyril Lemoine
is coming home next. We have seen this team very active early on in this race and with Lemoine starting the day six seconds up on Hutchings big things are expected.
However the Frenchman disappoints slightly with a time of 21.56, he only moves to provisional 4th on GC.
Name
Team
Time
GC
1
Hutchings
Ekspla
21.38
0
2
Bespolov
Gazprom
21.45
5
3
Van Dulman
Adecco
21.46
8
4
Lemoine
Dyson
21.56
12
5
Kvistov
Metinvest
21.52
14
Kingspans Stephen Gallagher
started ten seconds up on Hutchings but twenty seconds shy of GC leader Chuzhda. The Irishman sets a time of 21.47, the fourth best time of the day and good enough for the provisional lead. The Camaras shockingly do not capture his finish!
Name
Team
Time
GC
1
Gallagher
Kingspan
21.47
0
2
Hutchings
Ekspla
21.38
1
3
Bespolov
Gazprom
21.45
6
4
Van Dulman
Adecco
21.46
9
5
Lemoine
Dyson
21.56
13
It means that Chuzhda has to finish inside of 22.08....
The clock does roll over the 22 minute mark, so it is by no means a brilliant ride by the Eurovision man but he holds the GC lead crossing with 22.01.
So Hutchings takes the stage from Bespolov and Van Dulman, Chuzhda holds onto the GC lead with Gallagher then Hutchings in the podium places. Of the GC men a strong ride by UPC pair Nozal and Wielinga puts the Spanish/Dutch team you would say in great position for the overall.
