Into the pyrenees! From Agde to Rieux Minnevois, with the tough Pic de Nore being the highlight of the day - followed by a descent. It's a tough one to call. If we get a sprint at the end, it will surely be from a reduced peloton - perhaps Ventoso is an ideal candidate for having the strength to get over the climb and win the sprint.
It could be a day to be on the attack though. Maybe in a Cancellara style late move, or perhaps in the day long breakaway. A lead at the summit can be well defended on the descent.
And theres 13 riders in the break.
J. Ghyselinck
G. Bagdonas
J. El Fares
G. Steurs
B. Vaugrenard
M. Ladagnous
J. Giaux
A. Moinard
D. Muravjev
J. Tschopp
D. Champion
JA. Flecha
B. Khalilikhosroshani
Unsurprisingly, some familiar breakaway names in here, while Bacardi, UBS and CT Wildcards Jayco - Red Bull clearly agree that a day long break is the right option today, and have sent 2 riders into the break.
JRB have done their best to cover the moves so far this race, while Impey has collected minor placings in the sprint. Giaux is not much suited to today but can help to protect Moinard for as long as possible - and Moinard will certainly be a threat if the break can make it all the way.
KoM 1:
1
J. El Fares
2
A. Moinard
3
B. Khalilikhosroshani
Chasing the break are De Gendt and Bernaudeau. They were 2 minutes behind at the KoM, but have reduced that to 1 minute by the Sprint.
1
M. Ladagnous
2
B. Vaugrenard
3
D. Muravjev
The gap is still 1 minute at the 2nd KoM, although De Gendt has now dropped Bernaudeau.
1
A. Moinard
2
J. Tschopp
3
J. El Fares
And De Gendt does eventually make contact, so the break is 14 by the team they reach the foot of the Pic de Nore. Although not for long, as Champion is quickly dropped - by his own teammate no less.
They hold a 4 minute lead on the peloton.
In the peloton, and not a sight many will be pleased with - a top GC rider setting the pace on the climb. It is of course Uran, with Medevedv in the wings.
A risky strategy surely? Swift will have to battle up the climb as it is, without a Uran style pacemaking. He is already some way back in the peloton.
But with 5km to the summit, Vesuvio have dissapeared. The pace hardly relents, because now it is Velits on the front. But no Vesuvio means that Swift is struggling, and he won't be the only one.
Meanwhile up front, the breakaway has been blown apart. Only El Fares, Moinard and Tschopp remain. Iranian Khalilikhosroshani had tried to keep up, but couldnt manage it.
The break reaches the summit, still with a healthy lead on the peloton.
1
J. El Fares
2
A. Moinard
3
J. Tschopp
4
B. Khalilikhosroshani
5
J. Ghyselinck
6
D. Muravjev
7
B. Vaugrenard
The gaps are:
El Fares, Moinard, Tschopp
+ 47 Khalilikhosroshani
+ 2'30 Muravjev, Ghyselinck, Vaugrenard, Bagdonas, Ladagnous, De Gendt
+ 3'16 Peloton
+ 4'32 Group of 15 with Summerhill, Vanderbiest, Velits, Vastaranta, Granjel Cabrera, Van Stayen
+ 5'25 Group of 7 with Ten Dam, Chavanel and Kreder
+ 6'18 Group of 9 with Impey, Ivars, Martens, Riblon
+ 6'45 Group of 12. 7 Vesuvio. Uran, Samwel, Swift. Also Holloway, Priamo, Pinot
+ 7'18 Group of 23 with Lavoine, Goss, Rowe, Karpets, Lo Cicero, Kreuziger, Forero
This is a disaster for Nestle and Vesuvio - especially in Uran's case. Paterski and Hoogerland have stayed in the peloton, yet the team leader has gone back to help the lost cause of Swift? Idiocy.
And going over the top of the climb, Keizer crashes out of the peloton!
The stage is slipping away from the peloton, with a 3 minute gap to make up in 20km - this is bad news for the likes of Vanderbiest, Van Stayen and Ventoso who are here in the peloton. Vanderbiest's group having made contact pretty soon into the descent.
But suddenly, everything is slipping away from Ventoso. Especially his bike...
And that's Pluchkin down too!!
Carnage.
Pluchkin, Taaramae, Fothen, Gadret, Amador, Popovych. All down!
Full list:
Spoiler
A. Pluchkin
R. Taaramäe
M. Fothen
J. Gadret
F. Marquez
A. Amador
J. Popovych
A. Grivko
G. Steurs
H. Zubeldia
P. Deignan
R. Margaliot
S. Duret
F. Mourey
F. Ventoso
A. Hernández Gutierrez
R. van der Hugenhaben
Y. Talabardon
I. Mayo
D. Cataldo
T. Kritskiy
C. Mai
They pick themselves up and get going again - to be caught by none other than the Uran group.
There's even worse luck for Deignan though. Immediately after crashing, he punctures.
Up front, El Fares tried to attack the break. It backfired though, as Tschopp counterattacked and went into a solo lead.
Pearl Adidas have taken control of the 68 man peloton now. Only 4 of the break remain infront, but have too much of a gap. They can't deliver Vanderbiest to the win then, but they can ensure a gap to the group of 82 chasers. Velits has had his own mishaps earlier in the race, so no sympathy there.
The chasing group contains everyone who crashed (except Deignan) and the majority of those who got dropped on the climb - such as Uran and Karpets. But the gap is at 2 minutes with 13km to go.
Back to the leaders, and Moinard has brought back Tschopp.
One of these 3 is sure to win the stage. Tschopp has already come close to a downhill breakaway victory already this season at the Tour de Suisse - but had to settle for 2nd having not kept up with Medvedev on the climb. He at least went on to win the King of the Mountains in that race.
Of the Frenchmen, El Fares has had a so far unspectacular season. 46th in Rund um Koln is his best overall finish, and he has had no stage performances of note. While for Moinard, his best breakaway of the year ended in a summit finish rather than a downhill, at the Tour de Beauce, and he didnt have the legs to match the best, settling for 6th.
With 6km to go, the gap to the 2nd Peloton is still 2 minutes - while Khalilikhosroshani is now just 45 seconds ahead. Sensing a chance of 4th place, Summerhill attacks. But surely the pace is too high?
Weirdly, Pearl now stop working. Summerhill quickly gets a gap, but nobody is willing to push the peloton anymore.
Hope for the 2nd peloton then! Carmeuse are on the front, working for Taaramae and now the gap is falling - down to 1'30.
Moinard draws the short straw up front, and will lead out.
Finish Video:
And it is game over for El Fares. He cannot even follow Tschopp's wheel.
Can Moinard also hold off Tschopp? He still leads with 500 metres to go.
But now Tschopp launches - and that is a first Tour de France stage win for the UBS team!
A close 2nd for Moinard, with El Fares 3rd.
The gap between pelotons is now down to 1'17. Oddly, Pendletons are at the front of both with Ladagnous on the front of the peloton - Cunego 2nd wheel - and Duret 2nd wheel to Chavanel in the chasing group.
The gap is really closing fast, and infact Chavanel now decides to leave the group behind. Kreder and Ventoso are readying to sprint across it also.
Danny Summerhill takes 4th on the stage, having caught and dropped the Iranian K-man.
Dekker tries to get a jump on the peloton for 6th place, but sprinters Vanderbiest, Granjel Cabrera and Van Stayen are up there - along with Paterski, Cancellara and Cunego.
Cancellara secures 6th place in a good day for Switzerland.
In the end, no major name lost any time. Uran and Karpets must consider themselves VERY lucky with the crash or else they would probably have lost at least 3 minutes - while Keizer was saved by the bigger crash aswell, while they and the crash victims are also very lucky that the peloton switched off with 5km to go.
But tomorrow brings a short but tough day of Pyreneean climbing. There'll be a lot of hurting bodies for sure - but will there be any serious injuries amongst the GC riders?
