A flat stage is next in this year’s edition of Brixia Tour. After yesterday’s great victory, Van Den Broeck must fancy a relaxing day, but the bookmakers think otherwise. They hold Corioni Biondo Van Den Broeck
himself as favourites for the stage win today. Also, Pozzovivo
is one of the outsiders for the stage win, could they gain valuable time to Rujano, Alarcon and Caruso? Obviously the bookmakers can't decide whether that tiny hill close to the finishing line will give "stage racing sprinters" a clear advantage compared to pure sprinters.
The weather is excellent today, though, just like yesterday, there’s a lot of wind. At the start, the wind indicator says “49.”
The first attack of the day is successive, and Pozzo Van Ooijen Masciarelli Reis Aramendia
are looking for a day in the breakaway.
Back in the peloton it’s Venchi Saab
doing the work for their sprinters, Corioni and Chicchi, but they’re going slow. With 130 kilometers left of the stage, the breakaway has a lead of 6 minutes.
And with 122 kilometers left, we might see why Van Den Broeck
is tipped as one of the favourites for the stage win. The riders will face a nasty little hill less than a kilometer away from the finish line. It’s about 800 meters long, and maxes out on 10%. Definitely a tough task for the pure sprinters.
Back in the peloton, Rojas
punctures with 95 kilometer to go. He is looking at one very long day of racing.
Pozzo
is the only one interested in the sprint points on offer on the first intermediate sprint, and he easily takes them. He’s also the best placed rider on the overall ranking of the riders in the breakaway, he started the day 5’17 behind Pozzovivo, meaning the peloton can’t afford to give the breakaway too much of a gap. With 83 kilometers left, they’re 7’30 behind the 5 in front.
Coming to the 2nd intermediate sprint, there’s suddenly more interest in the points on offer. Aramendia
takes 6 points, ahead of Reis Pozzo
The gap back to the peloton is now 6 minutes, meaning the peloton controls them pretty well.
Facing today’s only challenge for the 2nd time, with 42 kilometers left, it’s Aramendia
who leads the breakaway. The gap back to the peloton is 3’50, meaning they’re doing pretty good, but it should be all in the peloton’s hands really.
Aramendia
also takes the last intermediate sprint today, and just like the previous one, it’s Reis Pozzo
who follow closest. They will need to ride above their limit from now on and in if they’re going to keep the peloton behind. With 31 kilometers left, the gap is 2’40.
20 kilometers to go, and the peloton are 1’20 behind the breakaway. Though, there’s a couple of "surprises" inside the peloton, as Van Den Broeck
has positioned himself at the very back. He’s companied by Alarcon Rujano
who is on the right side of the road, just ahead of Van Den Broeck.
With only 15 kilometers left of racing today, the rain starts to fall! That could prove critical for Van Den Broeck
and the two Venezuelans at the back of the peloton. Colex
uses the opportunity, and attacks from the peloton.
There’s a crash inside the peloton with 10 kilometers left. It’s Pietropolli
who hits the asphalt, luckily for him, he doesn’t take his leader, Caruso, down, as he’s close to the front. You can also see Alarcon
on the left, just able to avoid the crash.
And Van Den Broeck
goes down with them! That’s quite a price to pay for being at the back, you can’t feel anything else than sorry for Van Den Broeck. He had a lot of bad luck in Austria, and it continues here in Brixia. What a shame. Also, Brandt
goes down, and most of his team mates, including Stetina
waits for him.
7.2 kilometers left, and Colex
is the last to be caught, meaning the stage winner will be decided from the peloton.
The peloton is preparing for a sprint finish now. Saab has taken command, putting 2 riders in front of Chicchi
in pole position. On their left, CSC is trying to set something up for their Russian talent, Maksimov
as Lima and Kovalev soon have him in their slipstream. Chicchi is followed by Hochmann Di Nucci Gatto
Saab’s lead out for Chicchi
looks like a clear winner, and Sinner Degenkolb
quickly pick that train. CSC
is struggling to get things going on the left side of the road.
And indeed, Saab’s lead out is perfect. Chicchi
is still just sitting there, watching Westling giving it his last on the hill. There's only 1200 meters to go now.
Chicchi
senses Gatto
on his left with 900 meters to go, and makes his move. Hochmann Di Nucci
follow closest, while Maksimov
is still preparing his sprint on the left side of the road.
Chicchi
storms into the descent in a clear lead with only 500 meters to go. Westling is also doing good, keeping 3rd place.
Suddenly Corioni
comes from nowhere in the final turn, and powers to the line. But he has left it too late.
Chicchi
can celebrate another win for Saab! He seems to be on a roll, as this is his 2nd stage win this month, as he took the final stage in Austria.
Gatto
manages to hold on to 2nd place, ahead of fast-finishing Corioni
in 3rd.
Maksimov
takes 4th, despite having an awful long final turn.
Sinner
takes 5th on the stage, a few inches ahead of Di Nucci
in 6th. Westling’s
brilliant lead out gives Saab another good stage placing, as he takes 7th, Hochmann
takes 8th, and Degenkolb
goes 9th.
Biondo
rounds off the top 10, ahead of Capecchi
in 11th.
Unlucky Brandt
crosses the line almost 4’30 behind stage winner Chicchi, which is a shame for his overall ambitions.
Van Den Broeck
looses even more, he crosses the finish line about 5 minutes behind today’s winner, and he’s definitely out of the fight for the overall win. A huge disappointment for both his team and his fans, we can only hope he isn’t hurt, then he can at least hunt another stage win tomorrow. But that's not much of a comfort really.
