Spain welcomes 104 riders for what should be a tough 149kms of racing.
The weather forecast today looks dreadful with heavy rain expected to fall halfway through the day along with brutal winds.
The first attack of the day belongs to David Garbelli, followed by Amaro Antunes Ole Hirschlein Antonio Santoro
Then a few more want in on the action. Jokin Niño Paul Mach & Pedro Pablo Pereyra Pavel Brutt
Hollister puts two men up front early, they know the breakaway is their only option of a decent result today. As does Carne by get a man up front as well.
But it is all for nothing as Edwin Parra Bustamante chases them all back. CSC was clearly unhappy with two Hollister riders up front.
The second wave of attacks are started by three men that were in the first attacks; Hirschlein, Pereyra, and Brutt.
Shortly after some new faces join them. Juan Gelabert Michal Kwiatkowski & David Garbelli Massimo Iannetti
Vespa takes a page out of Hollister's book and tries to get two guys in the breakaway. Will it work this time with CSC getting their own man in break?
It seems to be working if more attacks are going free, Antonio Santoro
That makes a total of 12 riders, with Vespa having 3 riders present. I don't see how the peloton can overlook that and let them go.
Mathieu La Lavandier continues the attacks, as it looks like peloton still isn't concerned about chasing.
And then all of a sudden a flurry of attacks coming out of the peloton. Jaume Rovira & Anthony Roux Ole Haavardsholm & Fabio Aru Alexander Gottfried Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Pier Graziano Sgrigna Amotz Nehoray
Add them all up and you get 21 cyclists in the breakaway. Venchi and even more surprising Aker have 3 riders within the 21. If the peloton lets this go they have no one to blame but themselves if they don't catch them.
And finally a reaction, but it's who takes up the chase that's the real surprise. Aker Solutions - Bergans and CSC-Orbea do all the work even though it means pulling back their own teammates. Everyone is back together after 36kms, 112kms to go.
Just like the second wave, the third wave is started by all riders previously on the attack. Silva, Iannetti, Brutt, Aru, Pereyra, Bonnin, Bono, and Nehoray get away.
And then Rovira, Gottfried, and La Lavandier go once more.
Sgrigna doesn't want to be late to the party.
And finally things settle down and the breakaway of 12 gets past the 3 minute mark. CSC-Orbea take up most of the pace making for their leader Anton. Or perhaps just to show off the team to the home crowds.
60kms to go and the breakaway hits the climb for the first time today, 4 minutes in front of the peloton. We get a nice preview of how tough the finish will be as the riders will see this climb at the end of the day as well. You can also start to see rain coming down for the first time today.
The breakaway takes it nice and easy as the come over the top in one group still 4 minutes out in front.
The peloton on the other hand drops 6 domestics, which isn't really a big deal as they all are awful when it comes to climbing. So in reality a few teams just lost their water boy for the last 54kms of racing.
On the downhill we get the first major attack of the race. It's Gianpaolo Caruso followed by Richard Ochoa Quintero. Being 50kms out and a long flat section ahead before we head up the climb again, many must be asking what are these two thinking.
Caruso and Quintero put their heads back on straight and decide to slow up to join the peloton again at the bottom of the descent. Surely wasted energy that they could have saved for later.
Aker is full force on the front for Alarcon with 20kms go, 1'30" to the breakaway. And the rain starts to pick up even more, this is turning into a very dangerous finish.
Jose Alarcon attacks out of nowhere with 12kms to go. The breakaway hasn't been caught yet, and we haven't even reached the start of the climb. Alarcon has got everyone confused just like Caruso did after his move. The only exception,
People fear Alarcon! Some big name climbers counter the move even though they are still 3kms away from the start of the climb. Igor Antón Thomas Lövkvist Jurgen Van den Broeck Richard Ochoa Quintero
This is starting to turn into a very odd race.
And then Alarcon's teammate Hector Duenas Nevado attacks as well. Aker are showing some strange tactics for what many thought would be an easy victory for superstar climber Alarcon. Did Aker Solutions - Bergans leave the door open today?
As we began the final climb at 8kms to go, Alarcon along with his followers merge with the breakaway. A good time to catch their breath as the peloton lurks 45 seconds behind.
The early attacks are canceled out as the peloton comes drags them back. Morning breakaway Silva tries one last attack. But it is no use, he doesn't have enough energy to open a gap.
Caruso is the brave man that starts the attack from the favourites with 5.5kms to go. Surely a better move then the one he made 45kms ago.
He is closely followed by, Jurgen Van den Broeck Domenico Pozzovivo Thomas Lövkvist
And then Alarcon. He wasn't going to miss this move.
These 5 quickly get a 40 second lead, but then pull up. Nobody wants to put in the work to keep the gap growing, it's a stalemate.
Until Alarcon gets his second wind and attacks! After the poor tactics early did Aker's superstar still find the moving move?
Behind Alarcon the peloton has brought back the other 4 climbers, and then Vespa goes all-in and sends Pozzovivo and Carrara after Alarcon.
And behind them it's Caruso attacking with Van den Broeck, Lofkvist, Anton, and Duarte not far behind.
2kms to go and Alarcon just holds a 18 second lead over Pozzovivo. And a few seconds behind the Vespa man are two chase groups. The first containing Carrara, Caruso, Van den Broeck, Duarte, Lofkvist, and Anton. The second group holds Ochoa Quintero, Petrov & Efimkin, Colorado, Kessiakoff, and Osella.
Just 1km left to race now and Alarcon is still holding off Pozzovivo.
Behind them the second chase group has caught the first group, places 3 through 14 are going to have to settle things in a sprint to the line.
Who still has energy in their legs after this brutal climb?
Wait, before we can get to the finish the wet roads have taken its victims. Right around 25-30 place a massive crash occurs, those going down are, Arndt, Bono Sgrigna, Possoni Eltink, Nehoray Zrimsek Parra Bustamante Brutt Bajadali Aru
Most would have picked up ranking points had they stayed on their bikes, not many points but they are still points this late into the season.
All this guy does is gets points, Jose Alarcon wins a tougher race then expected after some questionable tactics early into the final climb.
Pozzovivo should be pleased with 2nd after being the only man to at least try and stay close to Alarcon in the final 3kms.
The sprint for places 3-14 goes, 3rd Fabio Duarte, Gianpaolo Caruso nips Matteo Carrara for 4th, and Jurgen Van den Broeck 6th.
Anton beats out Lofkvist for 7th.
Richard Ochoa Quintero, Fredrik Kessiakoff, Vladimir Efimkin, Francisco Colorado, Evgeni Petrov, and Marco Osella take the spots 9-14.
