It's the middle mountain stage with stage 7 still looming ahead. The favourites go unchanged from the first mountain stage held two days ago with Marzano, Nazaret & Krasnoperov.
The sun is present today and should stay with us throughout the day.
De Weert, and Anuawar get the morning attacks started. Strange to see the Oz sprinter testing his legs in the mountains with a flat stage tomorrow.
They are joined by, Martin Jaramillo Peterson Cuapio Colby Passalacqua Criel
Some very good climbers in this group, so it will be interesting to see how the peloton reacts.
For now the peloton doesn't seem to mind as more attacks go free,
Raisin Santaromita Rabou Cattaneo Mercado
Some more good climbers in this group as well.
However the peloton doesn't like where this is headed and brings it all back.
Attempt #2 gets underway shortly after,
Ortega Van Niekerk
are the only new attacks as they join, Cattaneo, Passalacqua, Martin, Marcado, Rabou, Raisin, Cuapio, and Santaromita.
The peloton certainly didn't teach them lession as most of the climbers are back at it in this second attack. Will the peloton react and pull it back again?
It doesn't look like it as more attacks go. Peterson and De Weert are joined by newcomer Beyer.
And after all that we finally reach the sprint point with the breakaway holding a two minute lead. A tough battle between Raisin and Ortega goes to the Emu Export man as the bonus seconds could prove to be valuable since he is just 1'52" off yellow, being the 2nd best placed rider in the breakaway. 3rd goes to Caupio who isn't that far off Marzano either, just 3'16". However it is the American Tom Peterson that the peloton should monitor as he sits 11th overall, 1'36" away from yellow. To get to the point, they're some dangerous men in the breakaway today.
But the attacks aren't done yet as Gate and Belda want in.
But both attacks don't get away, so Girardi will try as they get pulled back.
But Girardi has the same fate and can't create a gap, but that doesn't stop Colby from trying. All these attacks coming as the 13 man breakaway holds a two minute lead.
At the first king of the mountain,
1 Peterson
2 De Weert
3 Mercado
Colby joins the breakaway with 96kms to go, and the peloton has stopped chasing. Their lead quickly grows out to 7 minutes!
At the second sprint point, 79kms from the finish, their gap continues to grow. 8'20"!
1 Raisin
2 Peterson
3 Ortega
Volkswagen – Siemens is given all the resonsibility to chase with some dangerous riders in the breakaway from Aker, California Giant, Emu Export, and even CSC. They have some work to do with a 8 minute gap to pull back with just 73kms to go.
1 Cuapio
2 Cattaneo
3 Peterson
But more importantly 53kms to go, 6'46" lead. Volkswagen is showing an effort to pull them back, but they are starting to run out of time.
29kms to go, the last sprint point.
1 Peterson
2 Ortega
3 Raisin
The breakaway still holds 5'15" lead. Have Volkswagen made a mess out of this one?
Astarloza thinks they have and so does ...
Maisto as he follows Astarloza.
The breakaway hits the final climb. Here is a quick overview with 13kms to go:
36"
4'53"
Peloton
>>>>
E2
>>>>
E1
Astarloza
Cattaneo & Passalacqua
Maisto
Martin
Mercado
Rabou & Beyer
Raisin
Ortega
Cuapio
Santaromita
Van Niekerk & Colby
Peterson
De Weert
The breakaway completes the first of the three sections on this climb with no problems until Caupio goes onto the attack. They are starting to believe a stage win is their future, and for some perhaps a yellow jersey.
Back in the peloton they have pulled back Astarloza and Maisto while a couple attempt to attack, Osella and Nazaret
But they quickly pull up and rejoin the peloton, just 8kms to go.
A few breakway riders have their hopes of a great victory crushed early as they get dropped on the climb. Passalacqua Beyer
But both still have another teammate in the group so their managers can't complain to much.
Cuapio's attack has worked as Cattaneo takes his back wheel, they have pulled out a 30 second advantage! Will the breakaway work together to pull them back? And with the peloton 4 minutes back with 5kms to go, one of these guys will win the stage! And Raisin, Peterson, and Caupio all have a chance to steal yellow away from Marzano.
Khalmuratov and Krasnoperov can't wait any longer in the peloton.
Jump back up to the breakaway as Santaromita drags back Cuapio and Cattaneo.
But Cuapio isn't done just yet! 2.8kms to go.
CSC-Orbea is causing all the action as Colorado creates the next move out of the peloton after Volkswagen brings Khalmusatov and Krasnoperov back.
Colorado attracts the atention of recently caught Krasnoperov along with Diniz Quintero Marzano Nazaret
But they are far to late to catch the breakaway as they are all ready at the 1km to go banner. Cuapio is meet by Santaromita, Raisin, and Cattaneo.
Raisin makes his kick towards the line ...
And with the peloton out of sight Raisin is possibly racing against Peterson for the yellow jersey!
Saul Raisin wins the stage and starts the clock. Tick tick tick...
16 seconds back to 2nd place Ivan Santaromita, 3rd to the attacking CSC man Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio who could move up the overall leaderboard as well, Mattia Cattaneo is given the same time as Cuapio at +26 seconds, and then Thomas Peterson comes in 34 seconds later. Meaning Marzano has less then 2 minutes to get to the line or Raisin steals yellow!
Anthony Colby makes history for the D2 Team as he ties the best finish on a stage by a D2 rider with his 6th. 7th to Juan Miguel Mercado, Mauricio Ortega in 8th and is also in a good position to jump up the overall standings. Thomas Rabou gives Cyclevox a nice 9th, and Kevin De Weert is 10th; 1'14" behind Raisin. Marzano is running out of time!
Dennis Van Niekerk hangs on to grab a 11th as well for the D2, what a great showing from them today. But now the race turns back to Marzano and the rest of the climbers as the make there way to the finish.
We last left the favourites as Colorado attacked. His move triggered a decisive split. Marzano Nazaret & Krasnoperov Quintero Stetina
and dropped breakaway rider Beyer gets caught into this group.
The sprint opens up. And just what Marzano wanted to see, the devil is against him as well. Not a good sign, Marzano is losing his grip on the yellow jersey!
Tony Martin just beats the climbers for 12th. He stops the clock at +2'46" meaning Marzano has already lost his jersey!
Marzano leads the favourites home at +3'50"! So Peterson moves into 2nd overall, Ortega 3rd overall, and even Cuapio jumps up into 4th overall. Marzano slots himself 13th on the stage and drops to 5th overall. With his follower Nazaret coming to line 7 seconds later to claim 6th overall.
Then the rest of the group comes home, but it should also be mention that breakaway man Santaromita also moves up to 8th overall.
Even further down are the climbers that missed out on Colorado's attack, including Brandt, Agudelo, Bosisio, Rajala, and Osella. And some even further back, but I'll let the managers sort of their own riders in the standings as today belongs to the breakaway and to this man
Saul Raisin as he outsmarts the favourites with a brillant win. And with a 2'32" lead over Marzano, can he hang onto yellow through the final 3 stages?
