The fourth mountain stage in a row, this should be one of the key stages for the GC. Unlike the other mountain stages so far, this one delivers us a mountain top finish, which can reach some very steep ramps. However, that is far from the only difficulty.
Our first climbs are Red Sandstone Road, which leads on to Red and White Mountain, which the riders attacked from a different angle two days ago. The race then descends to Box Canyon, which contains a steep bump before the incredibly steep High Trail Gulch – only 5.9km in length but at an average of 13.6%. We descend back down to the flatlands and after the twin bumps of Hartman BM and San Toy Pass, the riders progressively climb up to the Aropha National Forest. From there the double climb to the finish awaits them. The first half is up Corona Pass. Though it is only 2.2km in length, it is at 9% average. The race has a bit of a false flat before our finishing climb beings – Mt. Epworth. This climb is 14.8km in length and the 5.2% average disguises its true difficulty. There is a 1.2km section @ 10% early on in the climb and the final ramp is at about 13% for most of the last kilometre. We are sure to see real gaps today.
Almost straight off the bat we start to climb. We get 1km to the start of the first categorised summit – Red Sandstone Road (4.6km @ 8%) before our first attack. The first two riders are Armstrong and Becerra. They sit 23rd and 26th overall respectively.
This is a great move from both CSC and WWE, who each have a GC contender and will thus manage to avoid chasing. Strangely, the peloton are happy to let them get away with this and they have pulled out 1’12” as Becerra leads over the top, taking the ten points.
That is not to say that the pace is sedate today, however, as Serebriakov and Greipel are dropped already.
A bit of surprise as we hear that our mountain classification leader Antunes falls off his bike. We hope that he will be okay. The cameramen are more interested in the new attack that has started to form, however. Karagobek and Hiratsuka are the attackers this time.
As the riders approach Red and White Mountain’s summit more riders are unhitched and this time it includes Elissonde and Kirsch, 18th and 21st respectively. Are they tired or just caught out behind?
Over the top of this climb, Armstrong takes the 6 points on offer and Becerra takes the 4. They have a gap of 37” ahead of the two chasers and the peloton are another 2’09” behind those two.
On the descent from Red and White Mountain we have another couple of crashers. First up is Brice Feillu, 12th overall and Sicard’s key domestique. This really isn’t Focussed Cycling’s day.
And our next faller is Viennet, who had previous been in breaks on stages 1, 3 and 8 and who had also crashed on stages 9 and 11. Clearly weariness is taking its toll on him.
So we get down to the small fourth category Box Canyon climb, where Armstrong takes the five points and Becerra takes the 3 points for second. The gap has grown by almost a minute on the downhill over the chasers and another 1’20” seconds on the peloton, who are now almost 5’30” behind.
Back in the peloton the pace has slackened somewhat and everyone is able to get back. Everyone, that is, except for Serebriakov, who is going through purgatory today.
We now get to arguably the toughest climb of the day – High Trail Gulch. The two breakaway men can see it rising ahead of them. They can see the most dreaded part o the entire day there – a 600 metre section that rises to 23% almost the entire way.
The peloton hits the mountain and unsurprisingly Hollister have marshalled everyone to the front. It is second place overall Ochoa Quintero who lead us up, and that shows that Hollister mean business.
There is another 15% section to the mountain points and it is here that Becerra leads his breakaway companion over to take a well-earned 16 mountain points. Karagobek takes the third pace, but he and Hiratsuka are now 3’42” down on the leaders.
And in the 15% section there are 23 riders dropped from the peloton. The only names missing are Soler and Txurruka, but both of them fight back in, so all our climbers are together at the front of the race.
Our next climb is the fourth category Hartman BM, where Armstrong attacks to take the points over Becerra. The climb is only 1.7km long, but averages 10%. The gap to the peloton is now at an unbelievable 9’31”, but there is a lot of racing still to come.
San Toy Pass is our next minor climb. It briefly reaches 10%, but is a much less difficult climb than most of the rises today. Once again it is Armstrong who takes the points from Becerra. Hiratsuka leads the duo behind them, 4’53” later. The peloton are another 6’23” back, meaning that the gap is at 11’16” with 130km remaining. It is also worth noting that Becerra is just 5 mountain points short of taking the mountain jersey, thanks to the points he took in his break on stage 10.
As our race hits the long flat that transitions to our finishing climbs, we have three sprints. The first sprint sees Armstong lead through. Behind them, Focused Cycling are now pacing. All their dropped riders have got themselves back into this group. They are clearly making a difference as the gap is down to 10’11”.
There is another group on the road which we shouldn’t forget about – the dropped sprinters. About 10 minutes behind the peloton we have a group containing: Serebriakov Beppu Insausti De Fauw Scully
They will be racing their own fight against the elimination time.
With 90km of racing left we get our first signs of life from the peloton – Vasquez puts in an attack.
Vasquez currently sits in 17th place, 24’09” down on our race leader, and this seems like a great opportunity to perhaps improve his place on GC or take a stage victory.
As Becerra leads through the second sprint point here is the situation. It is easy to see the effect that the increased pace has had on the gap:
5’48”
24”
40”
6’52”
2 Leaders
--->
2 Chasers
--->
Vasquez
--->
Peloton
Hiratsuka rids himself of Karagobek just before Vasquez catches up to him. They begin to work together about 50” in front of the peloton.
With 64km remaining Vasquez drops Hiratsuka, whose head drops in resignation. The two former chasers both shoot straight out the back of the peloton and will limp in much later.
We reach the third and final sprint and Armstrong leads through. The gap back to the peloton is down to only 4’50”, with Vasquez about a minute in front of the bunch.
The climb now ramps up a bit as we hit the Aropha National Forest. It is a 4.6m climb @ 4.7% in average. There is a ramp up to 8.8%, but no other major difficulty. Regardless as Becerra leads over it becomes clear that Armstrong is really starting to struggle. Becerra is now the provisional mountain leader with 56 points.
But Armstrong is far from the only rider struggling. A whole group of riders goes off the back: Le Bon Castroviejo Dempster Txurruka Sano Soler
Moments later Kirsch drops too. Clearly his difficulties earlier weren’t entirely poor positioning.
As we hit the base of Corona Pass, Kiserlovski hits the front. The climb is only 2.2km long but average 9% and includes a 700 metre section in excess of 10%. With our race leader on the front there probably won’t be any coming back for our dropped riders today. We are down to 22 riders.
Not to be outdone in showing strength, Sicard now hits the front and the race really smashes apart.
Chasing just behind the peloton is another trio: Kessiakoff Nicacio Agudelo
This is really bad luck for Kessiakoff, who was poorly placed as the pace went up.
The gaps over the top are:
1’26”
30”
44”
2 Leaders
--->
Vasquez
--->
Peloton (12)
--->
Gr. Kess. (3)
Navarro, Seledkov and Reis join in to the three chasers and help to try to limit losses.
In the foothills of our final climb to the summit of Mt. Epsworth, Becerra drops Armstrong. He is now on his own with Vasquez approaching the favourites speeding up.
Mount Epworth is a 14.8km climb with an average of 5.2%, but as so often that is a deceptive average. There is a 1.2km section at the start which is 10% in gradient and hitting a maximum of 14%. Then it is 5-7% most of the way up with a couple of false flats. Finally, the final ramp hits 13%.
Near the base the pace is still incredibly high and Becerra’s days look numbered. Vasquez is caught by the charging peloton.
Our lead group of 12 is thinned down as now Talansky, Martinez and Feillu all drop off the back.
Meanwhile, a number of minutes back Sano, Castroviejo and Soler are working together to limit their losses.
Kiserlovski hits the front and instantly Vital and Morizot are dropped. That puts us down to 8 riders left.
Kessiakoff lifts the pace behind. He is really surging past dropped riders. He is 1’30” back with 12km still to climb. He isn’t getting much help from the others, however.
Clearly feeling strong today, and not content to just set the pace, Kiserlovski puts in an attack.
And he is followed by Anton, Sicard and Seeldraeyers, who is somehow still here with the best three climbers in the race!
And these four riders get a 41” gap and for the first time in this entire race, Kiserlovski is isolated! Ochoa Quintero is behind the others and his podium place is looking in danger.
Kiserlovski continues to set the pace, with help from Sicard and the gap continues to grow. Then, with 1.6km to go we get a real indication o the way this GC is heading. Kiserlovski lifts the pace, and both Anton and Seeldraeyers are dropped.
Anton came into this lauded as one of the two best climbers and here he is being outclimbed by a 24 year old Frenchman.
That isn’t the only moment of drama, as Kessiakoff pulls him to Ochoa Quintero, Szmyd and Vasquez. He might yet defend his top 5!
Kiserlovski and Sicard start the sprint with the race leader slightly in front. They have about 40” on Anton, who kicks hard.
And Robert Kiserlovski has the energy left at the end of the day to take the stage victory!
Sicard is 8” behind him and somehow Anton almost closes the entire gap and finishes only 19” behind the stage winner! Seeldraeyers can be immensely proud of his 4th place today and will certainly be improving on his 19th overall. The group with the other Hollister riders and Kessiakoff comes in.
Ochoa Quintero and Szmyd take 5th and 6th, but Kessiakoff limits his time loss to 6th overall Szmyd to only 10”, meaning he still leads him by 7” in the overall and holds on to his 5th place.
Vasquez takes a hard-fought 8th ahead of teammate Agudelo in 9th and then Nicacio, who fought hard to get back here, takes 10th place. Navarro and Monsalve are also in this group.
Txurruka lost 6’07” today and finishes with Sano. That said, Sano will hold on to his 11th overall and indeed gained another 13” on 10th overall Morizot so his chances at a top 10 on GC are well and truly alive. Again, no riders are eliminated!
Looking now at the overall picture, Kiserlovski of course keeps his lead, but in second place is Sicard, not one of his own teammates! Anton is in third and will be hoping to achieve a second overall here, but he showed some weakness for the first time today. Ochoa Quintero slips to fourth, with Kessiakoff still in fifth, barely ahead of Szmyd. Kiserlovski also seizes the mountain jersey today, meaning that Hollister now lead in every category except the young rider jersey.
