By far the shortest stage of this entire tour, stage 15 is only 107km in length. There are 4 circuits, each 21.2km long, with about 22km of the course leading into this. Each lap finishes on Morgul Bismarck, nicknamed The Wall. It is only 1km long but averages 6.1%, with a maximum of 8% mid-way up. There is also a small 500m long 7% climb just prior to this. Favourites are split between our climbers and our sprinters – it all depends on just how selective the climb proves to be.
Our first attack is coming from a rider who has fast become a household name in cycling households around America – Viennet. He has crashed three times and this is his fourth break in this race. Talk about ups and downs.
First Hacecky bridges up to the Frenchman first, and then is followed by Van Ooijen.
This group establishes themselves quite nicely. It is a great move from Emu Export to have someone up here. They are stuck in a battle with Focussed Cycling for second in the team competition, so if the break stays away then they should be able to cement their place there and secure a handful of extra points.
We have our first faller for today and it is Mayo. Mayo also had a fall during the dangerous ninth stage, where half of the peloton went down.
The riders approach the start of the first circuit and we get our first real look at the finish line. As can be seen, it isn’t overly steep, but the climb may still be enough for some of the sprinters in the final. Over the top Hacecky takes the mountain points ahead of Viennet and then Van Ooijen. Their lead is out to 2’08” with about 84km remaining.
We get to our first sprint point, 6km from the end of the lap, and Viennet leads them over, ahead of Hacecky and then Van Ooijen. Their lead is hovering around the 2’30” mark and the peloton are clearly not willing to give them too much rope on this short and hilly course.
And we finish our first complete lap, as Van Ooijen leads the trio over. Hacecky takes second and Viennet is last. They seem to have agreed to share the points around a bit. None of them are a real threat in the mountain category, though Viennet has a few points saved up from all his previous breaks.
Hollister are leading the chase behind, and as before they are happy to keep everything under the 3 minute mark.
Hacecky leads over the second sprint and we then come to the end of our second of four laps. Van Ooijen leads over again, with Hacecky in second and Viennet sitting on the rear of the group for third.
Through the sprint point on this third lap, the gap is down to 1’30” with 28km remaining. Van Ooijen leads through, with Viennet in second and Hacecky in third. Meiji start to put some pressure on the front of the peloton and through the end of the lap the gap has slightly extended to 1’35” to the lead trio who are brought over by Hacecky.
In fact the gap starts to drift out slightly further and just edges over the 2 minute mark. This causes a bit of a crisis in the peloton and it is Becerra and Hoste who come to the front of the pack.
This brings the gap down somewhat but with 10km to go the lead group are 1’15” ahead. It appears that the leaders have really put the hammer down because Viennet is really struggling!
The leaders go through the sprint point with 6km remaining and their lead is still at 1’10” as Hacecky takes the six points.
But not everything is smooth sailing to the finish line. With 4km to go the peloton hits the 7% gradient bump and there is an attack! Nicacio chooses this moment to launch his attack!
Going with him are: Kiserlovski Agudelo Ziegler Anton
And they get a gap! Has Anton stolen a march on second place overall Sicard here?
Up front the lead-out starts but they are only 45” ahead with the last climb still remaining! Hacecky is on the front with Van Ooijen sitting on his wheel and Viennet clinging to the back.
Emu sense another opportunity to send a rider up the road as Navarro launches out of the peloton! Some of the biggest names in the race are really hammering it today! Insausti tries to go with him, but can’t quite hold the pace.
Under the kite, Van Ooijen launches around Hacecky. But Kiserlovski and Anton are approaching fast behind, with others in tow.
Van Ooijen is looking strong though, but can the GC contenders catch the rest of the break?
Cornelius Van Ooijen takes a magnificent victory on top of Morgul Bismarck! That’s Emu’s third victory in this race so far.
Everyone looks to second place...
Hacecky holds on for second narrowly ahead of Kiserlovski. Viennet holds on for 4th place, with Anton in 5th. Nicacio takes 6th and is given the same time as second place.
The next group on the road comes through.
Agudelo is 7th with Ziegler in 8th and Navarro in 9th.
Finally, 33” behind that trio and 1’03” behind Kiserlovski’s group come the peloton, lead in by Sicard.
And looking now at the jerseys, the biggest news is of course in the general classification – Anton is now 20” ahead of Sicard and so we have a real fight to sort out what the podium will look like. Kiserlovski moves into second in the points competition, meaning that he is close to leading three different jerseys at once. Emu manage to solidify their spot in second place in the team classification, though it will still be worth watching in the coming days.
