The riders are off to a hectic start of the race, as Oleksandr Lobov attacks right after the flag is dropped. Paidi O'Brien and Vitaliy Buts make sure not to miss the move.
Massimiliano Maisto, Marco Salas and Jorge Abreu makes the junction a couple of minutes later, and the early breakaway is formed.
Gazelle and Iberia appear to be content with the riders up front, as they allow the group to extend their advantage to over nine minutes in the early kilometers.
Perhaps also due to FC Barcelona mixing in some riders in the first rows to hinder any eventual chase of the leading group including a member of the team.
Those nine minutes are reduced to just 5'30 as we enter the final 100km, regardless of FC Barcelona's attempts to stall the pace dished out by Gazelle.
The constantly augmenting pace reaps the first victim with 55km left to race. Shockingly, it's FCB's co-captain Mikel Nieve who struggles his way over the top of Lohaca.
Not at all a promising sign, although he recovers enough to make it back in the descent. Possibly just a really bad moment for the Spaniard.
In just a short matter of time, we reach the climb again - and this time the crowd goes bananas as home favourite Marko Kump responds to an attack from Jordi Grau.
The two optimists aren't strong enough to open up a gap on Gazelle however, and they quickly decide it's cleverer to save the legs for later.
A much more serious counterattack follows, with Nazar Jumabekov breaking clear with one of today's main favourites: Michele Scarponi
The still aggressive Grau also jumps on the train together with Andoni Blazquez
The strange decision to attack over the flat summit becomes their undoing though, as they're also forced to sit up after failing to break the Gazelle train.
We now begin the final lap, still with the breakaway in front by around 45 seconds.
The other teams are clearly determined to break Gazelle, and the next attack comes from the rival team leader: Samuel Sanchez
An explosion rather than an attack actually, and a gap emerges almost instantly.
Gazelle brings also this attack to an end, tho. Sanchez's gap is gone in no time when he gets the bad idea of taking a few deep breaths at the back of the early escape group he catches just a couple of 100m after the move.
Perfect timing for the other captains, as we begin the Lohaca for the last time directly after the catch. And for the third time today Grau is off!
This time Gazelle can't leave it up to the domestique's to shut the gap, so their leaders join the response that involves:
Weening Furdi Scarponi Blazquez Kump
Grau's attack completely tears everything apart, and only two riders manage to stay with him over the summit: Scarponi and Furdi
Even top favourite Weening cracks and has to find an own rhythm!
Blazquez recovers on the way down, and catches up with the three leaders just as the descent ends. The main field follows around 30 seconds further back, with Weening and Kump back inside.
The addition of Blazquez to the group completely ruins the cooperation, and before they're able to react - they're caught by the peloton, paced by the home team: Pivovarna.
A frustrated Grau finds new wind and attacks again immediately. Scarponi and Furdi aren't interested in following this time.
Therefore Weening marks this one for Gazelle. Jumabekov also makes the jump.
They gain a few meters, but then start looking around. That opens an opportunity for Kump to go on the counter-attack with 4 km remaining.
None of the other favourites really feel like chasing this one, and the fans go crazy as they see their young prodigy open up a little distance between himself and the rest!
Gazelle eventually realise that it's their responsibility, and Mugerli opens the sprint early for his captains. He seems to be unaware that Weening is nowhere to be seen, though!
Instead he has Daspuntsag and Minnard in his tail. Also there is the Russian champion's jersey of Vorganov, who has been fairly invisible so far.
Regardless of Sean de Bie's efforts to stall the favourite group, his team mate's advantage starts to shrink. Scarponi dashes to the head as we enter the final kilometer, forcing Kump up on the pedals fighting for survival!
Cheered on by the home crowd, Kump finds another gear on the home stretch and actually extends his lead to win a race on home soil in his very first year as a professional!
Scarponi suffers a mental blow when Kump kicks again, and really fades in the final meters. This loses him second place, as his team mate Manuele Mori overhauls him with a strong finish.
Surprising fourth and fifth are Michal Golas and Arnaud Demare, who both profited from the lack of selection over the climbs today.
Furdi is Gazelle's best man in a slightly disappointing race, with a sixth place. Mugerli follows right behind, holding on impressively after the long sprint. After them are two Russians: Vorganov and Firsanov. Kriek makes it a third Gazelle among the 10 at the front of the mess from 10th place and downwards.
Also 11th and 13th for Gazelle with Daspuntsag and Minnard. This enormous presence around the top places might make up for Weening's miserable fail and 31st place slightly. No doubt that he expected and hoped for a more selective race.
Other aggressive riders like Grau, Jumabekov and Sanchez also pays the price in the end, as they all finish around or beneath 30th place today.
Overall, a horrible day for Iberia. Perhaps only natural, as the strong form from San Cristobal and Kathmandu had to cool down at some point. 15th place as best result today is still definitely far worse than they had ever expected.
