Welcome the the last stage of this first Volta a Galicia. The GC, led by Pieter Weening, is still really close, and that makes today's stage even more interesting. We're finally reaching the high mountains today, as the riders will need to pass over three climbs to get to the finish line.
O Cabezo 3km @ 7.3%
Pico San Bernabé 9.5km @ 4.8% max 9.3%
Monte Cabalar 14.3km @ 6.2% max 12.8%
Thus, the pure climbers are the biggest favourites for today, with yesterday's winner David Arroyo standing out among them. Others like:
Marco Marzano Denis Menchov Daniel Moreno
will also need to be considered, as they are also in position to take the GC away from Weening's hands.
Still within the starting circuit in the city of O Barco, the first five attackers quickly open a gap and form what's possibly today's breakaway, as Team Gazelle don't seem bothered to chase them down. They are:
Florian Scheit Clement Chevrier Manuele Mori Michal Golas Fabrice Jeandesboz
All of them, bar Mori, are over 10 minutes back in the GC, but the Italian is 4th only 28'' back, so they can't leave them much room, even if none of them are among the best climbers around.
Mori comfortably takes the intermediate sprint, being the only one going for it. Chevrier is 2nd and Jeandesboz 3rd as they just cruise along. Behind them, we can see two more attackers, Michael Olsson and Philip Lindau. Impressive fighting spirit by Olsson, as the Swede has been on the attack in all three stages.
Once all 7 riders link up, with 69km to go they have a 3'25'' gap.
The breakaway starts the first big climb of the day, the Pico San Bernabé, and with 49km to go the gap's gone down to 2'34'', as Gazelle have started working.
The gentle slopes of the Pico San Bernabé have let the peloton keep the chase without breaking the race too much. By the time the breakaway reaches the top, the gap is just 2'08'', with 40km to go. It's Olsson who takes the first position in the KoM sprint, ahead of Scheit and Mori, and that puts him in virtual KoM lead, tied with Alexander Gingsjo. The last climb will decide this classification.
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica are helping in the chase now, and the gap is a scarce 1 minute with 27km to go. Soon we'll start the descent which will take us to the foot of the Monte Cabalar, where the race will be decided.
But some riders can't wait for so long! Rui Pedro Vinhas and Nairo Quintana attack now taking advantage of the rolling terrain before the descent. Both are quite decent climbers, can they surprise the favourites?
Crash! Brice Feillu has crashed in the descent, and his whole team is waiting now for him. Bad luck for the French climber, who will have a hard time trying to come back.
Meanwhile, Vinhas and Quintana have bridged the gap with breakaway just before the end of the descent, and reach the foot of the climb with 1'11'' on the peloton.
Soon, it gets obvious that Gazelle lack the firepower to chase down Quintana and Vinhas, so it's Marco Salas who take over the chase work. Meanwhile, the group Feillu is coming closer, and it's just 1'40'' behind the peloton now.
And, as it was to be expected, Quintana and Vinhas ride away from the front group just after the 10km banner. The other 7 riders are done after their effort in the breakaway.
And Feillu makes it back to the peloton! Great effort from the French and his team mates, which also shows how slow is the peloton at the moment. Erdenebayar Daspuntsag is still doing all the work, after Salas stopped, and Quintana and Vinhas are now 2'04'' ahead, with 9km to go.
Marco Marzano and Denis Menchov can't stand this low pace and to see how Quintana and Vinhas just ride away, so they go on the attack now!
And they are not alone, as they bridge the gap with the second group of the formed breakaway riders, Mikel Nieve and Yannick Talabardon are following their wheels. Pieter Weening is still hiding behind Daspuntsag, and this could not be the wisest decision.
However, the attackers are reeled back in thanks to an attack from Matteo Carrara. Weird move having a team mate up the road, but good news for Weening nonetheless. With 7km to go now, the adavantage of Quintana and Vinhas is still 1'31''.
As the peloton slows down, more attackers go up the road. Gustav Larsson, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Joe Dombrowski and Brice Feillu have got a gap on César Rojas Villegas, Dani Moreno, Denis Menchov, Marco Marzano and Yannick Talabardon.
Seeing no reaction from the peloton, also Sergey Rudaskov, Pieter Weening, Kevin De Weert and Deiber Esquivel are reacting now. Good to see Weening finally going himself, although it's odd not to see Arroyo involved in any moves so far.
4.5km to go, and Vinhas and Quintana still resist, but the attacks from the favourites are putting the victory at risk for them. The gaps are:
Quintana
<1'20''>
Larsson
<46''>
Weening
<1'10''>
Peloton
Vinhas
Niemiec
De Weert
Dombrowski
Rudaskov
Feillu
Esquivel
Moreno
Carrara
Marzano
Rodríguez
Menchov
Rojas
Talabardon
Just as both favourites groups are merged, Menchov attacks, and Niemiec tries to follow. They'll catch Quintana and Vinhas soon at this pace. Meanwhile, the peloton has sat up, so the victory is in the group of 15.
3km to go, and Menchov is aready there with Quintan and Vinhas. They have 32'' on the chase group, which isn't very organized, and it's only pushing due to half hearted attacks by Moreno and Larsson.
But Moreno takes a strong pull, and the chase group catches Vinhas, and reduces the gap to Menchov and Quintana to just 14''. All is playing in Weening's hands though, as he just needs to hang on for a couple kilometers more to win this race.
Quintana attacks now! But Menchov is following him easily, and this attack helped him to increase the gap to 20''.
And it's Rudaskov attacking now! Niemiec tries to follow, knowing the russian could help him getting closer to the front pair, though it might be late if Menchov has saved some energy for the final kick.
Last kilometer, and Rudaskov really is coming fast. Niemiec just can't follow the Ekspla rider!
Rudaskov flies past Menchov and Quintana, can someone stop him?
It really doesn't like it, as he opens a great gap with his powerful kick. This could be a stage and GC podium for the Russian!
Rodríguez, Carrara and Marzano are getting closer, but it might be too late for them.´
Rudaskov is fading, and Marzano coming really fast, but the advantage could be enough..
... It certainly was! Victory for Sergey Rudaskov thanks t a very powerful move, which also gives him the 3rd place in GC. 2nd is Marco Marzano, who will have to settle for 4th in GC, nd third was Matteo Carrara, who also takes a great 2nd place in GC, just 8'' behind the winner, Pieter Weening, who did a very calm ascent of the Monte Cabalar, always playing well his cards, and eventually not losing any time.
4th came Joaquim Rodríguez, whose team had a win goal here, but was never really close to make it. The 5th place is for Yannick Talabardon, completing a good race for his team. 6th and 7th come two team mates, César Rojas Villegas and Deiber Esquivel. Esquivel also does a good GC with a final 6th place, thanks to surviving the hills quite well. 8th is Denis Menchov, who finishes in a disappointing 11th position, but who at least tried to go solo and contended for the win, rather than sprint for a position. The top 10 is rounded up by Kevin De Weert, who inexplicably went with the move instead of his team mate Arroyo, and Gustav Larsson, whose 8th place in GC isn't all that bad considering this race had no TT.
Over 5 minutes back comes in the peloton led by Mikel Nieve, who is one of the many riders to have lost the chance of a good GC due to missing the right move today.
As for the secondary classifications, Matteo Carrara complements his great GC with the points jersey, while the KoM will be shared by Sergey Rudaskov and Marco Marzano. The best young rider was Joseph Dombrowski, and the team classification is for Iberia - Comunidad Valenciana, a small consolation for the Spanish team.
