The final day has the 25km TT which is a fairly flat one with one time check at 14km.
Two races really today to keep an eye on with the stage likely to be decided between the elite chrono men like Van Winden, Zabriskie, Boom and Cornu and the GC battle for which there is plenty of riders with interest in that.
Cornu is currently placed 23rd at 1.23 but should probably break the top ten at least. There are plenty of other good time trialling men in between the Belgian and the top of the Leaderboard.
Oliveira (21st at 1.19) Gerdemann (17th at 1.00) Fonte (15th at 1.00) Popkov (14th at 1.00) Durasek (10th at 0.46) Roy (8th at 0.46) Costa (7th at 0.46)
and most of all Kirylenka (3rd at 0.20)
will fancy moving up on the Leaderboard.
Meanwhile race leader Mehr-Wenige and yesterday's stage winner and second on GC Mendes will be on the defensive.
The first chrono specialist out of the start gate is Sebastian Lang.
He has clearly been taking it easy throughout this race just looking for a decent ride today. His first check time is 19.42 and at the finish he sets 36.01
Michael Van Aelbrouck
...beats his fellow countryman at the 1st intermediate with 19.40, at the finish he has managed to nudge further clear with 35.58. It underlines that a time of under 36 minutes is going to be considered a success under these conditions which are by the way pretty windy.
We'll keep an eye on that throughout the day.
The next big name through the checkpoints will be Van Winden who is that teams time trialler number two.
It was quickly evident here in Portugal that the early racing on the hills was far too aggressive for this rather bulky Dutchman. But how much has it taken out of him? He clearly has more power than the two Germans Van Aelbrouck and Lang as he smashes their intermediates with 19.19 a full twenty seconds quicker.
The wind drops a bit before the end of his run, hard to say if this is good or bad as this course twists around a fair bit. He finishes with a massive new best of 35.17 some forty or so seconds quicker than Van Aelbroucks time.
Provisinal rankings:
1. Van Winden 35.17
2. Van Aelbrouck at 40 seconds
3. Lang at 43 seconds
4. Vorobev at 55 seconds
5. Kaisen at 56 seconds
This underlines the differences that can be made on the course today, so big hopes for the likes of Cornu for example to make a big GC leap.
Buts could be a good source to see whether the wind makes a difference.
He has a lighter wind for most of his run and manages to finish quite close to Lang and Van Aelbrouck by the finish just eight seconds behind Lang, but ahead of better chrono men Vorobev and Kaisen.
A similar case for Jan Barta.
Int 1 times:
1. Van Winden 19.19
2. Van Aelbrouck at 20
3. Lang at 22
4. Barta at 23
5. Buts at 27
Finish
1. Van Winden at 35.17
2. Van Aelbrouck at 40
3. Lang at 43
4. Barta at 45
5. Buts at 51
Haijan Ma has been producing decent chrono results in the CTour for years.
He splits the Van's at both the checkpoint and the finish. Some way off Van Winden admittedly 30 seconds shy of the flying Dutchman's 35.17 by the finish.
Out on course his times are being challenged by Martyn Irvine and Sven Vandousselaere
That wind is beginning to pick up ever so slightly, but both riders have squeaked inside Van Aelbrouck's first split so should register decent times. Irvine sets 35.57 and Vandousselaere 35.54 putting both firmly in the provisional top five.
A guy that we have not mentioned much in this race is Pedro Nicacao.
The Brazilian TT champ has not been able to make the front groups at the decisive moments and the the wind blowing back towards the way it was when the first starters were out isn't facing the best conditions.
He does set a good first split just seven second shy of Van Winden.
Right behind him is Brutt who sets a first split 19 seconds back from Van Winden.
Then it's captain America himself Dave Zabriskie.
Despite the increased wind he smashes the previous first split times.
An awesome ride here by Zabriskie who is unfortunately way back on GC thanks to that wind split on stage two and not really having his climbing legs on the Malhao.
Nicacao finishes 19 seconds back from Van Winden at the finish, Brutt is 39 seconds back, Zabriskie is right behind him!
Ridiculous time set by Zabriskie..
It's a determined ride today by ING who have had a pretty poor race up to today but in the race of truth they have two big times out there. Zabriskie could move a fair ways up on GC but we can see he has not gained the massive two minute gaps he would have needed to really challenge the higher places.
World RR champion Boom is in his regulation colours today.
He started the day 37 seconds ahead of Zabriskie (but 3.10 back on race leader Mehr-Wenige). At the first check he also is producing a great ride just 19 seconds down on Dave Z. He sprints hard through the finish...
His time is 36 seconds slower than Zabriskie, provisional second on the day but holding off Zabriskie by a second on GC.
The other big stage rival Dominique Cornu is also in course, his helmet is a bit of a funny fit with his Belgian national TT champion jersey.
At his best Cornu is probably a better chrono man than Boom, however his first split time is nine seconds down on Boom. They have had similar wind conditions so he clearly is not on the best race.
He finishes nearly a minute down on Zabriskie.
It's not Cornu's best day but the conditions appear to be getting more windy so Cornu can now see how far he can move up on GC.
Close to him in GC is Nelson Oliveira and Artem Ovechkin (Tink)
Both riders had slim margins over Cornu on GC and lose that margin and plenty more by the first check. Oliveria some 29 seconds back on Cornu and Ovechkin 21 seconds down. By the finish those time gaps are magnified. With the stage results surely decided we switch our attention to the virtual clubhouse GC.
1. Cornu
2. Ovechkin at 31 seconds
3. Oliveria at 50 seconds
- - Boom at 1 minute and 50 seconds
- - Zabriskie at 1 minute at 51 seconds
(19 riders left to finish).
The riders from 13th to 19th are all decent time triallists and are all just a minute back from Mehr-Wenige. They will all feel they have a good chance of high GC finishes with a good run today.
Silva is struggling at the first check 48 seconds slower than Cornu.
Lowe is a bit better but still already behind Cornu at 24 seconds behind the Belgian.
Gerdemann didn't quite get things tactically right in the Malhao stage. He still seems to be paying for that with a sub par first split time some 29 seconds back on Cornu.
Devenyns appears to be floating through his chrono effort.
Appearances are deceptive though as his first split time is already 37 seconds back.
Privatbank have been pretty impressive in the early season here is their home favourite Cesar Andre Fonte.
Another one seen off by Cornu 27 seconds back on the now GC riser.
Popkov was highlighted with Cornu as struggling in the Malhao climb, but fared a little better at the end.
He will lose out to Cornu today though already losing his 23 seconds gained on Malhao by the first split.
Last of the minute men is Mandri.
He is 52 seconds back on Cornu by the first split so another one bites the dust.
So out of this group Lowe and Popkov are the best two, though both look set to drop below Cornu on GC. Both though do ride under 36 minutes and should be pleased with their rides.
Virtual GC with 12 riders left:
1. Cornu
2. Popkov at 19 seconds
3. Lowe at 21 seconds
4. Fonte at 26 seconds
5. Gerdemann at 28 seconds
6. Ovechkin at 31 seconds
7. Devenyns at 45 seconds
8. Oliveria at 50 seconds
9. Silva at 1 minute and 4 seconds
10. Mandri at 1 minute and 9 seconds
In the top twelve we have a number of poor time trial riders in comparison to some of these. Richardson and Pakthusov both look set to tumble down GC conceding over a minute by the first check to Cornu.
However Durasek
is holding steady running similar times to Popkov and Lowe. He started the day with 37 seconds on Cornu as did teammate Roy.
who is producing a similar sort of time. They both concede around 25 seconds at the first check to Cornu of the 37 they had in hand.
Rui Costa (CSC) is also out on course and is producing an excellent ride.
His time through the first check is the 6th best seen today (with only really Kirylenka left who could possibly do better) we could see Costa going to the podium here. He started like Roy and Durasek with 37 seconds on Cornu and he loses just 14 of those by the first check.
Vlad Efimkin by the way is actually not doing a bad ride for him.
He'll slip down GC but not as far as might be projected going through the first check faster than Mandri though still 49 seconds slower than Cornu.
Roy and Durasek finish on virtually identical times, both just under the 36 minutes. Eight seconds shy though of enough to deprive Cornu the virtual GC lead.
Here comes Costa...
He does a really nice time of 35.40, 26 seconds slower than Cornu but enough to take the virtual GC lead.
Virtual GC
1. Costa
2. Cornu at 11 seconds
3. Roy at 19 seconds
4. Durasek at 19 seconds
5. Popkov at 29 seconds
A third Alstom man starting the day at 46 seconds Anderson drops down the rankings with an expected weak chrono showing. But Roy and Durasek have held up well for them with Boily still to come.
Onto the top five and first we have two riders who started the day with 20 seconds on Costa and 57 on Cornu.
Scarponi
First check time is not great having lost 25 seconds to Costa and 39 seconds to Cornu, he may struggle to hold a top five GC place.
Boily is also struggling a bit.
His has lost pretty much all of his advantage on Cornu in the first section and is now way behind Costa.
The big GC threat in the top five is Kirylenka.
He started the day with 26 seconds on Costa and 63 seconds on Cornu. At the first check he is doing the business with just a couple of seconds lost to Costa and 16 to Cornu.
Mendes is working hard.
But Malhao's conquerer is not really going well, well down at the first check. Already conceding over the thirty seconds he had on Costa and looking probable on slipping below Cornu and possibly the Alstom duo.
Speaking of first check here are the final positions at that check..
Mehr-Wenige went through that check with the 49th best time.
That actually isn't the worst time in the world and is only six seconds slower than Mendes, he could possibly finish ahead of him.
Back to the finish and Scarponi comes home with a time good enough to slot in between Durasek and Popkov on GC. Boily finishes 21 seconds slower than Scarponi but will slip behind Ovechkin on the rankings possibly out of the top ten.
As a side note though he will finish high on the youth rankings, he may find Mehr-Wenige though riding inspired enough to hold that jersey.
Kirylenka rather awkwardly shakes his TT bike for side to side to the finish.
But it's all worth it as he comfortably takes the GC lead by 25 seconds on Costa.
For our final two out on the course it's damage limitation.
First Mendes he slips down to below Lowe and Popkov on GC in around 9th.
Mehr-Wenige seems to have done a pretty good TT ride all things considered.
His GC time is going to be close to that of Popkov's but well inside of Boily's, so he'll win the youth jersey at least with a top ten GC and the points jersey.
Dave Zabriskie didn't have his climbing legs, but his chrono ability does remain trouncing his opposition with a world class performance.
Kirylenka is the winner of the overall, he rode the hilly stage really well mistiming his sprint slightly on stage two but climbing Malhao well and was solid in the time trial.
Long time leader Mehr-Wenige wins the youth jersey.
Stage results
The top four as you would expect, though Cornu was still not at his best, Costa perhaps could have done a bit better. Even Kiryenka has possibly had better days against the clock but these three will be happy enough with their GC.
GC
Boom and Zabriskie will think perhaps of what might have been had they not been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kiryenka though took his chance well riding very well on the two hardest stages and finishing it off with a solid chrono performance. Alstom had a great collective race. Great stuff also from CT team leaders Scarponi and Mehr-Wenige.
Mountains
Mountains jersey can be a valuable way of teams with a lack of strong GC hopes to score good points. Pibernik steps up for LukOil and Velits helps Rothaus get over some of the world champion jersey curse.
Youth
The youth rankings closed up on the final day but stayed largely the same. Mehr-Wenige is proving to be quite the captain for Adira. Decent showing from Oliveira.
Name
Team
General Time
Dietmar Mehr-Wenige
Adira-Isq Project
18h59'35 (1)
David Boily
Alstom-RBC
+ 15 (2)
Nelson Oliveira
Prio - Porto
+ 32 (3)
Lawrence Warbasse
Sram-Riboxx Cycling Team
+ 1'15 (4)
Pierre Paolo Penasa
Kappa-ENI
+ 1'43 (5)
Hugo Houle
Alstom-RBC
+ 3'25 (6)
Daniel Hoelgaard
Team Privatbank
+ 3'59 (7)
Gökhan Hasta
Adira-Isq Project
+ 5'42 (8)
Oleksandr Prevar
Metinvest-Emirates
+ 8'00 (9)
Davide Villella
Kappa-ENI
+ 8'36 (10)
Teams
Metinvest surprise by stealing the team classification off of Alstom with a strong TT showing. SRAM also went close. Prio-Porto were competative but will have to make do with a stage win, missing out on team points.
