The toughest stage finish of the race up to the TV mast near Osma. The concern today will be that narrow climb on what is really a utility road, positioning coming in will be important. Gaps are expected to be recorded.
It should be a slightly easier stage in general though again we have a number of categorised climbs (as well as several bonus climbs!). Rabon lost the lead yesterday with Keinath giving B and O such much needed prestige.
Four riders get clear on the flat run in to our first climb the 3rd category Opalua Mendatea.
Walker, Kern, Veloso and Langeveld make up this move. None having picked up King of the Mountains points before, Walker is the best placed on GC just 44 seconds back from Keinath.
Zoidl chases across solo.
The break roll over the prim Veloso taking the top points ahead of Walker and Kern. They are joined soon after the summit by Zoidl.
With 75km to go the gap is coming down to the break at this point it is five minutes having been up to nearly 7 minutes. 1t4i are leading the chase with Aker and Vesuvio.
Hagen and Schleck have been looking trigger happy thus far, whilst Gesink has bided his time. But Gesink is looking up for it today sitting close to Hagen and race leader Keinath throughout today's stage.
Zoidl is annoying his break companions by not doing any work, Veloso leads Walker and Kern over the first of the trio of 4th cat climbs with their lead down to four minutes with less than 60km remaining.
The point scoring trio of Veloso, Walker and Kern decide to have a sprint for the TV camaras at the green jersey hotspot.
Walker edging out Veloso and Kern here.
The pack are lead through by Vesuvio and Aker.
30km to go, the pack have just eased off the pace slightly allowing the break three minutes advantage coming into this crucial finale.
Kern takes the second of the three 4th cats ahead of Veloso and Walker.
B and O are now forced to do the pace reducing the gap to the break to two minutes.
Di Maggio tries a little move on the descent of this penultimate 4th cat climb, Frank marks the move.
It doesn't last long though with Van Den Hugenhaben chasing back for Trofimov.
Kern lifts the pace in the break whoso lead is under two minutes with 15km to go. It's enough to distance Langeveld and Walker. Zoidl clings on, but Veloso wants to go faster still.
This is the final 4th category climb and as you'd expect some of the favourites are antsy - Frank Schleck punches out.
Veloso goes over the last 4th cat climb having banking 19 KoM points for the day.
The drama is behind as it appears as if Schleck is trying to force a selection before the big Tv mast climb.
Di Maggio is closest to Schleck, then Gesink, Hagen, Bakelants, Frank and Trofimov
with the B and O boys pacing.
Gesink, Hagen and Schleck succeed in pulling out a small 30 second advantage.
Veloso has been joined by Kern and Zoidl who still have a minute with 9km to go.
Hagen, Schleck and Gesink haven't really been able to make their move stick as they caught Walker and Langeveld. Ponzi behind is trying to move ahead on the downhill.
The Schleck group are absorbed into the pack as Frank brings Schumacher forward and Monfort does the same for Claeys on the descent.
They turn onto the TV mast road with 5km remaining B and O forcing themselves to the front catching the break as they do. The UBS and Lotto duos are swallowed up as they do.
We are on the climb there and space is at a premium.
Grivko, Kwiatkowski, Klemme, Arndt and Keinath are the B and O boys. Zoidl remains forward for Vesuvio with Hagen, Gesink, Paterski and Schleck sitting in decent positions.
Vastaranta is with Bakelants just behind Schleck, Schwab is with Van Den Broeck and Ghyllebert is with Pozzato.
Claeys, Gilbert, Ponzi, Schumacher, Di Maggio and Van Gardaren are about 25 riders back. Clement is about 50 riders back.
Favoured riders who lost time yesterday like Ulissi and Rabon are actually dropped from the lead group of nearly 100 riders.
3km out and Schleck accelerates with Gesink on his wheel.
The B and O riders are leaving a channel open and Claeys from a way back manages to find an opening to get into trying to follow the big movers.
2.6km left and Gesink rides in front of Schleck through the wall of noise. Claeys has made Schlecks wheel with Trofimov, Keinath, Hagen and Monfort following.
Frank, Gilbert, Van Den Broeck, Bakelants and Di Maggio are attempting to wriggle through and follow also.
2.2km to go: Schleck and Gesink look the strongest as they forge a small advantage over Keinath, Trofimov, Claeys, Monfort and Hagen.
Those seven have got some seconds clear with Gilbert and Van Den Broeck leading the other favourites behind. Ponzi, Schumacher, Pozzato and Van Gardaren (who is sitting a long way back) are not making any moves.
1.75km left: Schleck and Gesink lead through this enthusiastic crowd.
Van Gardaren and Clement are dropped off as the Van den Broeck - Gilbert group pull clear of his group!
Trofimov meanwhile searches inside himself to try and pull back Schleck and Gesink.
1.2km left:
Schleck is sitting on Gesink's wheel as the Dutchman sprints, Trofimov is shaking his bike desperate for some speed on the 13% slopes.
These three hold about 20 seconds on Keinath, Hagen, Monfort and Claeys.
Bakelants leads a group of seven favourites who have battled clear of the pack.
Van den Broeck, Gilbert, Schumacher, Klemme, Ponzi and Pozzato make this group.
Behind Kangert is trying to get across to hold up his decent GC place. Di Maggio is behind him.
800m left: Trofimov has just about caught the front two.
Amazing effort by Bakelants who has got back to Monfort, Claeys, Hagen and Keinath.
Pozzato and Klemme are dropped by Van den Broeck, Ponzi, Schmi and Gilbert.
500m left: Schleck is struggling to hold Gesink's wheel.
Bakelants is moving the fastest of all it seems as he and Hagen see the same gap.
Up front Gesink is rounding the final bend.
He celebrates a powerful climb. great win.
Schleck just holds off Trofimov, which is useful for Gesink.
Bakelants leads the second group about 35 seconds behind, fine attempt of a defence by Keinath.
Van den Broeck is ninth, Ponzi tenth, Schumacher eleventh, Gilbert 12 th.
Pozzato is just distanced at the end with Kangert close behind.
Sagan may have snatched the youth jersey with Di Maggio, Van Gardaren behind him.
Gesink gets a gap of ten seconds pushing him to 14 seconds clear of Trofimov and Schleck. Keinath drops behind those three with Van Den Broeck dropping to 6th and Kangert to 14th.
Stage results
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
4h26'04
2
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 10
3
Yuri Trofimov
Koenigsegg
s.t.
4
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
+ 34
5
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 43
6
Nico Keinath
Team B&O
s.t.
7
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
8
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
9
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
+ 1'13
10
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
11
Stefan Schumacher
UBS - BMC
s.t.
12
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
+ 1'32
13
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 22'33
155
Steele Von Hoff
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 23'04
156
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 23'47
157
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Milka - AVG
s.t.
158
Timothy Dupont
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
159
Juan Pablo Forero
Milka - AVG
s.t.
160
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
s.t.
161
Zakkari Dempster
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 24'17
162
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
163
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Koenigsegg
s.t.
164
Viktor Renäng
Koenigsegg
+ 24'37
165
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
+ 24'55
GC
The favourites come to the fore, Gesink surely the big favourite now considering is ability against the clock. Keinath though had an amazing day and is still looking good for a podium with his chrono ability. Van Den Broack is also no mug against the clock either.
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
12h40'53
2
Yuri Trofimov
Koenigsegg
+ 14
3
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 18
4
Nico Keinath
Team B&O
+ 19
5
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
+ 42
6
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
+ 51
7
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
+ 1'03
8
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
9
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
10
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 1'31
11
Stefan Schumacher
UBS - BMC
+ 1'33
12
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 43'28
143
Sergio Pardilla
Team Bacardi
+ 43'59
144
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
+ 44'36
145
Juan Pablo Forero
Milka - AVG
+ 44'42
146
Tom Dumoulin
Team Puma - SAP
+ 45'19
147
Dmitri Grabovski
Team Bacardi
+ 47'00
148
Ivan Santaromita
UBS - BMC
+ 50'21
149
Chu Thien Sinelobov
UBS - BMC
+ 50'50
150
Timothy Dupont
Pokerstars.com
+ 52'09
151
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 56'10
152
Juan Ernesto Chamorro
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 56'17
153
Nikola Aistrup
Team B&O
+ 56'35
154
Juraj Sagan
Team B&O
+ 59'16
155
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
+ 1h03'22
156
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Koenigsegg
+ 1h04'38
157
Wes Sulzberger
Simply Red Bull
+ 1h05'30
158
Steele Von Hoff
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1h06'48
159
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
Milka - AVG
+ 1h07'31
160
Oumaru Minoungou
Pendleton's
+ 1h09'53
161
Viktor Renäng
Koenigsegg
+ 1h11'39
162
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 1h16'29
163
Evan Huffman
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1h17'14
164
Thomas Riber-Sellebjerg
Team B&O
+ 1h17'52
165
Zakkari Dempster
Hollister Pro Cycling
+ 1h25'12
Points
Bakelants had to battle from a bit back on the climb, will likely feel Trofimov is his big rival in points unless Pozzato keeps winning the sprints.
Rank
Name
Team
Points
General
1
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
14
46
2
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
7
41
3
Nico Keinath
Team B&O
10
34
4
Yuri Trofimov
Koenigsegg
16
32
5
Frantisek Rabon
Milka - AVG
0
31
6
Filippo Pozzato
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
3
28
7
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
20
27
8
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
25
25
9
Tanel Kangert
Pearl Adidas
2
23
10
Simone Ponzi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
6
18
11
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
0
18
12
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
0
15
13
Dimitri Claeys
Lotto - Cervelo
12
12
14
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
0
12
15
Vitor Rodrigues
Hollister Pro Cycling
0
12
16
Nathan Haas
Aker - MOT
0
10
17
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Aker - MOT
9
9
18
Travis Meyer
Wikipedia
0
9
19
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
0
8
20
Maxime Monfort
Lotto - Cervelo
8
8
21
Danny Summerhill
Wikipedia
0
8
22
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
4
7
23
Marcel Wyss
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
0
7
24
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
0
6
25
William Walker
Pearl Adidas
6
6
26
Stef Clement
Pokerstars.com
0
6
27
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
0
6
28
Stefan Schumacher
UBS - BMC
5
5
29
Dan Craven
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
0
5
30
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
0
5
KoM
Veloso the big scorer of the day, but still well behind the three leaders.
Rank
Name
Team
Mountain
General
1
Stef Clement
Pokerstars.com
0
32
2
Nebojsa Jovanovic
Pendleton's
0
32
3
Vitor Rodrigues
Hollister Pro Cycling
0
32
4
Pieter Ghyllebert
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
0
28
5
Sebastien Einsle
Vesuvio - Accumalux
0
22
6
Diego Ulissi
Festina-Canal+
0
20
7
Gustavo Veloso
Santander
19
19
8
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
16
16
9
Jan Bakelants
Pearl Adidas
8
12
10
Frank Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
12
12
11
Didac Ortega
Santander
0
12
12
Elia Favilli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
0
12
13
Christophe Kern
Pokerstars.com
11
11
14
Yuri Trofimov
Koenigsegg
10
10
15
Daniel Navarro
Team Bacardi
0
10
Youth
Van Garderen was in an awful position on the climb and could not get himself open road. He seemed to be having a bad day as well. Di Maggio used up some bullets prior to the climb, it means Sagan takes the youth jersey but Bobridge a decent TTer will be dangerous.
Name
Team
General Time
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
12h43'38 (1)
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 20 (2)
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 20 (3)
Michał Kwiatkowski
Team B&O
+ 20 (4)
Tejay Van Garderen
Wikipedia
+ 1'46 (5)
Tom Diggle
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 2'43 (6)
Jakub Danacik
Koenigsegg
+ 3'08 (7)
Mikel Landa
Wikipedia
+ 6'53 (8)
Wesley Kreder
Project 1t4i
+ 6'53 (9)
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
+ 7'14 (10)
Andrea Palini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 7'41 (11)
Matej Vysna
Milka - AVG
+ 7'46 (12)
Jay McCarthy
Wikipedia
+ 8'04 (13)
Fabio Felline
Team Puma - SAP
+ 8'09 (14)
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Aker - MOT
+ 8'15 (15)
Riccardo Zoidl
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 8'26 (16)
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 9'03 (17)
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 9'03 (18)
Dominique Nerz
Team Puma - SAP
+ 9'03 (19)
Nikias Arndt
Team B&O
+ 9'04 (20)
Teams
Did B and O's push to remain a Protour team begin here? They had an outstanding ride today the K club of Keinath, Kwiatkowski, Klemme and grivKo rode out of their sKins.
