After three flat stages, the puncheurs finally get their chance today. Today is probably where the race for the overall will be decided as this is the only stage which will yield any big time gaps. As stage favorites it is hard to look past Weening. The Dutchman is the best hilly rider here, and some would argue he is the best in the division.
Hoping to stop him will be Sanchez Gonzalez and his Iberia troops and Scarponi.
Sutton will also want to keep his race lead, but it will be tough for the sprinter.
As we pull out of the startline in Hamar the sun is shining on the peloton. Scheit wastes no time and attacks from the gun, looking to make the breakaway.
O’Brien and Meul join him soon after while a whole host of riders try to bridge to the trio, which is 1’04 in front of the bunch, which is not really interested at the moment.
Eventually four other riders make the junction; to form the day’s breakaway. The names are sprinter Clarke, Porsev who was second yesterday, Jeandesbosz and Stancu.
Meul, Stancu and O’Brien are all just 30 seconds off race leader Sutton in the GC and especially the Irishman could prove dangerous if given too much leeway as he has pedigree on the hills.
The seven rider group’s gap is ever increasing to the uninterested peloton, while it currently stands at 3’50 with 150 kilometers left in the stage.
As we reach the first intermediate sprint of the day it has swelled to 6’20. Jeandesbosz takes the points with O’Brien second and Scheit third.
Onto the first of three major climbs, the peloton has sped up. Risa has control and has managed to bring the group back to within four minutes. They obviously want their leader to have a fighting chance of regaining his yellow jersey.
Back at the front Stancu gets the King of The Mountain points just ahead of Scheit and O’Brien. If the Romanian rider wants a shot of that jersey though he will need to win the second Cat-4 climb as Veilleux won two during stage 1.
The pace has really started to get increased with Iberia and Gazelle both assisting Risa on the front. The pressure tells for a few riders, including Vattenfall’s leader Gingsjo. After losing time yesterday as well he just does not seem up to this race.
Regarding the breakaway Clarke has proved too weak and has been caught by the 76-man peloton, leaving a six man group 2’35 off the front with 70 kilometers left.
The breakaway then reaches the second sprint, which Stancu takes. Porsev is second and Scheit third.
They have 50 kilometers left to ride but will almost certainly be caught in that time because their gap is just a meager 1’22. The favorites should start to awake now, and maybe put in some attacks on the second main climb of the day which starts now.
Although there are no attacks on the climb, the pace is kept high. As a result more riders disappear off the back including race leader Sutton. He can say goodbye to the overall.
At the front of the 45 strong peloton there is a battle for the King of the Mountains points. The five remaining breakaway riders are just 20 seconds in front, with Meul dropped. Can they hang on for the points?
They can, just about. Scheit gets the points ahead of Stancu and Jeandesbosz, which is good news for WWE. Veilleux will keep his jersey tomorrow.
The front group gets engulfed straight after, meaning that the favorites can battle out the win with a clear road out in front.
On the final major climb, Mobil move onto the front and set up a Sky-esque mountain train, for Roman who must be feeling good or Ciocan who is only one of two riders left which has bonus seconds from previous stages, with the other being Veilleux. The Romanian is in the virtual leader’s jersey.
And it does. With 21 kilometers left to the finish Grau attacks! The Spaniard is being followed by Slagter and Talabardon, but is yet to get a gap.
He doesn’t get very far though, and as the peloton crests the last climb he is brought back. That means that with 18 kilometers to go, and with no big climbs left we have 40 riders all together at the head of the race. This race could come down to an uphill sprint!
Into the last 10 kilometers and everything has stayed together. Well, that is until Schrangl attacks away on the descent. The Austrian quickly pulls out a 24 second gap and is flying at over 65kph!
And with just 5 kilometers left that advantage has grown to 37 seconds! This is an impressive showing from Schrangl. Behind, the group is trying to sort itself out desperately. If they don’t work out something soon their chances of victory will soon slip away.
In about 2500m we will hit the finishing slope, which will carry on up to the finish in Lillehammer. Until the though it is flat.
Into the final 3000m and a group of seven is trying to bridge the gap to Schrangl, including Scarponi, Ngue and Grau. Mobil are still dictating the peloton’s pace but things are slipping away from them and that group. Ciocan is still there but if his team cannot shut the gap he will not move into yellow.
As we hit the final ascent the gradient has kicked up. Weening and Sanchez Gonzalez are fighting their way up to the front where Scarponi is. Everything is a bit messy, but Schrangl is still in front.
Under the flammage rouge Schrangl has finally been caught. Scarponi has flown past him and Ngue is also coming fast.
Allianz duo Talabardon and Kirchen are a bit further behind with Weening and Sanchez Gonzalez also doing well.
With 500m left to the line Scarponi is just about holding his lead, but Ngue is coming…
Scarponi takes it! What a great sprint from the Italian which which could ride him into the race lead. We will have to see whether the Ciocan group is given a gap to him.
Ngue just gets second ahead of Kirchen who also gets a podium after coming from quite far back.
Weening, Grau, Talabardon and Schrangl get fourth to seventh in that order. Seventh is perhaps unfortunate for the Austrian after his brave attack but at least he gets rewarded with a top 10.
Sanchez, Roman and Blasquez round out the top 10 after missing out on the decisive move in the final couple of kilometers, which was unfortunate for them. Ninth is maybe a bit underwhelming for Mobil as well, who dictated the pace for a large portion of time during the stage.
There is some better news for the American team though. Ciocan manages to finish within the front group and is given the same time as Scarponi on the stage meaning he will lead the GC going into tomorrow’s stage on countback!
Scarponi is in second, while Veilleux moves into a surprise third provisionally! Great for the sprinters who remained, but the puncheurs will be very disappointed at not being able to shake them off.
