Stage one is the queen stage of the race, with 3 laps of a tough final climb, with a peak percentage coming in at above 14%. The favourites today are Weeining and Furdi for Gazelle, Sanchez Gonzalez and Rodriguez Oliver for Iberia, and Barrio for CSC.
No one is in any rush to go clear today. Eventually though Bormatenkov (TCB) goes for it.
Talarbardon (ABC) just pips Strgar (PVL) to second at the first climb, although both sit up straight afterwards
With only one sprint stage, the bonus points here could be very helpful to the sprinters, and it's Lasca (KEN) who beats Cardoso (PVB) on the line for second.
Lasca also gets second at sprint two, this time Demare (MAG) gets third.
Bormatenkov leads us onto the closing circuit with 3 laps and 40km left to ride. This final km really will favour the strongest riders.
CSC and Gazelle lead the peloton through 3 minutes later.
Strgar (PVL) and Talabardon (ABC) attack again near the top.
And 1'18" after Bormatenkov (TCB) Talabardon takes second.
Strgar (PVL) is just ahead of the peloton.
Talabardon knows that if he is to win the moutnains jersey he needs to catch Bormatenkov, and by the bottom of the descent he has done so. Strgar got pulled back.
After making the catch Talabardon sprints past to get the six bonus seconds.
Two riders go for the final bonus' in the bunch, and Galle (VTF) just beats Carrara (ABC) to the line
The peloton are a minute behind Talabardon as the climb starts in earnest.
With the gradient at 13% Bormatenkov (TCB) doesn't last long
It looked like Barca would control the pace all the way to the top, but a minute after Talabardon crosses the KoM point Furdi (GZL) trys a little dig. Grau (FCB) is straight out the saddle.
That's the order through the climb, although straight after Barrio (CSC), Sanchez Gonzalez (ICV) and Eibegger (MAG) join them off the front
They quickly pull out 40 seconds on the 40 man bunch lead by Vorganov (PVB)
As the road flattens out ICV come forward to take control of the chase. Rodriguez Oliver clearly doesn't have much faith in Sanchez Gonzalez.
As the road goes up for the final time Kononenko (PVB) jumps off the front
Ahead it's a flat out sprint for the line, with every bonus second being vital for the final overall classification.
Talabardon (ABC) just holds off Furdi (GZL) and Grai (FCB) for the points.
Kononenko (PVB) is 56" down at the line, and 8" ahead of the peloton. Just 13km to go now.
ICV are still chasing hard to shut down this gap. Barrio is leading the break into the steepest section of the climb now.
The gap is still 40 seconds, which tells you just how hard the climb is. Will anyone be able to get across to the leaders?
900 metres to the top and Gazelle now lead the chase. Barrio has been on the front of the break the entire climb.
And with the summit in sight Daspuntsag (GZL) rides the bunch back onto the back of the break.
Sanchez Gonzalez (ICV) sits up when he hears the news, but Barrio (CSC) is still pushing on, and he drags Furdi (GZL) clear over the top
Not happy with that Furdi now attacks,
Barrio has no response. He gave everything he ha on the uphill
It gets worse for Barrio as Weening (GZL) rides up to him.
Weeing has pulled Rodriguez Oliver (ICV), Sanchez Gonzalez (ICV) and Ilias (MAG) clear with him. No one else can keep up
Weening won't held pull back Furdi though, so Rodriguez Oliver takes over at the front.
Vorganov, who might be a favourite, hasn't attacked, but he manages to pull the remnants of the peloton back to the attackers. In the confusion Furdi's gap grows to 30 seconds.
ICV are doing all they can to set up Rodriquez Oliver for the sprint, but Furdi is maintaining his lead with 4km to go.
Rodriguez Oliver starts the sprint from the front with 2km to go.
He and Calzati (FCB) pull clear of Vorganov, but can they catch Furdi up this final hill?
500m to go and Rodriguez Oliver is almost up to Furdi. Furdi doesn't seem to have noticed the danger.
Weening (GZL) is coming hard from the bunch, as Furdi tries to accelerate for the line.
It's incredibly close for Furdi. Can he just hold on?
Rodriguez Oliver takes the lead with just 200m to go.
Weeing charges past the fading Furdi as well. It's between the two pre-race favourites for the win now.
And Weeing takes the victory. His massive sprint there at the end was unbeatable, Rodriguez Oliver will have to settle for second
Furdi just holds off Ilias (MAG) for 3rd.
Gazell continue their dominance, with Daspuntsag 5th and Minnard 7th, Calzati between them in 6th.
Vorganov, Barrio and Hrinkow round out the top ten in this front group of 19.
So Weening gets the stage and the overall lead in a display of dominace from Gazelle. 8 seconds back are his teammate Furdi, Rodriguez Oliver, who will have to come up with a new plan for stage 3 as chasing down your temamate clearly doesn't work, and Talabardon who takes the KoM by one point over Bormatenkov
