The final stage should be one for the sprinters, and a very interesting battle for the Green jersey. Nardin leads the way, but he is not safe ahead of the two pure sprinters Guillen and Peeters.
1
Thiago Duarte Nardin
Team Gazelle
88
2
Marco Guillén
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
79
3
Kevin Peeters
Japanese - Korean Cycling Project
72
If Guillen wins the stage then Nardin needs to be either 2nd or 3rd to keep the points jersey. If Peeters wins the stage then he needs Guillen to be 3rd or worse, and Nardin to be 8th or worse. Any other stage winner makes it easier for Nardin to keep the jersey.
Overall victory in the race clearly belongs to Hugentobler, but the battle behind him is close. So many riders in ranking points positions, on the same time. Finishing positions at the end of the stage certainly has the potential to change the order around.
Spoiler
1
Greogry Hugentobler
Sauber Petronas Racing
29h18'34
2
Thiago Duarte Nardin
Team Gazelle
+ 19'18
3
Clement Koretzky
Evian-MIAT
+ 19'50
4
Xavier Florencio
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 19'52
5
Nariyuki Masuda
Japanese - Korean Cycling Project
+ 19'58
6
Sergiu Cioban
Ekspla-Cision Cycling Team
+ 20'02
7
Tom David
Team Cadbury - Schweppes
+ 20'10
8
Jaume Rovira
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
9
Jimmy Pranata
PFG-Armavia
s.t.
10
Federico Rocchetti
Evian-MIAT
s.t.
11
Brice Feillu
Risa - Ergon Cycling Team
s.t.
12
Sergey Firsanov
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
13
Jordi Grau
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
14
Michael Olsson
Risa - Ergon Cycling Team
s.t.
15
Martin Puusepp
Evian-MIAT
s.t.
16
Ying Hon Yeung
PFG-Armavia
s.t.
17
Suk-Young Choi
Japanese - Korean Cycling Project
s.t.
18
Alberto Rodriguez Oliver
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
19
André Cardoso
Adira-Isq Project
s.t.
20
Muhamad Adiq Othman
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
21
Amir Mustafa Rusli
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
22
Jorge Adelbo Soto Pereira
Adira-Isq Project
s.t.
23
Nazar Jumabekov
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
But not just finishing positions can change the order, with an intermediate sprint featuring in the stage. And 3 clever riders from the list above have clearly read the roadbook, and get themselves into the break of the day!
Time bonuses for Cardoso and Yeung will put them 7th and 8th in GC, while Cioban will take 5th overall if he finishes in the Top 2 positions of the sprint. There is of course a risk here as they could gain time but be dropped by the peloton if caught early - but the stage is so short at 55km, that that should not really happen.
Evian have spotted this move, and now 15th overall Puusepp tries to bridge across - with the gap already at 1'40.
The Estonian gets so close, but can't quite manage it, the first 3 will take the bonus seconds.
But after all that build up, they don't even sprint for it!
Cardoso crosses first to go 7th overall, 2nd is enough to give Cioban 5th overall, and Yeung now looks set to end the race as best Korean rider, in 8th.
Could they hold on for more and battle for the stage? It seems unlikely, with JK Cycling, Risa Ergon and BNCR all chasing.
Puusepp's wasted efforts today are ended when he is caught with 13km to go. He tried to move into the Top 10 and failed, and now he will fall out of the Top 20 - by the 5km to go banner he has been dropped by the peloton! He will actually now end the race in 34th overall.
The other 3 attackers meanwhile have just been caught, close enough to the end to safely secure their GC gains!
JK Cycling want to bookend this tour with Peeters stage wins and take a lead in the sprint preparations. Baumann, Uugunbayar and Peeters.
Ziesler and Kristoff have created a lead out for Jorgensen. Silvestre and Nardin follow this - not ideal positioning for the Brazilian.
Kopp and Morales are bulding for Guillen meanwhile, but Cadbury's Renshaw and Gaywood are mixing up their train.
Barcelona pair Lequatre and Florencio are well placed, with Friedman, Siskevicius and Guardini further back.
Uugunbayar will open the sprint from a strong position then. Renshaw has gotten the prime wheel of Peeters, while further back it seems like Nardin is aiming for Guillen's wheel. Both have work to do here if they want that jersey though! Daniel has also started an early sprint.
Morales pushes forward, and Guillen is mostly following him - albeit with Jorgensen in between.
Peeters and Renshaw open their sprints at the same time, from the lead.
Nardin has been left behind and won't be winning the Green jersey, it is between Peeters and Guillen now.
Peeters outkicks Renshaw and is looking good for the stage - despite Guillen and Jorgensen closing. If Peeters wins, Guillen is going to need 2nd.
Kevin Peeters does take victory! A 3rd win for the Japanese-Korean team this race.
But Guillen is able to outkick Jorgensen for 2nd, and so despite no stage wins, the Costa Rican will take the Points jersey.
4th for Renshaw, with the rest of the field distant. Friedman, Lequatre, Makino and Gaywood took the remaining ranking point positions - with Nardin down in 15th.
Gregory Hugentobler safely finishes 31st to secure his whopping 19 minute and 18 seconds GC victory!