Time for the first mountain top finish in the Mini Man Game and we have a really tough one.
Completely flat for 2/3 of the stage but then two HC climbs in the end.
With the top favourites being very close together stat wise it`s hard to predict a possible outcome but surely we have strong climbing teams like Codleportes or KazMunayGas, who surely will try to show something.
We had no breakaway formed at the first sprint and so it was won by some of the attackers with Duret taking it ahead of Vanthourenhout and Volik.
A bit later we have a 7 rider group trying to gain enough time for the last climb.
So we have a mix of riders, who aren`t placed too bad in the GC and two riders, who are within range to attack the KoM jersey.
Kalev, America, Eroski, iBanesto and 7-Eleven with the early pace. At the moment they are working together very well but this might change at a later date when the real racing starts.
2nd sprint and Vanthourenhout, Duret and Volik is the order. Only those 3 were sprinting for it as the others are too far behin in the GC.
55km to go and the gap is down to 2'30. It`s America showing real strength now for race leader Sarabia. 4 riders ahead of him in a nice working train.
They still work together 10km later when the first climb started. The gap is down another 30s and it will be hard for the breakaway when the peloton is continueing to ride that fast.
The first riders start to suffer and get dropped. Some of those are definitely a surprise as they are good climbers and not placed too bad in the GC or at least could go for a good stage result:
Tizza (Miche)
De la Parte (iBanesto)
Armstrong (7-Eleven)
Matamoros (America)
Mardones (Eroski)
Safarzadeh (KazMunayGas)
Chaabane (Argo)
Petrov (Katusha)
Still 40km to go and a bit more than half of the first climb done when we have the first attacks:
Belda (Eroski/+2'38)
Cohnen (Rucanor/+1'44)
Chu (Fuji/+1'06)
Loh (Fuji/+1'06)
So in especially Fuji with an interesting double attack, which obviously highers the pressure on the other teams.
It`s America`s best climber in L.Pulido doing a high pace now for the obviously new team leader Sarabia.
Seeing how dangerous this group can become, more teams in the peloton start the chasing. Standard Bank with Bitew and Bassingthwaite as also Coldeportes with Rubiano Chavez.
This leads to more dropped riders and America has to pay with their 2nd clibmer gone: L.Pulido, but actually it`s the weaker of both.
Also Mercado (iBanesto) and Brousse (Peugeot) can`t follow and belong to a later group.
The top is reached and we have a good fight for the points. Landström takes it with Tarqui following. Those were the two only riders with points before the stage.
Volik and Vanthourenhout come over the top next but then it`s already Cohnen, who reached the breakaway already. Also Chu, Belda and Loh are in the mix in between the remaining breakaway riders to take a few points.
It`s between 1-2min for the breakaway riders now to the peloton.
Meanwhile more riders drop out of the peloton with Fonseca (iBanesto). Already their 2nd rider being dropped quite early.
The downhill section is almost finished and we have a 11 rider group containing both groups now, but the peloton is not far behind. Only 46s are left with 21km to go.
It`s the final climb now and the breakaway is almost caught while Sarabia is still showing his leader jersey in the first rows. Can he defend his lead today?
The breakaway is caught and Standard Bank and America control the peloton but bad news for Sarabia that Pulido is his only remaining helper and he already worked most of the first climb.
Rodrigues (Dexia) and again Loh (Fuji) with another acceleration with 9,6km to go.
But Pulido is the pure strength today and brings them back immediately.
But for the first time Sarabia shows weakness and is falling back a few rows. Is this just tactic or is the pace of his own teammate too high?
Surely other teams have also seen this.
And it`s honestly no shame at all as far better climbers are already minutes behind. And more and more are dropped like Monese (Standard Bank) or Belda (Eroski) who obviously spent all his energy in his attack.
6,7km and the next attack. This time far stronger than the last. It`s Matzbacher (Kalev) and as 8th in the GC due to his breakaway appearance on the first day, he is a real danger.
Also Casar (Peugeot) and Rodrigues (Dexia) are attacking now.
Sarabia really struggles now as a group is opening ahead of him, with 26 riders still in front.
Also Remme (4.) in the GC is dropped right in front of him, so is Cotumba (BNP), Rabou (Rucanor), De Ketele (Dexia), Mata Cabello (Eroski), Magalhaes (Millenium), Loh (Fuji), Chu (Fuji) and Cohnen (Rucanor).
So some tough moments for some teams and in especially the attackers on the first climb have to pay tribute now.
Pulido is ordered back and is helping Sarabia to come back with 5km to go. But seeing the 5km mark, it will be a long way to the finish and a hard fight.
Also Matzbacher is caught again, which shows that the pace is still very high. KazMunayGaz took over and don`t slow down seeing their big opportunity.
Dyadichkin (KazMunayGaz) immediately attacks with 3,4km left and he is definitely one of the best climbers and mustn`t be underestimated.
Some riders try to follow. Matzbacher, who obviously has a great day, Sabido (Millenium) and also Pulido is back in front to chase them down. Strong ride also by him and probably he could have followed as well if Sarabia wouldn`t have the leader jersey.
Again Sarabia can`t follow and Pulido has to wait for him once more. Not sure if this is the best tactic but on the other hand Pulido already is 2'38 behind and so eventually reducing Sarabia`s loss is the better option.
Dyadichkin has a 11s gap to Matzbacher in 2nd and another 8s to Sabido.
Behind those 3 solo riders a group of 6 was created including Bonnafond, Saeidi Tanha, Sibila Romero, Leontenko, Schoffmann and Nose.
Casar and Rubiano Chavez follow a bit later ahead of a 20 rider group.
Sarabia is already 2'19 behind in another group with Pulido still waiting.
Disaster obviously for the strong expected Coldeportes team with Rubiano Chavez being their best today while there are 3 riders in the 20 rider group.
Final kilometer and Dyadichenko looks like the winner but behind we have lots of small groups fighting for the seconds.
Huge win for the Kazakh. He really celebrates it and it`s well deserved. But where are the other riders? Can he also take the GC or was it too less time?
16s later Sabido catches Matzbacher on the line to take 2nd with the Austrian in 3rd. So this order is also the provisional GC.
Saeidi Tanha, teammate of Dyadichenko and Bonnafond were also in that group and climb the rankings quite a lot.
Sibilla Romero as 6th with +42s brings in the next group also including Leontenko, Schoffmann and Nose.
Casar solo in 10th loses 59s, while we have Rubiano Chavez also solo with +1'19 as first Coldeportes rider and 4 more in the next +1'35 group. What a disappointing stage for them as they also won`t climb that high in the GC.
Pulido deserves the best teammate today as he comes in with a 2'42 gap and 10s ahead of the Sarabia group. This will throw him far outside of the top10 but on the other hand Pulido couldn`t have climbed too much as well even when he would have finished within the top5.
GC wise we have a huge change today with the top5 of the stage also being the new top5 of the GC. And Matzbacher gets the KoM lead but shared with a strong fighting Tarquil today.
