Last mountain stage in this year`s Tour of America and with only 113km length we have 3 climbs.
Still the HC in the middle is the only real difficulty as the other two are not very steep and so good for roleurs.
But as the time trial alone tomorrow won`t change the GC too much, this might be the last opportunity for many to improve.
7 riders try it again even though the last mountain stages were decided by the GC riders. Piamonte Schelling Kinoshita Pirazzi Mangel Kung Laidler
Repsol with 5 riders ahead of Kashechkin.
50km to go and the gap is up to 7'20 at the start of the HC climb. Some tough sections here, so some might already try their luck here.
No rider is interested here. So Kinoshita takes it.
Kung as 2nd in the KoM competition also knows that Devine is too far ahead and so the KoM winner is decided it seems.
1km ahead of the top some attacks. KoM attacks or for the GC?
Cabreira
Khripta
Devine
Dieteren
Meanwhile Sieberg is far behind. As you can see he has huge problems and can`t follow the pace.
The attackers were just for the KoM points actually as they are all caught soon afterwards.
Start of the last mountains and also the first attacks:
Stetina
Cabreira
Hudecek
Also Pirazzi is caught as first rider after he crashed. So 6 riders left in front. Only 2min left.
More riders try to follow with 16km to go:
Barton
Krasnoperov
Nicacio
Georgiev
First of the Cat.2 reached and the breakaway is almost caught.
Also all late attackers are back in the peloton. With slopes of rarely more than 6% it`s hard to create any gaps.
2nd part of the climb and Stetina again the first to attack. As one of the weakest time trialists his only chance to finish inside the top10 is a huge time gap today. This time other riders follow:
Lowe
Cabreira
Nicacio
Ardila
Pellizotti
Vrecer
Hudecek
Piamonte ahead of Stetina and the peloton over this Cat.2.
So the breakaway is more or less caught and also the attackers.
5km and the next attacks. Some riders have to try and they do:
Ratiy
Kiserlovski
Last chance but also here just 4,2% so they can`t create a gap.
Almost the last kilometer and now Kashechkin showing his strength by attacking himself followed by Pellizotti, Kiserlovski and Ratiy and others.
Those four also have a small gap under the Flamme Rouge but all top 10 riders are right behind. And finally some more selection in the peloton.
Kashechkin with a good gap while Pellizotti struggles. Kiserlovski and Ratiy go around him now, but can they fight for the win?
Ratiy almost did. He had a strong day here. Unfortunately for him on a bad stage without bigger gaps. And a bit unlucky as he would have won if the line had been 50cm later.
So Kashechkin with another stage win and most likely also the GC win.
9s later Kiserlovski leads in the next group. So there was a gap today. But as this group goes until the 20th of the stage, we won`t see any GC changes.
Dyachdenko and Sousa being another 40s behind are the biggest losers.
