The final stage of the race will not be easy. A flat finish but a lot of climbs along the way, which could potentially split up the race and drop a lot of sprinters.
Its a popular day to join the breakaway, with 8 riders involved.
Sys Blikra Parra Bustamente Petrus Addy Perget Riutort Bravo
And there is a very good reason why today is a good day to be in the breakaway - four category 2 climbs mean that 40 KoM points are available, easily enough to win the entire competition.
Yet, nobody cares. They roll through the top of the first climb in relay order. Petrus ahead of Perget and Blikra.
It's luck such as that which can mean scoring ranking points or not. Suddenly there is interest in points at the 2nd climb: by the three who happened to score the most on the 1st. This time it is Perget first, then Blikra then Petrus.
It is the same order on the 3rd climb, which takes Perget to 28 points. KoM leader Kohler only had 24, so the lead has now changed hands.
Just the 1 categorised climb left and Perget of course takes it. The break are splitting up here which means Parra Bustamente is able to take 2nd and move to tied 8th - that gives him a single ranking point!
Perget has of course won the KoM competition now, while Blikra has scored enough to take 2nd, and despite not being a great climber Petrus is 5th. And while the group did split on the last climb, they all come back together.
So, four big categorised climbs tackled - what has been happening in the peloton?
Well, not a lot. If a team had wanted to ride hard they could have really torn up the peloton, but this is PCM AI we are talking about! A decent enough climber Adam Yates is setting tempo but most have no problems following.
Maksimov does get dropped at least, alongside sprinters Fonseca and Cucinotta.
Now it is just descent and flat to the finish. Can the breakaway manage to evade capture? Well, their lead is just under 2 minutes at 20km to go, so it will be hard for them to hang on.
Two Americans are prominent in chasing in the peloton at the moment: Donald and Warbasse. They of course want a sprint for Granjel Cabrera and Vanderbiest, but are going to have to work for it.
10km to go, Blikra takes his turn on front of the breakaway who are still working well together. Their lead is 53 seconds, and the longer they can continue to work together, the better.
But on closer inspection, some are now sitting on: Sys, Addy and Riutort.
The peloton clearly have the break in sight, but besides some efforts from Naud and Warbasse, the relay train has disappeared. The sprint trains are lying in wait, but that gap isn't falling fast enough. 44 seconds at 6km to go.
The break's chances are increasing by the kilometre, and now Bravo attacks!
Here are the sprint trains. Not just having to set up the sprint, but also spend extra energy to chase the break.
There is Torckler, Docker and Vanderbiest, followed by Cardoso. The Frenchman is looking good for the Points jersey, with Maksimov out of the picture today.
Closest rivals are Venchi, with 6th overall Haavardsholm providing the sole leadout for Corioni, and Lavoine following.
Final train is Mobil, Becerra and Mora for Granjel Cabrera. Anton Martin is finally getting involved in a sprint after being dropped on Stage 1 and crashing on Stage 2, and behind him are Van Poppel, Rabon and Fernandez.
But the leader on the road remains Edison Bravo. 18 seconds on the rest of the break, a further 26 to the peloton!
Perget and Parra Bustamente
kick off the sprint behind him. Right on their wheels are two of those who had not bothered relaying to support the group: Riutort and Addy. Clearly their lack of support was not due to being out of energy then, but tactical!
Having started with the upper hand, RBC's train has now fallen apart. Torckler is on an off day and Docker is struggling too. Venchi and Mobil are in the best position - while on the Mobil train Van Poppel has managed to get in front of Anton Martin.
Bravo takes the final corner at 1.3km to go. Still a nice lead, and he has begun sprinting himself. He needs to, the groups are starting to converge.
Haavardsholm opens the peloton sprint, as Sys is caught. The one man Norwegian sprint train has done a great job, to further make this his best race of his career to date with that high GC placing too.
Slightly further back, Rangel, Wegmann and Betancourt are moving forward to the back of those going for the sprint.
Back to the lead and it is final kilometre for Bravo. A tough final kilometre for the Chilean though, Riutort and Addy are hunting him down.
Corioni has already launched his sprint now, he needs to go early to have a chance - but is it too late. Granjel Cabrera waits a little longer behind Mora before launching, while Vanderbiest waits too long behind Docker, who had seemed to be regaining ground, but has now lost it again.
Lavoine and Anton Martin are going well here as the back of the breakaway is caught - but still so much ground to make up, it must be too late.
Riutort now takes the lead to end CT hopes, but hang on, Corioni and Granjel Cabrera are flying!
Now is when Riutort really has to dig in. Can he do it?
The line is just not close enough, and the sprinters too fast. Granjel Cabrera storms through to win the stage, and finally give Mobil - Aeropostal something to cheer!
Corioni takes 2nd place, while Riutort and Bravo are rewarded for their efforts as they have hung on for 3rd and 4th. Anton Martin takes 5th ahead of a disappointing Vanderbiest, and then it is Van Poppel and Rabon.
No late GC drama, so Cesare di Maggio has sealed his Vuelta a Mallorca triumph, by a margin of just 4 seconds from Carlos Betancourt.
Cobo, Hategaka and Seeldraeyers complete the Top 5 but behind them all riders were on the same time, and so positions have changed based on how well placed riders were in this final sprint.
Rabon moves ahead of Haavardsholm for 6th; Hermans moves ahead of Becerra for 8th; Wyss moves ahead of Bilbao for 10th; and Armee moves ahead of Konovalovas for 12th. Some other movers are Didier gaining 4 positions for 15th, and Fernandez gaining 6 places for 18th having placed 10th on the stage.
Vanderbiest is a comfortably winner of the points competition. Granjel Cabrera edges ahead of Maksimov for 2nd, with Corioni 4th.
As already mentioned, Perget wins the KoM, while Betancourt is best young rider, and Quickstep the best team.
