The 3rd stage of Algarve is definitely the first one that should produce us some real, big gaps and should clear up the GC a bit. It's definitely going to be interesting and as there's nothing to wait for, we're just switch to the full report. Enjoy it.
Just as expected, alot of teams decided to send a guy in a breakaway and after only few kilometers, we got out breakaway of the day group. 6 guys in it, precisely: Pellaud, Sanchez Gonzalez, Bulgac, Dabrowski, Tang and Melo. Quite strong group for a breakaway one.
Tang was the best one on KoM checkpoints, as he got 12 points. He also won the biggest amount of sprint points from breakaway group. Quite a good result for him and the team today.
Meanwhile, in peloton, just as it was expected, one team controlled everything. You just guessed which one and yes, it's Evonik. The guys looks ready for some yellow-jersey fight!
The race, on surprise of most people, was quite passive today. Nothing really interesting happened in major part of it, except the fact that Duggan dropped early with the group of guys that are waaay worse than him. Judging by todays and yesterdays result and ride, the guy got seriously sick here. He never got back in peloton. Unlucky!
After solid 140 kilometers in race, and at around 50 to go, something finally started happening in race. Actually, Melo decided to place an attack in BOTD group and it was a successful one. At that point, peloton was quite far, with 3 minute gap.
He spent around 35 kilometers riding alone, but he couldn't pull it alone anymore. 15 kilometers to go, he still had one minute and it now started to look like peloton is definitely going to catch him. But when? Still nothing happened behind.
Only few kilometers after, huge amount of attacks came out of nowhere! Feillu, Vink, Firsanov, Rosa, Schoffmann and Rudaskov were the most actives there. However, none of these attacks got successful mainly thanks to Vontobel and Evonik who were by far 2 most active teams on the top of peloton. Things once again slowed down.
8 kilometers to go and Melo is finally caught. Great, long, brave and solo ride from Bonsucro rider, they should be proud of him. However, more interesting and more important fight is now going to start.
Just as it was expected, only 2 kilometers after, few favourites started attacking. Moinard, Marentes, Sorensen, Mendes, Lang, Vink, Firsanov were all there. To make it even better, race leader, Simon Geschke followed that too. It certainly started to heat up!
5 kilometers to go and only 3 guys managed to separate and create a group. They were Geschke, Moinard and Marentes. The guys behind struggled alot and tried to catch up too, but high pace from peloton just kept "eating" them all over again.
Mendes was however the most active (he kept trying all over again) and the guy that looked really fresh behind. All other guys finished in peloton sooner or later.
3 kilometers to go, banner zone! Mendes is seriously getting close to the first group and it doesn't look good for them at all, as he's clearly the best puncheur there. However, he might spend some energy chasing them. The race was still open. This was the situation at that point:
Group 1
Group 2
Peloton
Geschke
Mendes
Basically all others
Moinard
Marentes
Back in peloton, the action didn't stop. After all of these previous attacks were neutralised, 2 guys tried again. However, these guys were kinda fresh, as they were passive whole day. Haas and Hollenstein are their names.
Only 2 kilometers to go for the leading group, around 1 minute of advantage over peloton and it's getting pretty obvious that some of these 3 riders is going to win. Did I just say 3? Well, Mendes finally managed to join them and it is now 4 of them there!
1,5 kilometer to go, Haas and Hollenstein actually made some acceleration and almost caught up with first group. Moinard is showing the first signs of weakness and drops a bit, while immortal Mendes is attacking! What an impressive re-born, as he was basically dead only few hundred of meters down the road.
Few guys decides to make a move in peloton too, so it's not that bad anymore (AI wise). Sorensen, Rosa Lang and Arredondo (KoM jersey) are there, just a little behind Umberkov who was teh first one to launch that wave.
The final sprint starts in front! It actually started by an late attack from Mendes but it turned out to be a final sprint. As the finish was closer, it was getting more and more clear that the winner is one of the three: Mendes, Geschke or Marentes. Moinard and Haas were a bit behind, but enough to get them out of this stage-win (GC) fight.
The KoM pass, who represented 500 meters to go, was the next place for a photo. Now, the fight for stage-win was narrowed on two names: Marentes and Mendes, as Geschke started falling behind. However, it was sure that Geschke will have the same time as winner and that meant a great job from him!
Marentes started to get out of Mendes's wheel, but it was getting more and more obvious that there's absolutely no way to pass Portugalian. Despite being behind, despite putting huge effort in getting the guys in front, despite having troubles to get in front and start sprinting, Mendes destroyed competition and for the first time this season showed who's the boss of hills. Great win for him and his team in his homeland!
At the end, Marentes had to settle for 2nd place, while Geschke finished as 3rd. They all had the same time. 18 seconds after, Haas and Moinard arrived to the finish line, with French being just a little bit better in final sprint. Quite solid result for these 2, too.
Hollenstein, Arredondo, Sorensen, Rosa, Lang and Umberkov are all the guys that finished in front of peloton, Some of them disappointed, some of them surprised, but no one can complain. It was an open fight, tactical fight and the best and strongest ones won.
Even despite huge amount of attacks today, before and on last climb, Vink managed to win final sprint in peloton and get 12th position, 1 minute and 58 seconds behind todays winner.
Still, nothing is decided in GC! Tomorrow's TT is going to answer on many question and finally give us a winner of this race. It is going to be undoubtely interesting, so be sure to stay tuned for it!
