Here we go. The toughest stage in this years edition and tough is almost an understatement. Only 144km but 6 tought hills before the final, which is going up a last time. And most hills with very high slopes making it a perfect stage for the top puncheurs to get rid of the time trialists. Question is if the gap is big enough to stay ahead of those after the time trial.
Top favourites today are: Dowsett Bobridge Craven Mehr-Wenige
First and last though can`t trust their skills against the clock and need to gain time today.
Only 3 riders in todays break, which is a bit surprising with the amount of KoM points to reward today. Lane Niyonshuti Barbin
All three were in the later group yesterday with +3'28.
Cat.2
Barbin
10
Niyonshuti
8
Lane
6
Lloyd
4
Van Zandbeek
2
Sprint
Lane
6
Niyonshuti
4
Barbin
2
Cat.3
Niyonshuti
6
Lane
4
Barbin
2
Lloyd did go for the Cat. 2 KoM points and kept attacking to join the breakaway in the descent after the 2nd KoM of the day.
So it`s four riders now with him being the best puncheur and actually a top10 puncheur in the race. Unfortunately for the team though he was one of yesterdays wind victims also being +3'28.
Until now Heineken had to do the pace themselves even though Holloway is unlikely to keep the lead today. On the steepest climb though, which is actually ridden twice, it`s the puncheur teams coming to the front. First it`s Jaguar for Dowsett but also Puma and Venchi are seen at the front.
Cat.2
Niyonshuti
10
Lloyd
8
Barbin
6
Lane
4
Van Baarle
2
Jaguar and Puma really paced over the hill and so we have a huge split with only 67 riders in the front group.
Biggest name missing is Mehr-Wenige. But he has nice team support trying to bring him back.
Also Oss Hudecek Durasek Niemiec Kasa Boaro
are behind.
Four more hills left. And the steepest on is the one, who just did such a big damage.
Good for Amex and the others though that the leaders are back in the front group before the next climbs.
Puma, Venchi and Jaguar really want a selective race here. This was expected as at least Kelderman/Vogt and Dowsett are weak time trialists, while Craven seems to feel strong always being in the top7 positions in the peloton, which is down to 76 now dropping most remaining sprinters. Holloway though still in the first positions.
Bad luck for Puma though as with Felline the luxury team mate just crashed and won`t be of any help today.
Lloyd proves to be the strongest as he goes solo now. Lane was already dropped a bit before. 24km left and he is having a 3'38 gap to the peloton.
Attack in the peloton. And it`s one of the time trialists and weaker puncheurs. Westra must feel strong as he goes at the steepest section.
Behind him Holloway wants to follow but this is just not his terrain.
Bol still doing the pace for Kelderman, who sits right behind him. But now Felline would be needed I guess. Also Craven in the first row next to Haavardsholm as last helper.
Also well placed are Reus, Mehr-Wenige, Dowsett, De Maar, Oss, Kangert, Koren, Bobridge, Hermans.
Decently placed are still Durasek, Konovalovas, Hategeka, Vogt and Nepomnyachsniy.
Barbin is caught now leaving it two breakaway riders in front.
And the peloton is really splitting now with Dowsett having taken over to higher the pace giving him a small gap now together with Craven.
Then a group of 8 including most other top riders:
Bobridge, Mehr-Wenige, Reus, Kangert, Kelderman, De Maar alongside Bol and Haavardsholm.
Lloyd and Niyonshuti still having a nice gap of more than 1-2 minutes. Westra comes over the line as 3rd with Bobridge joining the Dowsett/Craven group.
Sprint
Niyonshuti
6
Lloyd
4
Barbin
2
Cat.2
Lloyd
10
Niyonshuti
8
Westra
6
Bobridge
4
Dowsett
2
12 riders now being 49s behind the quartett of GC riders in front as Westra was caught by the stronger puncheur trio. These 12 are: Kelderman Mehr-Wenige Kangert Konovalovas Anuar Aziz Hermans Reus De Maar Barbin Bol Haavardsholm Anza
So missing are Nepomnyachsniy, Koren, Vogt, Holloway, Hategeka or Jiao.
Those are not giving up though. Nepo is the first to attack and Holloway is also fighting.
Lloyd takes the last KoM and nowhere behind him other riders are seen. He still has more than 2min to the next while Niyonshuti is soon to be caught. And even more interesting the gap between the Dowsett group and some top time trialists like Reus, which is more than 1min already!
Cat.4
Lloyd
5
Dowsett
3
Craven
1
Mehr-Wenige knows he can`t beat Reus & Co. in the time trial, but knowing he is the stronger puncheur he attacks now. Only chance for him to reach a top5-10 here.
Lloyd is already on the final climb and the fans are cheering for him here. The others are around the corner and so his win is pretty much secured. But having a decent gap already he might be back in the GC spots.
Almost 2min later Dowsett leads the group up the hill. He surely did a nice effort to get rid of most time trialists. Having Bobridge and Westra with him though is not ideal
From behind Mehr-Wenige have done a strong performance as well having a good gap to the next already.
No surprise that Westra can`t follow the better puncheurs here. But he did a lot today to secure himself a nice GC positon as he surely can gain this small gap in the time trial.
Looking strongest now though is Bobridge. He did less work than Dowsett trusting his TT skills and now can go a bit faster for another 2nd place?
Lloyd lost a lot of his advantage. But he won`t care a lot. He wins the queen stage and will gain a lot of time back to eventually jump into the top10-15.
Different to yesterday gaps will be given today.
Only 46s behind Lloyd, Bobridge crosses the line as 2nd taking more bonus seconds. But more important for him. Taking 22s on the next duo, which means the lead and as one of the top time trialists the pole position in the GC fight.
Craven comes in together with Dowsett, which will give him the 2nd in the GC as also best podium chances here, while Dowsett needs to check the time now until the next riders.
Westra has lost 26s, which surely is not enough for the ITT. So a strong performance by the Gazelle rider gives him realistic podium chances, while Dowsett might lose the fight against those three.
Mehr-Wenige comes in 6th being 2'38 behind Lloyd. But more important for him the gap behind him. In the end 57s to the next trio of Konovalovas, Kangert and Anuar Aziz.
Top time trialist Reus losing another 9s together with Niyonshuti, Anza and Hermans. So this is already quite a lot to gain back for the Dutch.
De Maar and Kelderman finish exactly 4min behind Lloyd and still ahead of Nepomnyachsniy with 4'57 coming in together with Vogt, Martinez, Koren...
And last but not least 3 abandons today. Guliev Shamsonau Korsaeth
