The 2nd week starts with the first mountain stage! So far the wind, hills and the time trials have already led to some kind of selection with the GC riders being in the front positions but some climbers have lost huge time so far while weaker climbers are in some of the first positions. So todays stage is a first sign about the rest of the Tour.
It will in especially show how much time the four 85 climbers or the bit weaker ones can gain on someone like race leader Phinney.
It`s 5 breakaway riders today with some well known riders. Vanendert Quintana Lewis Boom Kessiakoff
But while Boom is the best placed with 11min behind Phinney though, he is the weakest climber.
Today is pretty secured to see a new KoM leader after that stage and the first two Cat.4 saw a sharing of those points.
Cat.4
Kessiakoff
5
Lewis
3
Quintana
1
Cat.4
Boom
5
Lewis
3
Vanendert
1
Behind Wikipedia quickly has some support as other teams quickly show their ambitions to control this race. Those are in especially Vesuvio for Andy Schleck, one of the worst placed after the first week, Bouygues Telecom for Taaramae or Pendleton`s for Kohl.
The next 3 KoM sprints, all Cat.4 as well saw the better puncheurs Vanendert and Boom take the most points:
Cat.4
Boom
5
Lewis
3
Quintana
1
Cat.4
Vanendert
5
Quintana
3
Boom
1
Cat.4
Vanendert
5
Boom
3
Quintana
1
75km to go and a gap of 5'30 at the moment, but on a mountain stage this is not much. Next to Vesuvio, who did the most work so far today it`s Pendleton`s, where Kohl must feel strong as also wildcard team Quickstep for Marquez and Project 1t4i for Henao Montoya accelerating a bit behind.
The first Cat.3 of the day goes to Kessiakoff ahead of Lewis and Boom. So still all riders have interest and you can quickly change the KoM lead early in the race.
Cat.3
Kessiakoff
6
Lewis
4
Boom
2
Several riders have lost contact on that climb as we see a group of more than 40 being dropped. Those riders are mainly sprinters and will fight against the time limit on the mountain stages.
This also included the top sprinters Boonen Vantomme
Pokerstars, which is totally build around the sprinter though sends some team mates waiting for him to keep a decent pace behind.
On the other end of the peloton we have the first attacks by 2nd tier leaders. Scarponi Kolesnikov Pinot Kirsch
While Kolesnikov as 20th in the GC is surely the biggest danger, this is an interesting tactic by Vesuvio and Wikipedia by sending one of their lieutnants into this attack. In especially race leader Phinney does not make many friends this way by not working for the yellow jersey now.
Next Cat.4 and Lewis takes it:
Cat.4
Lewis
5
Vanendert
3
Kessiakoff
1
Surprisingly the "smaller" teams were responsible to catch all 4 recent attackers and still do the pace: Quickstep, Pendleton`s and Prio Porto for Fothen also the first time today.With 25km to go the gap is under 2min.
Sprint
Vanendert
6
Kessiakoff
4
Quintana
2
Surprise surprise. The short hill before the final climb is really steep and one of the best climbers attacks already on this climb surprising many favourites: Spilak Phinney immediately follows and also other riders are not going to allow this move and accelerate: Madrazo Amador Schleck Pluchkin Fothen Taaramäe Henao Montoya Sicard Úran Intxausti König Kritskiy Kohl Keizer Monsalve
in this order. So more or less all the big names. Well all but Tenorio and Marquez probably. In especially the Spaniard as 6th best climber in this race got surprised.
Cat.3
Vanendert
6
Boom
4
Quintana
2
This little climb really led to a huge selection and good for those two, who missed the first attack, that they were able to make it into one of the attacking groups.
The duo Spilak/Phinney clearly is in front followed by the next best climbers. So all top5 climbers and the yellow jersey are in the first groups behind the breakaway, which is almost caught.
Then some smaller groups including potential top5-10 riders while Tenorio is in the last group only around the weaker GC riders mainly except for Kritskiy, who also made his move too late.
Phinney and Spilak have reached the breakaway but the gaps behind aren`t that big. One rider though is still in the lead as Lewis is not giving up yet.
Also Amador, Schleck and Pluchkin have joined the group ahead while Madrazo eventually shows some weakness here by having problems to do so?
Behind more riders most likely will join them as well, while Tenorio and the Bacardi duo are together ahead of the Kritskiy/Kohl group.
Lewis is also caught.
With 9km to go we see another acceleration by Amador, which is a little bit surprising. But obviously he does not want to give up too early and is fighting for the GC win or at least the podium against those 85 climbers. Schleck immediately follows while Spilak and Pluchkin are a bit behind.
Madrazo now under huge pressure. He is working hard to avoid a bit gap but it`s definitely a showing of weakness by him. Dekker, Phinney, Fothen, Henao Montoya and Taaramae are also in this group while Lewis is soon to be dropped.
Sicard is the first rider trying to also join the group. Then the rest of the breakaway and the Bacardi/Tenorio group.
A bit further the group with Marquez, Keizer, Monsalve, König, Kritskiy and Kohl.
So much selection already and actually we had the easier half of the climb only. Now the real pain starts with lots of double digit slopes and no single easier bit left until the finish line.
Schleck knows he has to gain big time and so he attacks just when Spilak was joining them.
Pluchkin still a little bit behind but all four have a gap to the next with Madrazo and no sign of the strong Santander mountain squad to help him. Not even his co-leader Tenorio is any help here.
From the later group we only have 5 riders left as two were dropped. Those are: Keizer König
Both are a bit behind together with Kessiakoff.
The high slopes are surely not their best suited terrain.
~3km to go and the gaps to the first riders aren`t that big actually.
Madrazo though had expected to be with those ahead and is still going fast with Phinney, Dekker and Taaramae behind him.
Henao Montoya and Fothen can`t follow and are dropped.
Schleck wants the win and he attacks Amador to create a gap.
25s later it`s Spilak/Pluchkin and already more than 1min to Madrazo, where only Dekker was able to follow.
Phinney and Taaramae with a small gap as well now. But the US rider in yellow not giving up yet trying to close it.
He actually goes past the duo in provisional 5th. This is quite a surprise. It seems as if Dekker was not able to follow and Madrazo took a short rest behind the Dutch.
In front Amador has closed the gap again to Schleck and is actually leading out now.
Only 26s to the next duo.
Then +42s for Phinney.
+29: Madrazo/Dekker
+18 Taaramae
...
Already on the last kilometer and Amador really having a good day being in first position.
Behind Spilak seems to get a gap to Pluchkin.
And it`s indeed Amador surprising the four better climbers here by taking the first mountain stage. Huge win for him and also Schleck with a great race gaining back a lot of time.
Spilak comes in 3rd and takes important bonus seconds. 28s though he is losing to the duo.
Pluchkin losing another 9s.
Strong ride by Phinney. Still losing 1'20 though but still having 1'07 GC lead over Pluchkin.
Poor stage by Madrazo though as 6th only losing 1'41! Quite a lot actually and far more than anybody would have had expected.
Dekker following only 9s later as also Taaramae with +2'07 in acceptable range.
The next riders come in solo or as duo more or less.
First the Bacardi duo with +2'30.
Then Henao Montoya and Sicard with +2'46. So most likely no French Tour de France winner in 2014.
Fothen with +2'58 still ahead of Tenorio with a poor Santander result as well.
Kritskiy with +3'22 also a bit underperforming today.
Marquez as next already losing 3'46. He comes in together with Monsalve and Kohl.
And last real GC riders are Keizer and König with 5'38 already. First surely underperforming a bit seeing a similar rider with Monsalve already in.
Despite the breakaway riders we have Valls, Kennaugh and a group around Anacona, Ratiy, Kolesnikov, Siutsou, Keinath, which also comes in ahead of the peloton.
And important note for the sprinters. Everyone was making it within the time limit on this first mountain stage, which really has mixed the GC a lot.
