The next hilly stage and again a lot of climbing that might be too much for pure puncheurs. More a mix between puncheur and climber stage. Different to yesterday the climbing starts earlier with steep climbs ends with a flat finish after a long descent.
Quite a few riders did attack early and try to form teh breakaway as also get the KoM points. No group has formed yet though as Teklehaimanot takes the first points ahead of Vanendert.
Cat.4
Teklehaimanot
5
Vanendert
3
Samoilev
1
In the end additional to those three above also Boom made it into the group.
GC wise no danger at all but Boom 7th/24P and Vanendert 8th/22P have already colleted some mountain points earlier and should get more points today.
Wikipedia with all 8 men in the front rows. Also Andy Schleck is there with Shikai. The gap quickly goes up to almost 5min and still gaining.
Surprisingly less interest in those earlier sprints.
Cat.3
Teklehaimanot
6
Samoilev
4
Vanendert
2
Cat.4
Boom
5
Teklehaimanot
3
Samoilev
1
Sprint
Boom
6
Samoilev
4
Teklehaimanot
2
Cat.2
Vanendert
10
Samoilev
8
Teklehaimanot
6
Boom
4
Janse van Rensburg
2
Only 99 riders made it over the hills as half of the peloton is dropped already. Wikipedia still controlling the breakaway with a bit more than 5min.
At the next Cat.2 it`s Boom showing a bit interest. He takes it ahead of the others. but misses it due to his weaker climbing on the following.
Cat.2
Boom
10
Samoilev
8
Vanendert
6
Teklehaimanot
4
Wallays
2
Cat.2
Samoilev
10
Boom
8
Teklehaimanot
6
Vanendert
4
Wallays
2
On the descent we see the first attacks by four riders with first 3 all within the 20-30th positions but minimum of 17min behind already. Scarponi Kolesnikov Siutsou Wallays
Last one though seems to wait for the peloton as he only wanted the points while the trio is trying to get a stage win being just 2min behind the breakaway.
Shit. GC rider down. It`s Henao Montoya, who looked very strong yesterday.
Immediately his team mates Mollema and Sinkeldam are waiting for him, while Posthuma is at the moment still in the peloton. The team surely hopes now to avoid any injury.
2nd last mountain sprint and Boom again the only one interested.
Behind you already see the trio of stronger climbers closing the gap.
Cat.3
Boom
6
Teklehaimanot
4
Samoilev
2
It`s only Sinkeldam with him now as Mollema is dropped. Posthuma waiting in the last rows ahead in case he is needed.
The two groups in front come together with a bit under 40km to go having a gap of 3min now.
It almost took 30km but finally Henao Montoya is back in the peloton starting the last climb. So he should quickly try to get to the front rows.
Also he does not seem to be happy with Posthuma for not helping him on the descent.
Phinney still has 5 team mates in front of the peloton climbing this last hill. So far he looks to defend his jersey again.
But now the first attack 4,5km ahead of the top. It`s Taaramäe, who is followed immediately by Phinney. Others are also following: Sicard Schleck Spilak
Henao Montoya unfortunately still at the end of the group not being able to respond. Also all his teammates who are more puncheurs than climbers are gone and he is isolated.
Frank is doing the pace now for Amador with other GC riders just behind. 35s gap.
Pluchkin takes over and immediately riders behind struggle and the gap goes down a bit. He is followed by several riders: Dekker Amador Monsalve Fothen Madrazo Tenorio Úran Kohl Marquez Keizer Intxausti
with Kritskiy now chasing the peloton.
A lot of selection recently with the latest attackers being split everywhere. Kritskiy also jumped out of the peloton now, where König took over.
Boom can`t get any more points as he struggles at the end of the group. He though jumps into 2nd in the KoM ranking being 10 points behind Lopez Garcia, while the other 3 morning breakway riders are having the 5th-7th now.
Cat.2
Teklehaimanot
10
Scarponi
8
Siutsou
6
Kolesnikov
4
Vanendert
2
The riders behind really have closed the gap a lot as the first riders are only 24s behind.
Madrazo once again looking the weekest of the 85 climbers even though Pluchkin is with him this time. And having a struggling Tenorio today does not help him.
Also König decided to attack out of the peloton, which might end in losing quite a lot of time as all GC teams have their riders in front, which makes the pace not very high. Henao Montoya won`t like this as he seem injured and with no team mates left in the peloton it`s hard to reduce the time loss against all the others.
The first group is getting a bit bigger with the Phinney group joining the breakaway. Still36s to the Madrazo group and almost 2min for the net around Tenorio and the Bacardi duo. Also Keizer, Kritskiy and König were able to make it into this group.
Or better they made it. Another acceleration drops König again and also Tenorio and Uran are dropped. First might suffer from yesterdays effort.
Also the Madrazo/Pluchkin group makes it to the first group having 16 riders in there now.
From behind the difference in descending is clearly visible. Kritskiy and Intxausti try to close the gap solo while the remaining riders have a bigger gap.
The Russian is not the very best descender but here he impressed as he joins the front group. 30s to Intxausti and another 20s to the next.
Uran made it into the Fothen group while Tenorio and König are still a bit behind. Not their best descending.
Bad luck Schleck. With 11km to go he punctures and is dropped from the top group. This is really the worst moment so close to the finish.
He even drops back behind the Fothen group. The German himself though has used the descent to gain time on the first group, where Intxausti was able to join. 29s for Fothen and 8s behind him also Marquez trying to bridge the gap.
Both actually make it with 8km to go.
Kritskiy with a strong final bit here. He now attacks the group and only 3 riders follow him: Phinney Scarponi Taaramäe
As good time trialist Keizer used the flat to jump to the GC first group. Or actually 2nd group as the first four still have a gap.
1,4km to go and the later riders close the gap while some riders are dropped in the end eventually losing some time in the end.
Phinney looking the fastest. Under the Flamme Rouge he has a gap to Taaramae and Kritskiy.
And he can celebrate his win early. Great sprint by him but he won`t get a gap on this finish. This will also give him the point jersey and 20 bonus seconds. Great race for him so far.
Taaramae as 2nd ahead of Sicard stealing the bonus seconds of the best climbers.
The other riders are all within the same time but Keizer, who was dropped again.
Unfortunately for them the gap in front of them were given with 49s while almost the same gap to the next riders with Andy Schleck, Monsalve, Tenorio and Uran wasn`t given, which is obviously good news for Schleck but less good for Fothem, Kohl and Keizer.
König losing a bit more as well as he comes in with +2'25
Keinath leads the peloton but they all lose more than 12min. This is bad news for Henao Montoya in especially. So is he really injured or was the lack of team mates the problem in the end?
