With a length of 135km only, todays stage is a difficult one with a Cat.1 and the following final climb on the legendary Alpe d'Huez.
Pluchkin in yellow only having a 20s gap to Schleck. Spilak as 3rd already a bit more than 1min and still feeling the pressure by Phinney in the fight for the podium.
5 breakaway riders today: Berard Herrada Morabito De Weert Brenes
Last one the strongest climber but not the best placed as 50th. Herrada as 37th though has almost 80min to race leader Pluchkin.
Cat.4
Herrada
5
Berard
3
De Weert
1
Sprint
Herrada
6
Berard
4
De Weert
2
With ~65km to go some more riders decide to attack before the real climbing starts. Those are either going for the stage win or to help their team leaders at a later point. With a gap of 4min, they have to work a lot though before fusion with the others. Solis Siutsou König Pinot
So a few potential top20 riders here, who want to gain time on their direct opponents. König as 20th best placed.
Two bigger names also attack a bit later. Both were crash victims in this race and this stole them the chance to top10. Henao Montoya Fothen
Fothen as 18th is already more than 30min behind. So not very dangerous for Pluchkin and his B&O team. So they don`t give everything to immediately pull them back.
All attackers come together with 41km to go and just after the first bit of the Cat.1 making it a total of 11 riders.
It`s only the close to the top of the first mountain. But we see huge attacks already. One rider, who was pretty anonymous for most of the race goes first: Tenorio
Despite him being more than 15min behind, race leader Pluchkin decides to follow. Also behind him are Intxausti and Schleck.
With a small gap the next riders follow: Spilak Taaramäe Phinney Amador
Further behind in the "peloton" of ~60 riders we see Uran, Kritskiy, Keizer, Marquez in the first rows followed by Monsalve, Dekker, Madrazo or Sicard a bit behind.
With a bit less than 2min to the first GC riders the KoM is reached being won by Pinot.
Cat.1
Pinot
16
Siutsou
12
Solis
10
Henao Montoya
8
Herrada
6
Berard
4
Brenes
2
Tenorio still a bit ahead but the gaps aren`t big and should be closed on the descent.
Behind more riders try to close the gap on the descent. First is Madrazo followed by Uran, Kritskiy and Keizer.
Just seconds behind Sicard and Marquez lead the peloton where Dekker, Monsalve or Kohl are still relaxed it seems.
The 8 riders from Tenorio to Amador/Phinney come together now. They are 1'20 behind the breakaway and 45s ahead of Madrazo.
The peloton sees Pendleton, Vueling and ING with some helpers at the front. Obviously they are afraid to lose a lot of time today.
While Madrazo was able to jump ot the favourite group, Amador/Phinney/Tenorio had a weak descent dropping back to the Keizer/Uran group.
Intxausti looking strong today being a bit ahead of the rest chasing the breakaway solo.
Still the teams, who missed this first attacks are trying to bring back the peloton, which is down to 27 riders now. They are close but the helpers aren`t very strong and have worked hard on the descent.
While the former breakaway get mixed up with the GC favourites, we see some of them attacking.
Henao Montoya goes solo followed by Solis and Fothen behind him.
Then already Intxausti, who is together with Pinot a bit ahead of the next.
Intxausti is caught with 10km to go. ~1min behind Henao Montoya, while Solis is almost caught.
Fothen can`t follow and also Spilak, Kritskiy and König with problems!
Dekker, Sicard and Kohl have all found contact to the Tenorio group and luckily for them also Valls, who is doing the pace at the moment.
9km to go. Solis is caught and Henao Montoya still 45s ahead. And it`s time for the big GC attack! Schleck attacks and the yellow jersey is not in the best position. Instead following are Taaramäe, Madrazo and Intxausti.
Pluchkin is doing the pace behind trying to defend the lead. All other riders behind them.
Schleck meanwhile with a nice gap closing to Henao Montoya and also being close to take over the GC lead!
Valls is doing an excellent job to move the Tenorio group forward.
Two riders really struggle now: Keizer Úran
Not their day it seems.
Spilak also in a real problem today. He is together with Phinney, who is not better neither, Dekker and Kohl. 2min behind Henao Montoya and already 36s behind the Pluchkin group.
5km and Henao Montoya still in the lead ahead of Schleck, who is coming closer now.
Behind a bigger gap already and it seems as if the Vesuvio rider could make a big step today and eventually taking over the yellow jersey.
With a bit more than 3km the fusion. Schleck in the lead ahead of Henao Montoya, who was fighting hard to win the stage. More than 1min to the Madrazo group!
And almost 2min to Pluchkin.
Spilak doing a lot to make it back. But while Phinney is not of big help today, they even lose to Dekker and Kohl, who made it to the Pluchkin group. This might be the end of their GC dreams.
Intxuasti and Madrazo attack. First is really impressive today being one of the strongest here. Taaramae with a small gap. But in front still the duo with a bigger gap.
I did not see this coming. Henao Montoya goes past Schleck on the final part. In a head to head sprint, the Project 1t4i rider looks as strong as Schleck.
As strong?
By far stronger I would say. What a brilliant win. He obviously was able to recover behind Schleck, who was doing the work to fight for the GC lead. So despite losing on the stage win, it was still an awesome stage by Schleck, who definitely is taking over the yellow jersey! And the question is if anybody is able to steal it back from him before Paris?
Intxausti came closer towards the end. 48s behind he is finishing as 3rd. Beating Madrazo in the direct duel! The Santander leader is coming in 26s later and still 26s ahead of Taaramae as 5th.
Pinot with a nice 6th today ahead of Pluchkin, Dekker and Solis. +2'09 for them. So quite a big gap to Schleck, who has a more than comfortable lead to be honest.
Kohl leads in Taylor Phinney, who is gaining 13s on Spilak today, who had an awful day. Still 3rd in the GC but 1'40 behind Pluchkin and 3'32 behind Schleck. Quite a lot. And only 31s ahead of Phinney.
Tenorio comes in more than3min behind Schleck. With him Amador, Marquez, Sicard and a bit ahead of Kritskiy.
Losing a lot of time are the breakaway rides König/Fothen but even more Uran and Keizer, who come in more than 5min later.
Monsalve with 7'45 even a bigger gap and still ahead of Suaza, Ratiy, Scarponi or Keinath today.
