Is this really necessary? MG UCI says yes. 246,5km and 3 HC climbs with an additional Cat.1. The sprinters, still in the race will hate this stage as tomorrows arrival in Paris is in huge danger for those.
Checking the GC Schleck is having a nice gap of almost 2min, but this stage could potentially change a lot.
Only a small group of 3 tries their luck in the breakaway. Brändle Kunshin Kennaugh
Vesuvio is giving them a 12min gap at the start of the first HC mountain, Col de la Madeleine. None of them is a big danger. So even a stage win is possible of course.
Earlier we already had a short Cat.4:
Cat.4
Brändle
5
Kunshin
3
Kennaugh
1
A lot of riders will get big problems as they already lose contact early with 140km to go. And almost all climbing ahead.
Some of those are: Bennati Guarnieri Van Heerden
In a group a bit ahead but also dropped from the peloton we have more sprinters like: Howard Tzortzakis Von Hoff Vesely Demare Kreder
This could end really awful tomorrow if all those sprinters fall out of the time limit and we get a Champs Elysees without any of them.
Kirsch, Medvedev, Shikai, Suaza. This is huge support for Andy Schleck to defend his jersey today. The peloton is already reduced to 97 riders and also the gap is getting smaller as we go under 10min again.
Kennaugh takes the mountain points and in the peloton we see some attacks. As 4th Pinot is passing the line, but also Samoilev, Boom, Solis are getting more points:
Cat.HC
Kennaugh
20
Kunshin
14
Brändle
12
Pinot
10
Samoilev
8
Boom
6
Solis
5
Shikai
4
Medvedev
3
König
2
Kirsch
1
This is the rest of the stage. Can Vesuvio controll the attacks? And which sprinters make it in time?
Bennati is not looking good. He is one of the last and while still having some support in Arramendia, the team is in huge problems as his other helper Croket just crashed and is even behind him.
Also Hacecky just crashed but is back on his bike again.
Half way up the 2nd climb, the peloton is down to 62 and still 4 helpers for Schleck. Notable names behind are Levarlet, Vanendert, Hacecky, Ivars for example.
The trio is not showing big interest in the KoM points. This time Kunshin takes it. This time only Pinot and Samoilev go for the remaining points as many others, who did on the Madeleine, are already dropped like Boom.
Cat.HC
Kunshin
20
Kennaugh
14
Brändle
12
Pinot
10
Samoilev
8
Fothen
6
Henao Montoya
5
Keizer
4
Medvedev
3
Shikai
2
Suaza
1
With 40km to go and in the valley before the final double climb, we see some attacks and this could have been expected after the KoM. Henao Montoya goes first with Keizer behind him.
More riders decide to follow but not the biggest names yet: König Solis Fothen Kritskiy
A pity for those that the big GC riders decide to go just a bit later: Schleck Pluchkin Phinney Intxausti Madrazo Taaramäe Amador Spilak
all in the first rows following.
In the end though ING, Vueling, Quickstep or Pendletons close the gap again. And we are back to the Vesuvio mountain train.
The gap to the trio ahead though is less than 3min now.
Kunshin goes solo after attacking his former companions. Right at the start of the Cat.1 and with 32km to go he is almost 1min ahead of them with another 1'38 to the peloton.
Amador opens the next attacks.
He is followed by Henao Montoya, Pluchkin, Spilak, Schleck, Solis, Madrazo, Keizer, Taaramae, Phinney, Kritskiy, Sicard and Suaza.
But there are clearly gaps as the better climbers find themselves in the first group with the later not getting a real gap to the peloton led by Vueling for Dekker.
Amador, Schleck, Pluchkin and Spilak are all in the Brändle/Kennaugh group now.
Once more a bit behind Madrazo with Taaramae, Kritskiy, Henao Montoya and Solis,
Then the 40 rider group with all remaining top20 riders.
The weather in the height is really horrible today. A lot of fog makes it almost impossible to control the race as you can`t see a lot what happens in the groups ahead and also race radio seems to be offline at the moment.
It might be due to the bigger danger in these conditions or another reason. At least all the groups came together again in a long line.
16 riders in there 1'15 behind Kunshin.
Biggest names missing are Kohl, Uran, Tenorio, König, Valls, Monsalve, Keinath.
Kohl himself as also a Bacardi helper are trying to bring them back. Eventually Santander could help them with 3 riders left for Tenorio.
After losing contact first, Phinney needs to fight for the top5 in the GC. Good for him that he has two riders supporting him as also Intxausti and Keizer lost contact.
The same goes for Henao Montoya, who is back in the Tenorio/Uran group.
Those though are still fighting. While Henao Montoya, Tenorio, Valls, Kohl and Monsalve have reached the trio ahead, it`s Uran also trying to follow as last big GC rider missing the attacks.
Big GC attack now.
Spilak is going solo and reaching Kunshin now. We are still on the Cat.1 with 24km to the finish.
Cat.1
Spilak
16
Amador
12
Taaramäe
10
Kunshin
8
Dekker
6
Madrazo
4
Pluchkin
2
10 riders behind Spilak now and Kunshin is immediately working for Kritkisy. This is obviously also good for Schleck and Pluchkin, who have no helpers left.
20s only at the moment.
Behind that group we have three riders and surprisingly Uran is one of them alongside Phinney, who is still fighting for his GC position and Kohl.
So they gapped Intxausti, Monsalve, Tenorio behind them, while Henao Montoya, Keizer and Valls are further behind ahead od Lopez Garcia and Scarponi.
Madrazo looking stronger today. Together with Taaramae he is catching Spilak. And look at the end of the group. Andy Schleck in trouble? Also Marquez is close to be dropped.
Great come back by Phinney. He almost makes it back to the group, where Kunshin unsurprisingly is losing contact now. And also Taaramae looking bad now.
One rider though finally found his form. Madrazo attacks and nobody is able to follow.
Schleck and Pluchkin though try and are followed by Dekker and Marquez. So some riders obviously bluffed earlier.
Phinney at least reached the Spilak group now.
10km to go. And we have a new situation. Spilak, Amador and Taaramae jumped to the Schleck group. Andy though is no longer in there as he attacked following Madrazo.
Then Sicard going solo ahead of the Kritskiy gorup with Kohl and Uran still behind a bit.
5km and still Madrazo leading the stage.
45s to Andy and another 33s to the Pluchkin group.
Next to Pluchkin, it`s Spilak, Amador, Taaramae and Dekker in there.
Kritskiy is dropped and a bit behind ahead of Sicard, Marquez, who are also solo.
Tenorio once more disappointing and also Bacardi with problems. And best rider behind obviously Phinney, who is still fighting though.
2,6km for Madrazo. He is still gaining behind 53s ahead now. Top 5 GC is still possible even though this is far less then he had hoped for.
Is Andy struggling or Pluchkin just too strong? They are close together now and behind also Dekker is closing the gap.
Spilak seems to be not able to attack the top2 again. Podium for him though is almost secured. Amador and Taaramae with him and behind all those dropped riders.
Big gaps will be seen on this monster stage today.
Around the corner Phinney not that much away. Still fighting hard leading his group in the final.
Big win for Madrazo. At least something to take from this race after disappointing first 19 stages. It`s about the gap to Phinney, Amador, Taaramae now to climb as much as possible,
Pluchkin with a strong finish as 2nd today a bit ahead of Schleck, who defends the lead going to Paris in yellow. Madrazo though gained more than 1min in the end.
Dekker with a nice 4th 2'12 down already. Behind him Spilak, Amador, Taaramae another 40s later. So Spilak is losing a lot but still on the 3rd as expected.
Also Kritskiy and Sicard as next are losing more but with a decent result for them.
Intxausti comes in next and keeps his top10 GC ahead of Kritskiy.
Tenorio and Phinney lose 4'33 and this means, the US rider will stay in 4th just a few seconds ahead of Madrazo, who is the new 5th now. Taaramae and Amador drop a bit.
Last but not least a lot of riders are out of the time limit today. And only a few sprinters made it in time:
