The breakaway is popular. The first attempt sees Laengen, Peterson, Siutsou, Olivier, De Weert, Van Rensburg, and Camier.
It was the 2nd attempt which made it though, and first man over the 1st climb is Henao Montoya!
Faiers, Hacecký, Siutsou, Laengen, Lebas, De Weert and Janse van Rensburg also make the move.
Serial KoM point hunters Ortega, Saldarriaga and Curfs all tried to attack after this move had gone, but it was too late, and they couldn't get a gap on the peloton anyway.
The break's lead quickly grew to a 4 minute but remained pretty stable there - there was a distinct impression that the strongest climbers in the break weren't really pushing too hard.
Faiers started the day on 16 KoM points and there were plenty available for any rider who wanted to target that throughout the day, but none of the break attacked for points at any point.
After the penultimate climb of the day, a small Cat 4, this is how many points the break had picked up: Hacecky 35, Henao 31, Faiers 25, Siutsou 20, Lebas 14, Laengen 5, De Weert 2. No threat to the lead of Ortega then!
19km to go, final climb about to begin. The break leads by just 45 seconds over a chasing Medvedev, with the peloton a further minute back.
Brajkovic, Konig and Aru tried a very early move just before the climb started - and interestingly Alarcon went with them. That was swiftly brough back but suddenly as the climb begins the race leaders seems to have a small gap alongside teammate Mestre.
Keizer spots it first and closes the gap, with the Heineken duo Brajkovic and Eastman not far behind.
They get a gap, and are joined by Velits, Suaza, Amador and Antón. Yes, Anton, not Contador!
They don't really commit and go back to the peloton. Brambilla puts in a dig but then Amador strikes with a huge acceleration.
Velits leads the chase with Alarcon, as Amador starts to thread through the dropped breakaway riders. Monsalve is well placed as most of the GC riders line up behind him attacking to try and keep up.
But where is Machado? Woah, he is waaay down. He was badly placed going into the climb and by the time he started threading his way through to the front again it had all split apart, he has missed the boat here and could be waving goodbye to his overall victory hopes.
Up front there are 4 breakaway riders left: Faiers, Hacecky, Siutsou and Henao Montoya. They have been joined by Medvedev now, but the ominous red figure in the distance is Amador. 40 seconds away and closing.
This is it, Henao Montoya makes his move! In the break all day but not expending too much energy really, and it's given him this platform to lead on the climb.
He could hardly wait any longer, with the top climbers closing in.
20 seconds behind Amador, Velits and Amador have caught 2 of the breakaway. If they look back they can see that their rivals are already 40 seconds behind them.
But now the Slovakian makes his move, and leaves Alarcon for dead.
Amador and now Velits soon catch the breakaway group - minus Henao of course - as we enter the final 10km.
Alarcon trails by 33 seconds and is just 15 seconds ahead of these riders: Contador Antón Brajkovic Eastman Dombrowski Brambilla Keizer Guldhammer Kritskiy Suaza Monsalve Denifl
But look at this, Machado is almost catching up with that group!
The Velits/Amador/Break group aren't riding with much sense and have slowed down. This allows Alarcon to catch them!
The chasing group aren't riding any faster, and now Machado has regained contact with them!
Kritskiy, Denifl and Conta - no it's Antón - immediately attack.
So immediately Machado is forced to take to the front of that group in front of a poor Contador, as well as Keizer, Suaza, Brajkovic, Brambilla, Eastman, Guldhammer, Monsalve and Dombrowski - who all seem to be at their limit.
Meanwhile Henao Montoya now leads by 55 seconds.
Amador, Velits and Alarcon seem to be riding properly again now - although Faiers, Hacecky and Siutsou are still able to keep up.
Denifl and Kritskiy are catching on that group too, although Anton has cracked. Finally Contador springs to life, going past a fading Medvedev, and on his wheel is Machado.
The attack works, and they catch the Amador/Velits/Alarcon group. Almost miracilously, Machado has managed to make it back to his chief rival Alarcon, after an awful start to the climb.
They're still a minute behind Henao Montoya though.
There's a gap of 1'20 opening up to the next group. 4th overall Suaza's run of over achievement looks to be at an end, with Guldhammer also unable to match his previously strong climbing.
But just when you rule him out, Suaza attacks, and breezes across that 80 second gap in just 800 metres. This front group just are not riding full pace at all.
Guldhammer is next to try to bridge the gap, with Brajkovic and Keizer attempting to follow, but not quite keeping up.
Kritskiy and Alarcon lead this group ... doing nothing.
So it is final kilometre time for Henao.
Guldhammer catches the group. Under the flamme rouge now and STILL nothing.
It's time for ambition to be rewarded then. Had the GC favourites ridden with a bit of brains, this might not have happened, but they did not, so here we are. Sergio Luis Henao Montoya takes a stage win! He manages to take some consolation from his already wrecked GC aspirations.
Finally Alarcon did make a move inside the last kilometre. He is going to extend his lead here, and not just with time bonuses. He finishes 42 seconds down on Henao.
59 seconds down, Amador beats Machado for 3rd. Amador looked the best climber today but did not take advantage - with Machado is probably one of the few to be happy and so so relieved at the lacklustre pace today, he is let off the hook - albeit losing 29 seconds to Alarcon in the process.
Denifl, Velits, Kritskiy, Suaza and Contador are credited the same time. So still Suaza is defying the odds in 4th overall!
Guldhammer bridged the gap too late and was dropped again, finishing at 1'35 in between other survivors of the day long breakaway Faiers, teammate Hacecky, and Siutsou.
Brajkovic is the best Heineken rider today at 1'54, then we have Keizer at 2'18.
He gains on Anton and Monsalve for the first time, and closes the GC gap to Eastman too - although Brajkovic is now right back in that fight for 9th place on GC.
His teammate Vanmarcke is the only man to miss the time limit today.
Alarcon takes the Points lead from Machado, Henao eventually scores 51 points today to go 3rd in the KoM competition - still 16 behind Ortega, who remains the lone man fighting Santander's relegation battle. Guldhammer doubles his U25 lead, while Project 1t4i close the gap to Good Energy in the Teams Classification.
