Stage Favourites:

Ignatiev, Reus, Rogers, Ford & Koren

A flat time trial will decide the fate of the GC. Ignatiev is in contention for the GC win after a victory on stage 3, can he dethrone Bibby? What about the likes of Craven and Koren? Let us find out.



We had some quality riders putting in quality times right from the start. M ford goes quickest with a solid time of 33'43. This is faster than respectable riders against the clock who started early. The time is 1'18 faster than what Damrow managed and '40 faster than Johansson.



For a long time Ligthart, @ '23, would be the closest challenger.



Gretsch, @'25, would be the next closest for a long time. But M ford would have the top time for the majority of the stage.


Wetterhall.

With 60 riders to finish the Aussie still leads, however, more and more are finishing within '30. Wetterhall just finished @ '24.

The lead of the Aussie looks increasingly in threat and a rider has just beaten his time at the split, which comes 2/3's into the stage.


A new best time!

Team TomTom's time trial top dog topples the Aussie! Elijzen goes fastest with a time of 33'23, '20 faster than Ford. A good result which would lift the Dutchman well into the top 20 in GC today.


Rogers set for another TT win.

With everyone having passed the split it would be Rogers who was the fastest as the battle for the stage and the GC becomes very delicate. This Aussie would be the next to finish fastest, his impressive time would see him rise into the GC top 10.

Final notable times from the split:

Barely a second down at the split Ignatiev is in contention for a second win.

As things stand Ignatiev is up to second in GC, Craven could be off the podium to Nepomnyachsniy if he continues in the same vein and may even lose out to Koren.

If Bibby loses '24 to the Ukrainian in the final 8 kilometres he will lose the yellow jersey today.



All 7s for Westra. He would finish the stage in 7th and rise to 7th in GC. A nice little tour for him and his team. Kump would lose out today and plummet down the GC.



Another stolid performance by Reus would see him finish the stage in 3rd and rise to 10th in the GC, after suffering on stage 3.

But would he finish behind Rogers and Ignatiev or Ignatiev and Rogers?



Bibby gives everything but can he hold off Ignatiev who .......



... takes the stage win. Yes, Ignatiev would overhaul Rogers by '1 and take his second stage win in a row. But would he move into yellow?



Bibby holds the GC lead by a '14 margin, there is no change in the yellow jersey. Ignatiev does move into second with Craven barely managing to stay on the podium ahead of stiff challenges from Kazzinc Procycling (4th & 6th) and Koren (5th).

Not to forget Kangert who looks to bring his team some decent points with 8th on the stage meaning he is 8th in GC.