Today should be the queen stage of this edition. With the final ascent of the Rettenbachferner in Tyrole this stage is the climbers' walhalla of this tour. Expect them to set the pace, as they have a minute to take on Schleck, who yesterday took an impressive win. The weather gods have not shown mercy today, as it's once again extremely cold and the sky is very dark. Just when you think it can't get worse, it's raining, and at today's summit fresh snow is falling out of the sky!
The first attack of today comes relatively quickly, as Klemme attacks after just a few kilometers.
He's not the only one though, as behind him Rosch, Olivier, Moreno, Morabito, Dees and Oliveira also attack.
At the first summit (no attacks) the first few have merged, and the rest is coming closer and closer. The pack has already left them with a gap of 2 minutes.
The intermediate sprint, where the gap is already 3 minutes, is more interesting. Olivier is the quickest, ahead of Klemme and Oliveira.
Sprint 2 sees an identical order, apart from place 2 and 3. The 7 leaders have already built up a gap of 4m30, but there's still 106km to go.
At the second climb Morabito accelerates a bit for the points, meaning he virtually leads the mountains classification now.
At the final intermediate sprint, 60km from the line, Klemme takes the points and seconds dominantly, ahead of Olivier and Oliveira. The leaders have a gap of 4m20, whereas its max was at 6m30.
With 45km left to ride we have some surprising attacks out of the pack: Sinkewitz, Kunshin and Moschella attack on the flat.
This leads to a new series of attacks, and leads to one chasing group of 7. The three previously mentioned are joined by Ivars, Camier, Laengen and Belkov. With 40km to go they are 2m16 behind the break and 1m08 ahead of the pack.
They went too early though. With 33km to go they are reeled in by the armada of Vesuvio - Accumalux, who now only have to close the 2m12 gap to the break.
Until the foot of the climb the stage is boring. The riders now however have to face a 11.5km climb, and the break has to defend 1m32 lead. Morabito immediately decides to accelerate.
He gets a gap, but he's not alone, as Rosch has managed to follow him. Maybe they will suffer from the weather though, as the rain has just turned into snow.
In the pack, attacks start early as well! Martin goes first, and is followed by quite an elite. Race leader Schleck immediately takes the wheel, Phinney and Fothen can catch up as well.
A bit later they are joined by Van den Broeck and Velits as well.
These six increase their gap to the peloton to almost a minute and are now close to reaching the tail of the chasers group.
Samoilev is setting a very high pace in the pack, where we still find Sicard, Gesink, Keizer and Sella among the favourites.
The two chasing groups now merge, but without Moreno, as he has been dropped already.
Close behind the chasers the other favourites have gone now, apart from Gesink again.
Morabito and Rosch are caught with 7km to go, and immediately the front group accelerates. This group surprisingly includes Sicard, who accelerated and joined the group now.
Schleck is in trouble! Velits, Phinney and Fothen have managed to jump away in the distance, while Martin, Van den Broeck and Sicard are leaving him behind as well!
In the pack Gesink himself is setting the pace, but he'll probably come too late.
With 6.3km to go Schleck has recovered, and now has some support as team mate Suaza has joined him.
Gesink has left the pack behind now, and over 1m40 behind the leading trio his first targets will be Kunshin, Olivier and Keizer.
The leading group of three is looking strong though, and especially Velits seems to feel good today. The nearest chasers are 46s behind.
The size of the chasing group has grown though, as Sicard and Schleck have joined Martin and Van den Broeck.
Group Gesink/ Keizer is now close to the next group, group- Sella already.
Velits must really feel exceptional today, as with the chasers coming a bit closer now, he accelerates again. His fellow leaders have severe trouble following now.
Phinney seems to have enough of chasing, and quickly closes the gap though, leaving Fothen behind.
Further back, Martin is now also making a solo acceleration, trying to catch up with the front. He's currently 57s behind though.
2m behind the leaders we find our next group, with Sella, Keizer and Gesink.
Quite quickly after catching him, Phinney decides to leave Velits behind!
Schleck also decides to attack, and Martin is coming closer. Phinney is still a minute ahead though.
It doesn't look like he'll be caught any time soon, as Phinney just keeps on extending his lead.
Sella is doing strong as well, catching Suaza and getting closer to the duo ahead.
Nobody is going to stop this man though, as he leads with 42s with just a kilometer left to ride.
Sicard has now dropped his company, and heads for the distinctive yellow jersey now.
For the winner, it's fully deserved and his happiness is not premature. Taylor Phinney takes a very dominant win at the Rettenbachferner here.
More than a kilometer back Gesink dropped Keizer, and his next target is now Suaza.
700m from the line Schleck drops Martin and seems to head for a solo 4th.
50 seconds behind the winner Velits reaches the line, having given everything.
Third place goes to Fothen, already 1m25 behind.
1m50 lost at the line means the end for Schleck's yellow, yet the Luxembourgian still comes at a good 4th.
A few seconds behind him Martin rolls over the line.
Sicard has lost time today, and is probably going to drop some places in the GC as well. 6th for him today.
Sella has caught Van den Broeck in the final km, they come 7th and 8th.
Gesink, Suaza and Keizer come 9th, 10th and 11th, over 3 minutes behind already.
4 minutes down Keinath rolls in 12th.
Surprisingly everyone made the time limit today, so tomorrow we'll start with 184 riders.
