After 3 flat days, it`s time to make a first decision in the GC. It`s the first really difficult stage with lots of climbing and a late Cat.4 and another short uphill finish.
Unspurprisingly the top puncheurs Boasson Hagen and Trofimov are rated as favourites today.
Early on a strong breakaway tries to go away. Within those Diggle Ignatiev Preidler
Three very solid puncheurs, who could become a danger. Though the pace in the peloton is very high and so the gap never is very big. They don`t give up though.
Lots of crashes early on. One of the first is Kennaugh, who immediately gets support by most of his team mates. Dal Col is another one.
The biggest though included a huge GC riders: Skujins Kwok Ludvigsson
No surprise that Red Bull sends all their riders back to support Skujins. More of a surprise that Meiji is doing the same for Kwok! Including stage racer Ji. Surely the Chinese is not the best rider for this race as climber but still weird to see them wait for a time trialist, who isn`t neither.
And another one. The roads aren`t the best obviously and together with the rain, this is dangerous here. Pozzato Colbrelli Porte Verona Wellens Egger Postlberger Senyenov Coquard Edmondson
Quite a surprise actually that only last one has to abandon due to his injuries. A big blow for Pendleton`s, who had surely hoped to see something by him.
Seeing that the 2nd peloton has now support riders by Meiji, Red Bull, Gazelle, the leaders should be back in the peloton quickly (if they aren`t injured this is). Kennaugh with his 6 Orange team mates is another bit behind and will struggle the most probably as this isn`t his terrain.
Still no real breakaway has formed yet half way up the first Cat.1.
That said, it`s still Diggle going for it. Behind him Paulinho and Preidler. So a strong trio.
Surprisingly it`s not the biggest teams working behind. So far mainly Project 1t4i, who have no real GC contender. Possibly they aren`t happy to miss that breakaway today.
Cat.3
Paulinho
6
Preidler
4
Diggle
2
Sprint
Paulinho
6
Preidler
4
Diggle
2
A bit later it`s obvious, why Project 1t4i did so much work. Together with Koren it`s Castroviejo to bridge to the trio making it a group of 5 and now the pace drops a bit behind, which allows Hugentobler to jump out of the peloton to take a few points as well.
Cat.1
Castroviejo
16
Diggle
12
Preidler
10
Koren
8
Paulinho
6
Hugentobler
4
Enger
2
Meanwhile on that climb Skujins and Pozzato made it back, while Ji is still behind together with Kennaugh now. Still waiting for Kwok?
Lindau, again Porte, Napolitano and Itami all crash on the following descent. Meiji surely with bike problems today.
Hugentobler actually jumped to the break as well making it 6 now with Aker, Bacardi and Pokerstars working behind. It was almost 5min for a while but is down to 3'50 with 110km to go and slowly dropping further.
Jeez. When does those crashes stop today?
Again Skujins on the ground. This time though another GC rider as well. No other than Hagen himself as also his team mate Enger.
5 riders each are immediately waiting for both teams and bring them back during the flat bit.
Lavery, Grosu and R. Fernandez are the next on the ground.
Cat.3
Preidler
6
Castroviejo
4
Koren
2
With 60km to go the gap is down to 2'30. Time for some 2nd tier riders to attack. Mancuso Pakthusov Wellens
Aker, Tinkoff and Pokerstars working behind now but allowing them a small gap.
Spoiler
Sprint
Hugentobler
6
Koren
4
Diggle
2
Cat.2
Castroviejo
10
Preidler
8
Paulinho
6
Koren
4
Diggle
2
Cat.3
Diggle
6
Preidler
4
Castroviejo
2
Cat.3
Paulinho
6
Castroviejo
4
Diggle
2
Obviously the crashes didn`t stop just because the rain stopped. Holloway, Margaliot, Ladagnous and De Gendt all crashed on the next descent.
Koren and Hugentobler dropped from the breakaway as well while the three most recent attackers passed the Swiss and chase together with Koren now. 2'20 behind the top4 and 2min ahead of the peloton, who slowed down a bit due to the most recent crashes.
With 25km left they are 4'30 behind. Surely not ideal. All those crashes really helped the break today.
Now with the Cat.1 starting teh gap is 1min lower and we have early attacks. First by Ulissi and Red Bull will be pleased to see that Skujins follows immediately no matter his 2 crashes today. And with Hagen just behind him, this is also good news for Aker. Flügel completes those early climb attackers while Tinkoff is doing the pace with up to 5 riders.
Though a bit later they decide to attack as well as the support can`t close the gap.
First to go are Ricco and Trofimov.
But a couple of riders are behind them: Schleck Bobridge Taaramäe Monfort Roux Sagan Barrio Schumacher Froome
Pozzato, Valverde and Palini just behind those, while Van Stayen and Roche struggle a bit in the peloton. This is huge surprise and a horrible scenario for Pokerstars.
Diggle is solo now and almost on top of the Cat.1. Quite some gaps here and very small groups.
Van Stayen, Roche, Valverde, Pozzato, Hoogerland, +8
+28
Ignatiev, Coppel, Furdi, Van der Lijke +7
Cat.1
Diggle
16
Paulinho
12
Castroviejo
10
Preidler
8
Hagen
6
Trofimov
4
Ulissi
2
The situation on top of the Cat.1 changed a bit.
Only 2,5km left and three riders still in front. Diggle solo ahead of Castroviejo and Paulinho.
Boasson Hagen though already seeing them as he goes around the corner.
Almost Flamme Rouge and Trofimov is not far behind Hagen. Preidler still in between those two.
Clear winner though and new GC leader as well is Diggle. What a stage for him. He was the first to try and stayed until the end. Sure the many crashes did help him. But still a strong performance.
With 18s Paulinho comes in 2nd with Castroviejo as 3rd. Despite missing the win still a good decision in the end by Project 1t4i to chase the early break.
He was the best of the favourites today. Boasson Hagen comes in as 4th. Only 37s means, he should be able to pass the break on the next stages normally.
Trofimov as 5th with some problems today when Hagen attacked. 26s loss today. Nothing lost yet.
Preidler another 8s later with a good performance as well even though you might have expected him closer to Diggle and ahead of the other breakaway riders probably.
Ricco as 7th with a good result as well. 1'35 to Diggle and leading a group including Flügel, Froome, Ulissi and Skujins.
Another 36s later Schleck, Bobridge, Taaramae and Monfort.
+29 then for Palini, who still was 30s ahead of Roux and Sagan.
Biggest loser surely Schumacher, who lost 3'24 in the end. Horrible day for him. Same time as Roche, Pozzato, Valverde or Van Stayen.
