Interesting stage with the only real mountain already late in the first half while afterwards a lot of short hills could be used for a strong attack. Only a semi long Cat.3 late on the stage could also be a nice opportunity to get rid of weaker puncheurs.
7 riders in the break. Siutsou Edet Frank Chamorro Lammertink Scarponi (27./+9'32) Bugge
The puncheur teams are working alongside Festina in the peloton. This includes Vesuvio (Schleck), Ayubowan (Gautier), Meiji (Kinoshita) while Spilak is next to the best climber also one of the best puncheur as proven in the Ardennes this year.
With 35km left the gap is at 3min and now they start the Cat.3.
Cat.3
Lammertink
6
Bugge
4
Scarponi
2
Cat.1
Edet
16
Bugge
12
Chamorro
10
Scarponi
8
Frank
6
Siutsou
4
Lammertink
2
Sprint
Chamorro
6
Siutsou
4
Bugge
2
The pace up the climb was okay. Not slow but also not really fast. So the gap kept around the 3min mark and the peloton really needs to step up now if they want the stage win.
Meanwhile a crash in the 2nd half of the peloton.
Meintjes, De la Cruz and Fernando are involved. The Movistar rider as 17th in the GC decently placed. All continue though but need to find contact to the peloton first as they are in a dropped rider group for now.
10km and still around 3min...the peloton did work for nothing it seems. At least not really went for it with such pace.
Now at least an attack. While Frank Schleck also hopes to improve in the GC, Gautier is acting too late for a stage win most likely.
Spilak immediately follows and with another gap also Madrazo and Kinoshita. The pure puncheurs don`t matter GC wise but with Madrazo as 3rd placed attacking other GC riders need to do something and immediately Phinney and Dekker are following.
A bit later also Martin and Kolesnikov with Nepomnyachsniy trying to join them.
Henao Montoya surprisingly on this terrain also attacking with 5km to go.
The Schleck/Spilak/Gautier group still a bit ahead while it`s Kinoshita playing his advantage in the hills as first chaser. Phinney still a bit ahead of Madrazo and Dekker with the Martin group another 30s later.
The stage win though is for the break. Frank and Bugge in first positions. Scarponi in the perfect spot.
The first two though also the strongest it seems as Frank and Bugge go side by side. Scarponi a bit behind while the others look beaten.
And it`s indeed the Swiss Champion for the highest Swiss team in the Tour de Suisse taking a stage win. It couldn`t have happened any better. Big win also for the team in the relegation fight this year.
Bugge as 2nd ahead of Scarponi, who will improve a lot in the GC. A very good season for him as well so far.
Schleck, Spilak and Gautier come into the finish 1'37 later. This could have been a nice stage win for Vesuvio if the chasing on the Cat.3 was any faster.
Then Nepo, Alarcon and Henao Montoya with a gap to the peloton as they attacked at some time while the peloton is losing +4'21 today which means Scarponi goes up to 9th in the GC!
