Pan flat opener and just 118,5 km length. Though it`s a short circuit which are always fast and difficult to ride.
Top favourites are Appollonio Castañeda Serebriakov Petit Bennett
It took about 30km and several attempts. But finally a trio created enough of a break and is allowed to go. Usandizaga Navarro Cassidy
So the lone CT team already showing their jersey here.
Just a bit later a crash of 7 riders including some popular ones: Bennett Cataldo Caldeira Guerreiro Orozco Pulido Alizadeh
This is in especially bad news for first two as they are either favourite for today or the team`s GC leader. Also Prio with 2 involved including one of their two 3rd tier sprinters.
Good for them that Prio in Carvalho and Bank of Ireland in Hawkins send 2 riders back quickly and so they all rejoin just couple kilometers later.
Meanwhile the break reaching the first of two sprint competitions, where Cassidy outsprints Usandizaga in a very close duel.
Sprint
Cassidy
6
Usandizaga
4
Navarro
2
65km and still almost 5min gap. Who is working behind to deliver a sprint finish today?
It`s Ayubowan for Petit, Novatek for Serebriakov and Vontobel for Appollonio.
2nd sprint and while he took it easy earlier Navarro this time easily takes it while the gap is down to 1'30.
Sprint
Navarro
6
Usandizaga
4
Cassidy
2
28km and another crash...again Vontobel hit hard. This time with former Tachira champion Maillet and Wöhrer. So their best 3 climbers on the ground today. All continue the race though.
Other crash victims were Weber, Visconti and Villalobos.
One rider also involved even has to quit the race early. It`s Diniz, the best helper for team leader Talansky. Bad luck for Flores.
As the wind also got stronger plus some bad weather areas, a lot of riders decide to go less risk which sees them to be dropped by the favourite group. It`s mainly helpers and 2nd team options and they still go fast enough to reduce their loss. Might also be a tactic for future attacks in the mountain stages?
7,5km left and the breakaway is split. They are all on their own now with Cassidy being the strongest. He is 25s ahead of Navarro. Then 16s to Usandizaga and another 20s to the peloton of 77 riders remaining with all big favourites and sprinters.
5km and still 44s for Cassidy, who is the last rider ahead. Time for Pinot and Cataldo to come to the front chasing for their sprinters. Will this cost a lot of energy? Or is it good to avoid any crashes?
At least it`s a good sign for Vontobel seeing their leader being fine after his crash.
3,5km and a long line with most of the sprinters. 500m ahead Cassidy gives it all.
Of the top guys Castaneda not well placed and also veteran Forero far behind!
Novatek has shown in past seasons how to create a proper train and they do so again today even though their GC rider Rodrigues surely is not the most suited first rider.
Rodrigues
Pozdnyakov
Serebriakov
Gallopin
Appollonio
Petit
Bennett
Haidar Anuawar
Keough
Kohler
Hawkins
Jang
Carvalho
Cardoso
Castañeda
Sutton
Caldeira
Gatto
Speirs
-
-
Forero
2km and those will be long for Cassidy as the peloton is coming closer.
You can see quite some change at the front there as it`s now Ayubowan in the lead. Strong man Gallopin with a huge move pulling Petit with him. Definitely the strongest duo in the race.
And while Cassidy is caught late, the sprint has officially started.
While Petit was brought into a perfect position, he now has to go into the wind, while Novatek is having the advantage of the extra rider in their train. Pozdnyakov still ahead of Serebriakov and just behind Petit it`s Appollonio in a perfect spot.
Bennett, Keough and Haidar Anuawar the only riders close to them. Not the best start for Castaneda, who clearly lacked the positioning today.
Not the finish yet. It`s only the Flamme Rouge and the intermediate sprint, which is not rewarded this lap.
Appollonio goes past Petit but both are having a gap to the others.
Surprisingly Serebriakov lost some of his speed once he wanted to go past his leadout. He is now equal to the other 3 sprinters!
Petit can`t match that speed of Appollonio. The Vontobel rider might get a perfect start for his new team!
And indeed he takes the win. Big congratulations to them! He now gets the leader shirt for tomorrow and has realistic chances to defend it until day 4!
In a close sprint Serebriakov still takes 2nd as he found some late speed, while Petit on a good 3rd ahead of Anuawar.
Bennett with a solid top5 ahead of Keough.
Later in the top10 it`s still Pozdnyakov with the regular double top 10 for Novatek as also the two Prio sprinters Caldeira and Carvalho. So also here no crash issues any more. Sutton completes the top10 while Castaneda as 12th surely can`t be happy.
While the big GC riders all finish quite well in between 15th-30th, there were some gaps opening due to the wind. While some of them got lucky to be rewarded the winner time such as Ochoa Quintero, Brenes, Chamorro, Gilanipoor or Rodrigues, some riders lost time today next to the early dropped groups. So it`S 54 riders with 3-10min loss already giving them a good opportunity to attack in future stages.
