The first of 4 consecutive GC stages today. First 3 mountain stages and then the long time trial.
As if this week wasn`t tough enough it starts with the finish on Mont Ventoux! A huge game changer a lot of times in the TdF history as you can lose the whole race on this climb. Lots of steep sections and everyone wants that prestigious win here.
A special look on Spilak and his I-Gen team today as they had no working tactic so far to beat the other top climbers. This climb would be a good start to change this. Other than that Schleck is in a position to defend mainly, while Dombrowski and Taaramae already showed how to attack at the perfect time.
I was talking about the prestige on a climb like this. And hence a lot of riders want into the breakaway having a small chance of winning here. Most interesting to see some of the top teams sending a potential relay station as well. Sørensen Polanc Grmay (2nd in KoM) Brandt Novikov Monfort Vasyliv La Lavandier Curfs Bernas Van der Velde Boom
The early KoM`s surely were expected to be taken by Grmay. Though Novikov attacked him and took the first ahead of the Kenyan.
And then the Cat.4 was taken by a totally different mix. So only 4 points for Grmay from the potential 11.
Lammertink afterwards bridges to the group making it 13 riders and then the gap opened to over 7min .
Though Vesuvio is experienced in controlling a GT for Andy Schleck. And they do so today again reducing it to 4min with 110km to go. No real danger in there but giving away the KoM jersey for free is neither their plan it seems additional to a potential stage win...prestige etc.
Grmay at least takes the next 6 points in the KoM ranking moving him into the virtual lead again! 61 points while Andy Schleck is on 60!
Really close and todays finish will decide.
Always a desastar when such a crash happens. 3rd week GT crash...the dozen riders on the tarmac is one problem, the split in the peloton forced by it another one.
Riders being hit were Van der Sanden, Sbaragli, Breschel, Sobota, Stachowiak, Geniez, Gough, Mullen, Downey. So sprinters or leadout riders mainly. In especially Swifts leadout duo both on the ground with Van der Sanden looking injured!
Guess you can already seen an attack coming soon. Pendleton`s highered the pace. 3 of their riders ahead of the peloton working for Dombrowski! Vesuvio is taking a short rest in the peloton with Andy riding in a good position next to a mix of I-Gen riders. The big favourites all in front!
The first to attack though is a 3rd tier climber. König, 20th in the GC goes early. Actually on that semi climb before the Mont Ventoux even starts!
Still a lot of riders consider to follow: Quintana Faiers (15th!) Nesset Hoem Nerz Sanchez Gil
Though Kennaugh of Pendleton`s is chasing them down quickly! Only König, LLS and Quintana can remain a small gap.
Here we go, the Mont Ventoux starts. 19km with an average of more than 8%!
The trio around König has 40s on them and about 1min behind the break, which starts to split as well.
Vesuvio with Kirsch, Aru and Goos taking control again.
Their other 2 main helpers in Frank Schleck and also surprisingly Suaza are dropping back now. With them Karnulin and the green jersey of Ben Swift!
Bpost was active all day with 2 riders in the break. And now you see the reason. Wellens goes first with 15km to go. You rarely see such an early attempt of a top rider on Mont Ventoux. But being 12th only in the GC he surely needs to attack to climb into his aimed area.
Arndt, who is having a pretty good race so far is following just like his team mate Nerz as also Faiers.
This is also the end of the breakaway. A chaotic picture right now but you can see Wellens on the left slowly going past the break with some Puma shirts behind. Also Quintana accelerating and trying to follow Wellens.
Faiers just 2-3 meters ahead of ht epeloton where Vesuvio is giving it all.
3min for Wellens!
2min for Quintana!
With 13km to go this is still nothing to worry about for the top GC riders as the Belgium is 15min behind in the GC.
But some more riders want a higher pace. Surpsisingly it`s Ponzi to attack next. The puncheur showed in the past to have the skills for a solid GC and as 14th right now he is obviously in danger to lose one or two spots.
But then the moment, we expected. Dombrowski attacks the Maillot Jaune. He is 2nd with 1'33 but surely needs a bit more time as the TT is not in his favour. With still 12,3km to go he also goes rather early.
Schleck immediately follows with I-Gen accelerating heavily behind.
In fact number of riders is following Schleck`s acceleration quickly: Spilak Taaramäe Phinney
Then with a gap also Kritskiy Sicard Arndt
The peloton though is down to 25 riders of which some riders surely fear to lose contact to the top8 by not following the moves.
Also notable that I-Gen`s co-leader and 8th in the GC, Lecuisinier wasn`t focussed and lost contact due to the recent acceleration. Apparently he was just trying to get some water bottles and was left behind. Good for him that Novak is with him.
Wellens has 1km or 1min advantage.
Then Dombrowski still having a 30s gap to the group of Schleck/Spilak/Taaramae/Phinney.
Kritskiy and Sicard up to Ponzi and Quintana another 70s later.
Arndt lost contact to them and is solo ahead of the remaining group of 10 including Henao Montoya, Keizer, Goos, Aru, Nerz, Abal, LLS, Faiers, Choi and Barguil.
Bakelants just lost contact to those just like Bennett, Kangert, Kolesnikov, Anacona, Kunshin, Kirsch, Pantano, Nesset, Novikov, König or Formolo.
Lecuisinier slowly moving past those groups of dropped riders trying to avoid a huge time loss here.
2km and Wellens soon is getting some support as Dombrowski is just seconds behind.
The gap to Schleck is still 1min and this makes the GC even more interesting while Spilak has the same problem again. He can follow Schleck but is not able to attack him or Taaramae for the podium spot.
What a ride though by Lecuisnier. Probably not a lot slower than Dombrowski and Wellens in front.
He is up to the Keizer/Henao Montoya/Abal group already! So he at least avoids a real time loss to the riders behind him in the GC remaining in the top10!
800m and now Dombrowski found contact. The gap behind a bit smaller, down to 58s now and slowly melting!
After all the effort by Wellens with his full climb attack, he might lose the stage to Dombrowski.
Though the pace in front dropped a bit as Schleck and the others are around the corner having reduced it to 35s.
What a close "sprint". Dombrowski looked less exhausted but Wellens gave it all and did not want to lose this one.
And indeed the Bpost rider takes the stage just inches ahead of Dombrowski. Though the US rider once again closed the gap to the Maillot Jaune.
Schleck in 3rd though takes some bonus seconds as well. 31s in the end behind the duo.
Taaramae and Spilak next while Phinney is lucky to be rewarded the same time.
Sicard next already +2'02 with Kritskiy following 29s later. Both losing time on the others but also gain big on the next.
Who had expected Ponzi finishing Mont Ventoux as 9th? Without being in the break?
Strong performance but already +4'38. Still 20s faster than Arndt, who also is a small surprise in the top10.
Quintana at 5'13 also ahead of the first real group.
Henao Montoya and Keizer lead them with more than 6min. Some gaps opened up in the end.
Choi and comebacker Bakelants next a few seconds ahead of Lecuisinier, who is coming in together with Abal, Nerz, Goos, Barguil.
GC wise Wellens climbs up to 8th! Well done.
Lecuisinier down to 9th only 1 spot while Arndt is in 10th ahead of Goos, Bakelants and Keizer. Ponzi remains in 14th passing Henao Montoya and Faiers.
