Only 3/6 stages but a lot of riders already look tired at the start line. Hell of a race here and it continues like this. Up and down and up and down again. The steepest climbs clearly the middle 3 but the earlier and final one are not easy at all. Pure climbing fest here and by the look of yesterday a challenge of the very best named Spilak, Madrazo alongside Taaramae, Tenorio, Dombrowski and Alarcon.
A pity no Schleck or Pluchkin here to make it the most perfect climber challenge even.
Also a question is if some of the lower ranked riders react today. In especially Velits or Kritskiy surely can do more.
A lot of breakaway attempts early on but the peloton didn`t really allow a gap as some of the riders looked too dangerous.
In the end a group of the following riders managed to get a small gap as they also collected the KoM`s until now. Keizer Van den Broeck Samwel Faiers
and a bit behind Zakarin
Others such as Melo, Navarro, Canty, Eyob, Chevrier all tried earlier but couldn`t follow this group of strong stage racer.
Keizer and Van den Broeck clearly the strongest and always got a gap ahead of the KoM`s. The Dutch took more points and seems to be willed to repeat his Tour de France KoM coup but Van den Broeck already having a nice puffer after being in the break yesterday.
The 2nd Cat.2 of the day sees a long, straight road and Keizer is solo right now with Van den Broeck a bit behind.
Samwel another 25s with Faiers 10s on him.
But also the peloton is already 20s behind, which means a total of 1'20 behind Keizer. Not really successful there break here. 53 riders only in that peloton and hence many more seem to suffer and might fight against the time limit.
Just before the top Keizer got companions again as KoM wearer VdB is with him as also Suaza, who used the small gap to jump to the front.
Last year he had a fantastic Vuelta a Colombia but already 7'17 down after yesterday, so changed tactic for him now.
This is also the order on top while Samwel and Faiers take last points ahead of the peloton.
It all comes together though on the descent and we have a "tiny" group of just 31 riders at this point.
Being dropped are
Brambilla
Guldhammer!!!
Talansky
Quintana
Another group behind
Olivier
Karnulin
But once the next climb starts it`s up to 61 again as most of those made it back. A sign for them to be more concentrated now.
New attacks before the top and no surprise to see VdB here, who wants the lead and not only loaning the jersey.
Behind him Samwel and surprisingly Keizer didn`t attack after basically collecting the maximum points so far today.
Actually a bigger attack behind as Wellens comes over the line as 3rd trying to join his team mate in front. Behind Faiers again but also
Kritskiy
Brambilla
Karnulin
Talansky!
Lots of riders who either lost more time yesterday than anticipated and others that were dropped on the last climb.
Dropped from the peloton now are Olivier and Grmay. So no top20 GC rider this time.
Kritskiy and Wellens were able to join VdB and Samwel. Perfect situation for Bpost now but also for Kritskiy, who needs to gain time.
They are 2min ahead of the 48 rider peloton, where Guldhammer yet again lost contact. Really having a bad day in the saddle it seems. No crash was noticed and hence a weak day is more likely.
A long descent, a Cat.4 and the first kilometer of the final climb later and we have 52 riders together as the quartett is caught again.
Bouygues is working now with Barguil and Solis and apparently were too much afraid of Kritskiy and Wellens in front.
And the Estonian Taaramäe is also attacking now with 16,5km to go. He is followed by Dombrowski and Arndt, who seems to still have the TdF form.
Fromolo for Madrazo and then already the GC riders working.
Formolo was opening a gap to the peloton and with him at first only the former Santander star duo Madrazo and Tenorio. A bit later Campero helped GC leader Spilak to join them and it`s a dangerous 5 riders now chasing the trio in front.
Dropped by the favourite group now are Faiers and Samwel, who were active early on.
Velits mainly did close the gap and it`s Madrazo with the next attack. 6,5km left and the trio still just ahead.
Spilak not looking as comfortable as yesterday and hence Tenorio is needed to chase now as he is quickly going around Spilak to work in the favourite group.
And the Spaniard is slowly closing the gap to all riders in front as Madrazo joined the trio.
Behind him Cattaneo and also Spilak.
Then a gap. 28s to a group of 18.
Those 18 later also did split a lot with Contador looking strongest ahead of a group around Alarcon.
Velits and Henao Montoya did okay yesterday but lack a bit today. Keizer and Abal still with them while Kritskiy is struggling yet again.
In front once the fusion of the 7 appeared, Spilak struggles. As said earlier, he often looks to the bottom and is hanging on his bike. Not his best day clearly.
Taaramae and Madrazo see this of course and hence accelerate again. Behind Cattaneo and Tenorio try to follow as also Dombrowski.
Arndt can`t and might soon be with Spilak.
He gets more support though as Contador comes from behind working now and also the group around Morton/Wellens/Uran/Alarcon could soon be with them. It`s now a bit over 1min and likely the loss of the GC lead.
In front Catteneo with a huge day and back to Madrazo/Taaramae.
Gaps behind are similar with Dombrowski/Tenorio and actually still Arndt.
But also the group around Spilak is coming a bit closer again.
Last kilometer and Cattaneo leading the trio. Who has the strongest final kick?
Not Madrazo! The Spaniard can`t follow.
Instead it`s Taaramae taking a huge win ahead of a strong Cattaneo today.
Madrazo follows 21s later and hence can`t take the GC lead. He is 10s down on Taaramae, who is having another brilliant race it seems.
Dombrowski in 4th 37s down. With him surprisingly Arndt. Big performance! Tenorio lost another 20s in this sprint.
Uran at 1'29, Contador 1'51 while Spilak and Morton lose 2'05. This means the I-Gen leader drops to 3rd and +1'36 in the GC. Nothing lost yet as still 2 climbs left, where he will need to gap the others again.
Alarcon also not the best day losing another 30s with Wellens, Keizer and Kirsch already next. Strong day for those.
Kritskiy, Velits, Henao Montoya all in the 4min group while Guldhammer is losing 15min!
Another 26 riders have to abandon! With Tzortzakis, Lay, Chen, Dzamastagic and Porsev also the last real sprinters out, so tomorrows relax day for the GC riders could be quite weird with low rated sprinters only remaining.
