Stage 16/21 Creston - Red Mountain Resort 235.9 km
From Red Rock Point the caravan has driven about 350 north west into Canada, the stage start in Creston, Kootenay region, British Columbia. Heading straight west for a summit finish at Red Mountain Resort, a ski resort north of Rossland City.
What we got here is a very hard stage. Not the worst climbs of the race, but we got 4 uphill sections with very little flat in between over a stunning 235.9 km. If a rider overextend his ability’s on this one, it will be a disaster……forget to eat proper, you will suffer big time.
Two intermediate sprints, Salmo after 79 km and Kinnaird after 119.5 km.
Four KoM climbs:
Crownest Highway (Stagleap Provincial Park) after 42 km (cat1) about 11 km the last 3 km at 7-9%.
Crownest Highway (Siwash Mountain) after 99.1 km (cat2), about 8.5 km at approx. 5%
Red Mountain Resort after 150.8 km (cat1), 7.7 km at approx. 6.5%
Old Glory Mountain after 165.1 km (cat2), about 12 km at 3-4%
Additional 16,12,10,8,6,4,2 KoM points at the finish line. Red Mountain Resort 7.1 km at 7.0%
In 2015 the stage was won by Fabio Montenegro, he is not here this time as he has no contract in 2016.
It is partly clouded, the 1th half of the stage with a gentle breeze mostly from the side, the 2nd half with a moderate breeze, coming as headwind on most of the climbs.
Konwa launch the morning break and soon a lot of riders attempts to follow, wanting to join the first group before the climb starts.
11 riders form the largest breakaway I can recall to have seen in this race. Soto Pereira, Christian, Kamzong, Konwa, Dahlberg, Pakthusov, Stetina, Clifford, Montaguti, Rodas Ochoa and Lemus Davila
Best placed in GC is Montaguti 34th at 29’39”, also best placed in KoM 7th with 32 points.
With about 2.5 km to the top in Stagleap Park Christian attacks, Rodas Ochoa and Stetina counters.
The logic behind the attack is unclear, as he risk not only to burn out early, he is not the strongest climber in this group, but also risk to lose teammate Konwa, sitting in the rear end of the group.
Rodas Ochoa takes advantage of the acceleration, soon making an counter attack, he claims the KoM sprint, with a gap of 36” to the group behind. Clifford was dropped losing additional 1’41” over the top. The peloton at 6’14 at this point.
Result at Crownest Highway/Stagleap Provincial Park
Rodas Ochoa
16
points
Stetina,
12
points
Soto Pereira
10
points
Lemus Davila
8
points
Pakthusov
6
points
Christian
4
points
Konwa
2
points
Even though the breakaway is rather fast on the downhill, Clifford is an excellent rider in this discipline and catch up easily.
Porto – Prio is leading the peloton without any haste at all, they reach the top 8’17 behind the break.
The points at the intermediate sprint go to Konwa, Dahlberg and Rodas Ochoa.
1 km to the top on Crownest Highway/Siwash Mountain, Stetina accelerates, Montaguti attempt to follow but in vain.
Stetina passes the top with an advantage of 42”, this time Christian was dropped having to close 34”.
The peloton is at 8’22
Result at Crownest Highway/Siwash Mountain
Stetina,
10
points
Kamzong
8
points
Lemus Davila
6
points
Montaguti
4
points
Pakthusov
2
points
About half of the stage done, the breakaway passes the final intermediate sprint with an advantage of 10’10” to the peloton. The points go to Clifford, Konwa and Stetina
The peloton is still controlled by Porto – Prio, now they up the pace a little to reduce the gap.
When the break starts the climb to Red Mountain Resort (first round) the distance is 6’40”.
With about 5 km to the top Stetina start to set a higher pace in the group. Christian, Pakthusov and Clifford struggling to hang in, but is it Montaguti getting dropped first.
Over the next part of the climb, Lemus Davila takes over, pulling the group up the steep climb in an even more agonizing pace forcing the group to split further.
Christian, Pakthusov and Clifford are dropped.
1.9 km to the top Kamzong attack from the first group, Stetina take his wheel and use the attack to counter, passing the top first.
Result on Red Mountain Resort
Stetina
16
Points
Lemus Davila
12
Points
Kamzong
10
Points
Soto Pereira,
8
Points
Dahlberg
6
Points
Rodas Ochoa
4
Points
Konwa
2
Points
The situation when Stetina passes the top is:
Group Lemus Davila (5 riders) at 24”
Group Konwa (3 riders) at 1’41”
Clifford at 1’54”
Montaguti at 3’20”
Peloton at 9’35” (no rider behind the peloton)
At Old Glory Mountain Lemus Davila attack just a few hundred meters before the top, too late for anyone to react.
Result on Old Glory Mountain
Lemus Davila
10
Points
Stetina
8
Points
Dahlberg
6
Points
Rodas Ochoa
4
Points
Kamzong
2
Points
The situation when the 6 riders in front passes over Old Glory Mountain:
Group Konwa (3 riders) at 1’56”
Clifford at 4’15”
Montaguti at 4’57”
Peloton at 14’51” (94 riders)
70 km to go.
When the peloton is close to the top of Old Glory Mountain we got a collision between Baterdene and race leader Reis both ending on the tarmac.
Immediately Porto-Prio send 6 rider back to help their captain. Should not be a problem to close the gap, just 1’25” on a long downhill section, but hard to tell if the race leader is badly hurt.
21 km
6 riders in front, Lemus Davila, Rodas Ochoa, Kamzong, Soto Pereira, Stetina, Dahlberg.
At 1’06” Christian, Pakthusov, Konwa.
At 4’58” Clifford
At 6’34 Montaguti
At 11’19 the peloton, 100 riders, Reis is back.
Dahlberg attack with Stetina right behind.
10 km the duo still has a small gap but just a few seconds.
Behind them now alone Christian still at a little over a minute behind, as Konwa and Pakthusov has exploded losing over 2 minutes to Christian on the last 10 km.
Peloton at 10’21
from 10 to 2 km
The tactical race for the stage win, we see this again and again Stetina forcing a small gap, Dahlberg attacks to close it, a bit later the group behind reel them in, and it starts all over again.
meanwhile back in the peloton
Rujano attacks about 6.5 km out, behind him also Kononenko attempt to get away.
Right after the 5 km banner Kononenko closes the gap.
Behind them, Berhane, Pozzovivo, Ratiy and Ochoa Quintero is also laying a bit of distance to the peloton.
There is about 30 sec from group Rujano to group Berhane, another 25 sec to the peloton.
The situation in the peloton is very dramatic, Porto – Prio should off course up the pace trying to close the cap, but they can’t because their leader Reis is falling back and the peloton may break in front of him at any second now, he is clearly in pain due to the crash he had on Old Glory Mountain.
meanwhile in the first group
With 2.0 km him to go Stetina sets in another attack, and again Dahlberg is the one to follow.
Passing under the red kite it is Stetina with 18” to Dahlberg another 14” to the other 4 riders.
Stetina wins at Red Mountain Resort, also taking over the KoM lead.
Dahlberg just barely manages to hold for 2nd Soto Pereira takes the last podium in front of Lemus Davila and Kamzong rounds off top 5.
meanwhile back with the favorites
The first of the favorites get to the last km, is it Kononenko and Rujano
At just 8” Pozzovivo and Ratiy
At 20” Berhane (with Konwa from the break)
At 32” Ochoa Quintero (with Pakthusov from the break)
At 1’01 Eastman
At 1’50 a group of 8 with Augustyn
Reis is many groups further back at 4’23 (compared to Rujano)
Kononenko wins amongst the favorites in front of Pozzovivo and Ratiy
Tour of America 
