Stage 20/21 Ashford – Paradise / Mount Rainer 195.3 km
From Ellensburg the tour busses have driven about 260 km west to Ashford, Pierce County, Washington. Form here the stage moves directly into Mount Rainier National Park, for a series of hard climb, before the summit finish in Paradise, just south of the volcanic mountain.
The Queen stage of the race, this is a stage that could make are break any riders GC. The summit finish itself is not as hard as those we had previously, but it is going to be up and down hard climbs all day.
No intermediate sprint.
Six KoM climbs:
Mount Rainier after 33.4 km (cat1) – 16.8 km at 4.7%
Bald Rock (from west) after 58.1 km (cat3)
Yakima Peak (from south) after 89.8 km (HC) 17.8 km at 5.1%
Goat Peak after 110.5 km (cat 3)
Yakima Peak (from north) after 138 km, 8.7 km at 5.1%
Bald Rock (from east) after 170.5 km (cat3)
The will be additional 16,12,10,8,6,4,2 KoM points in Paradise, 14.6 km at 4.6%
In 2015 the stage was won by Peter Stetina. He may do the double, if the team allows him not to work for John-Lee Augusty’s podium.
It is cloudy. A strong breeze (30-50 km/h) will make a hard stage even harder.
As soon as the the road rises Dahlberg attack with Topchanyuk on wheel, behind them also Reis, Lowe and Ardila Cano is laying distance to the peloton.
A very strong breakaway, they have 2’58 when the climb officially starts. (16.8 km to the top)
The peloton is fronted by Le Bon and Reus on the climb, the pace is harsh, the first riders dropping of the back and the distance is not increasing much.
With 2.2 km to the top Reis attacks, Dahlberg quick to grab his wheel.
Reis is not able to create a gap, still not where he should be after his crash.
Dahlberg passes the top first, remarkable considering how strong this group is.
Peloton at 2’42 when the breakaway passes.
Result of Mount Rainier
Dahlberg
16
Points
Lowe
12
Points
Topchanyuk
10
Points
Ardila Cano
8
Points
Reis
6
Points
Lemus Davila
4
Points
Montaguti
2
Points
Over the top Montaguti attacks form the peloton. Breakaway at 3’12, peloton 88 riders.
The breakaway has 3’31 to the peloton when they pass over Bald Rock, Topchanyuk wins the KoM in front of Dahlberg and Reis
Lowe has lost contact on the climb.
Lemus Davila attacks from the peloton and soon after Montaguti catch the breakaway.
Half way down form Bald Rock a huge crash in the peloton, 18 riders are down. Not to mention every single one, these are the better climbers: Anguilet, Shushemoin, Kamzong, Fothen, Wang, Rodríguez, Rowsell, Dyachenko
No top sprinters were involved.
Also Lemus Davila joins the breakaway before they start the HC climb to Yakima Peak.
The distance is 3’51 when the breakaway starts the climb, we got a hard 47 km/h side/head wind.
Sonnery is pulling the pack up the slope.
2 km to the top of Yakima Peak Reis attack, but again Dahlberg grab his wheel and a later he sprints away to win the KoM.
While all other the team leaders sit at the front with a domestic as protection, Berhane is alone on Pozzovivo wheel, Eritel – Sonatrach seem not to have anyone strong enough to help ?
Kamzong has attacked from the peloton.
Result on Yakima Peak (from south)
Dahlberg
20
Points
Reis
14
Points
Montaguti
12
Points
Lemus Davila
10
Points
Ardila Cano
8
Points
Lowe
6
Points
Topchanyuk
5
Points
Kamzong
4
Points
Sonnery
3
Points
Reus
2
Points
Cardoso
1
Points
The distance when the peloton passes over the top, Kamzong at 2’01”, peloton at 3’00”
At Goat Peak Reis attack again, this time with success, he wins the sprint in front of Dahlberg and Lowe.
Kamzong at 1’59”, peloton at 3’13”, still a large group of 93 riders.
Again Berhane is isolated on the climb.
The peloton increase the pace, when the break start the climb to Yakima Peak from the north side, the distance is Kamzong at 1’21”, peloton at 2’21”. Tailwind at 46 km/hour on the climb.
Half way up Reis and Montaguti is in trouble, due to the hard pace set by Lowe
After Lowe, Ardila Cano takes another very hard turn, this time Lemus Davila is dropped.
Kamzong is reeled back in, but now Pardilla and Rowsell have got a small gab to the peloton, In-n-Out p/b Carrefour is still leading the pack.
Topchanyuk wins the KoM sprint.
When the first riders pass over Yakima Peak. We got 4 rider in front Topchanyuk, Lowe, Dahlberg and Ardila Cano
At 16” Lemus Davila
At 1’35” Reis and Montaguti
At 1’53” Pardilla and Rowsell
At 2’20” The favorites now 40 riders.
Result of Yakima Peak (from north)
Topchanyuk
10
Points
Lowe
8
Points
Dahlberg
6
Points
Ardila Cano
4
Points
Lemus Davila
2
Points
On the descent from Yakima Peak Reis and Montaguti Pardilla and Rowsell are all brought back to the favorite group.
Topchanyuk wins the KoM at Bald Rock from east side, in front of Lowe and Dahlberg
At 28” Ardila Cano
At 1’16” Lemus Davila
At 1’51 the favorites now 42 riders.
It is not raining, but the clouds are now very heavy over the mountains, wind speed 45/h.
Getting close to the final climb we suddenly see Eritel – Sonatrach taking the front after being almost invisible all day, Anguilet, Reguigui and Teklit leads the pack.
Lemus Davila is caught.
At the start of the final climb, 14.4 km to the top. Dahlberg Lowe Topchanyuk has 31”
Eritel – Sonatrach is leading the pack of 44 riders, and after just 1.5 km the breakaway is over. Anguilet is pulling up front.
We got a hard side wind of 45 km/h and it has also started to rain, all adding to the pressure put on the riders.
11.5 km to the top, first attack between the top favorites. Rujano and behind him also Ochoa Quintero
Now it is raining very hard
10 km
A group with Berhane, Reguigui, Belgasem and Roglič have accelerated away from the peloton, now not far behind Ochoa Quintero
Rujano has about 15” to group Berhane, 44” to the peloton.
8 km
In a group with Augustyn and Pozzovivo, Le Bon is setting a hard pace to stop the bleeding.
They have already got 30” to the peloton.
24” in front of them group Berhane, now also with Ochoa Quintero.
Another 14” further ahead Rujano.
We are at the start of a short flat section, before the final about 5 km with 4-6%.
5.0 km
Le Bon’s very hard pace is enough to close the gap, with about 6.5 km to the top the two chasing group’s melt together, recreating status que in the top of the GC.
Passing under the 5 km banner Rujano has 33 to group Pozzovivo (7 riders).
The weather is worsening, headwinds at 46 km/hour and the rain turning more and more into snow, everyone is sitting at their absolute limit.
In front Rujano
At 20” Group Pozzovivo (7 riders).
At 40” Ratiy
At 1’16” Belgasem
At 1’31 a group of 9 riders have left the peloton behind, Rodríguez, Stetina, Kononenko, Eastman, Russom, Osorio, Atapuma, Shushemoin and Moreno.
Eastman attacks, and over less than 3 km he closes the gap to group Pozzovivo, an incredible effort to show just how strong he is in this kind of terrain.
Obviously very tired and without any sign of celebration, Rujano win the queen stage at Mount Rainer, with 39” to the other favorites.
Pozzovivo 2nd and Roglič takes the last podium, everyone in the group get the same time.
Tour of America 
