A short, but explosive stage: the first mountains and it's the famous Cameron Highlands stage. Definitely not the steepest climb, but given it's length, anything but the GC favorites battling for valuable seconds or minutes would be highly disappointing. The flat finish is fast and tricky, but the rather easy final quarter of the stage may lead to bigger groups crossing the line.
But who will be the strongest climber and potentially claim yellow today? Krasnoperov in the most promising position after a strong prologue, but of course there's other top favorites like Valls, Penasa, Anacona, Bennett or Tvetcov and Hacecký as the defending race winner.
Meersman taking the first intermediate sprint ahead of KoM leader Taborre in their attempt to break clear for a breakaway.
Kreuziger (GC's 6th, + 0.16) and Hofer jumping behind, trying to join the duo..
..which they do and so we already have the break of the day. Taborre takes the next intermediate sprint ahead of Meersman, who strikes back at the third intermediate sprint to beat Taborre once again.
Taborre would then go and take the first Cat3 climb ahead of Kreuziger. His mission for today is clear: defend the polka dot.
But things won't be easy for him, as the early break is already swallowed by the peloton with 46km remaining. We're halfway through the biggest climb today and the GC teams do not want a breakaway group messing up the GC in this key stage, it seems.
Repsol as the most active team on this climb, with Roson and Nakane as the two guys setting the pace for a long time. They reduce the pack down to 116 riders with then 37km to go (5km to the first mountaintop) and no more riders tried to escape in the meantime..
Bardet now as the first better climber to attack! He's launching his move close to the mountaintop (2.5km) and 35km to the finish. The French is quickly establishing a small gap on the bunch, that is still at 115 riders to this point.
He crosses the Cat1 climb as first, Wu came as 2nd with an attack just at the mountaintop.
Juodvalkis now as the guy to set the pace at the front of the pack, which is down to 80 riders after the long climb. Bardet still only 23 seconds ahead of this big group, that is not interested in letting him grow the gap.
And so Bardet is reeled in with still 27.5km remaining. It's again Nakane leading the pack over a small hill, but there will be another steep, but short climb soon (HC rated actually). For now, the race settles down again though.
Valls is the first GC favorite to break the silence, as he launches his first attack 14km to the finish (5km to the "Bkt Brincang" mountaintop)! That's a strong looking move and of course it's now time for the other contenders to react:
Karnulin as the next climber trying to follow this acceleration!
Valls opened up a small gap, while Karnulin struggles to follow. Cieslik now setting the pace in the big group, with his captain Penasa right behind him. A few more GC contenders now moving to the front of the group, as they must feel worried about Valls' move here.
Valls about 14 seconds ahead with now 12.5km remaining. We're still on the short but challenging climb:
Karnulin with another acceleration and there's a big split in the peloton with the pace upped again!
Cieslik Penasa Anacona
with a small gap on Bennett, who's also trying to get away from the peloton (that is now finally down to just 19 riders)!
Group Penasa is catching up to Karnulin and they are still about 23 seconds behind solo leader Valls. 11.5km to go.
Bennett couldn't join them and he's back in the 19-men-group, that is half a minute in arrears at this point.
Bennett goes again with just 2km to the mountaintop (11km to the finish)! In the group there are most of the other GC contenders, as no big names have been dropped yet.
The situation with 11km remaining. Valls going strong, but no bigger gap established yet.
Most notable names, who couldn't stay with the first bigger group:
Stetina Mannion Battaglin Briceno Khripta Kebede
10.5km to go and Penasa is going clear from the first chasing group! Great work from Cieslik, but the premium domestique has done his work now.
Karnulin and Anacona struggling to follow this acceleration from Penasa, who's facing a 26" gap to Valls now.
The mountaintop has been reached and Valls holds on to 20 seconds gap on Penasa, who's 40 seconds ahead of group Anacona, Karnulin and now also Bennett, who finally bridged across from the bigger chasing group.
Cieslik in between group Anacona and the 19-men-group with Cataldo, Tvetcov, Hacecký, Solis and Salinas. They are half a minute behind group Anacona/Bennett/Karnulin.
Bardet again on the move, as the tries to escape from the bigger group just at the mountaintop!
Last ascent (a short climb) and Valls is now getting company with Penasa! 3.5km to go and just the downhill finish ahead.
The duo looks promising to fight for yellow today, as Karnulin, who got a small gap over Bennett/Anacona and Bardet, is almost a minute in arrears now!
Karnulin now joined by Bennett, who dropped Anacona and Bardet (who managed to catch up to them in the last few kilometres)! This duo will fight for 3rd on the stage, as they are too far behind the leading duo and hold on a small gap on Anacona/Bardet with a kilometre to go.
Valls kicked off the sprint from the leading position and Penasa tries to go past him with the line approaching! It will be a tight sprint, but Valls looks still strong..
..and Valls indeed takes the first key stage! His strong move held on til the end and even though Penasa did very well to catch up to his biggest rival, he couldn't outsprint Valls on those final metres. Still a great result for both, as there's a clear gap gained on the first chasers.
+ 31" for Bennett, who easily outsprinted Karnulin to finish 3rd on the stage. No gap rewarded between those two, so that's at least crucial bonifications for Bennett.
As said, Karnulin comes 4th with the same time as Bennett and the gap on the following riders ain't that big as well..
Bardet comes in 5th ahead of Anacona. And that's quite unlucky for Bennett and Karnulin, as they are given the same time eventually.
And the same counts for the bigger chasing group, where Tvetcov crosses the line as 7th on the stage. They were close enough to Bardet to finish within the same time as Bennett and Karnulin. A lucky decision for those 19 riders in the group. The next bigger group with the earlier mentioned riders cross the line 2'25" behind Valls then. All riders in the time limit today.
Valls slips into yellow on the first of two crucial stages for the GC. He's 10 seconds ahead of Penasa and also 1st in the KoM ranking thanks to his 24pts collected today.
Krasnoperov finished in the first group of GC contenders and therefore moves up to 3rd in the GC with 38 seconds on Valls. Local favorite Zamri a strong 4th (and the only U25 rider to finish in the first group of GC contenders) ahead of Tvetcov and Karnulin. Bennett moving up to 9th with 56 seconds off Valls. He really tried to gain more valuable time other than his bonifications, but has to live with the decision of the jury in this flat finish.
