Stage 3 Alhaurín de la Torre - Caminito del Rey 165 km
The stage starts in Alhaurín de la Torre, Provincia de Málaga. A city originally settled by the Phoenicians sometime between 1000-700 BC. From there the route is heading further inland to the village El Chorro with the Camino del Rey (King's Pathway), a famous and previously deadly pathway from 1901, now reconstructed.
Profile:
With 2 climbs and also points at the finish, there will be a possible threat to Dmitri Kozontchuk KoM lead. Also the green jersey is at stake in case a stage winner has more points now, than what Dylan Groenewegen will get today.
The profile is very hilly, expect a good puncher to take the stage today. Hard to tell if we will see any major gaps to effect the GC, we will soon find out.
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Again a bright sunny morning in Spain, but today we have a lot more wind (40 km/h)
KoM leaders Kozontchuk is quick to launch an attack within the first two kilometres, a group of four riders attempt to follow. Taubel, Gunman, Lammertink and Dumoulin
After some fight from the peloton end ends up with just Lammertink and Kozontchuk forming todays breakaway. Kozontchuk best placed in GC at 39”, Lammertink the better puncher of the two, actually a very good puncher with a realistic possibility to win a stage in this terrain.
The break has 2’03 getting to the intermediate sprint in Álora, the riders in the break won’t need the points, most likely not the bonus seconds either, but for the sake of the spectators they give it a go. It’s Lammertink getting the 6 points.
When the peloton passes only Aberasturi really makes an effort for the last two points.
Soon after the sprint we have a solo crash, it is McLay, he gets up but has to close a 2’42 gap alone. Also Herrada with a puncture have some time behind the bunch.
A few Km before the first KoM climb start, another of yesterday breakaway artists Madushanka is on it again, a brave rider really not his terrain.
Alto del Veredon 4.1 km at 7% avg. Lammertink start the attack from 2 km, Kozontchuk does everything he can but there isn’t anything to do.
Lammertink gets his first 6 KoM points.
It is Gazelle leading the peloton up the climb, with De Gendt and Campenaerts, all the GC favorites sitting amongst the frist 20 riders
Madushanka keep a distance of a small minute to the peloton securing the last KoM points.
The first riders got 2’11 to the peloton.
That was all from Madushanka, he is reeled in.
After the KoM we see more teams in front Golovash, Athanasiades, Kohl and Copeland most active.
With 67 km to the line we get a huge crash with: Stoltz, Kennaugh, Eyob, Faglum Karlsson, Kosic, Hughes Novak, Didier, Ludvigsson, Borisavljevic and unlucky Herrada just returning after his puncture.
Worst of all Faiers, not able to continue
The breakaway get to the intermediate sprint in Bermejo with just 1’17 to the peloton, Lammertink opens the sprint and Kozontchuk is no challenge for him.
Clearly Kozontchuk is having a hard day trying to follow Lammertink in a terrain that suits him very well.
In the peloton there is no fight for the points, Barbero takes it simply because he is leading the peloton at that moment.
The pace is hot as mentioned the distance is getting below 1’30, besides Barbero it is Kruijswijk, Koren, De Gendt, Neilands and Stoltz taking part in the pursuit.
Just 4 km after the sprint, the terrain changes now with harder climbs. That also changes the composition of the riders leading the peloton, now it is Downey, Rosch, Oliveira and other Porto – Prio riders, setting an intense pace. The breakaway is over with more than 30 km to the line.
The hard pace set by Pendleton's stretch the peloton thin, approaching Alto de Carratraca.
Let’s take a look at the situation between the top riders Machado sitting in 9th with Silva, right behind them Dombrowski.
There is a small gap behind Dombrowski, down to a larger group with Kennaugh, Schleck, Kruijswijk, Jensen, Monsalve, Guldhammer, Pluchkin in that ordre.
Every other favorite still with the first 30-35 riders in the peloton, 25.5 km left.
The climb is 9.6 km with an avg. of 3%.
It the right side a long line if riders are formed behind Rosch setting the pace. The first 9 riders are domestic, behind them Machado, Madrazo, Schleck and Monsalve.
To the left of them Pluchkin, Dombrowski and Arndt moving forward on their own.
Over the top a split happens with just 16 km to the finish line created by the hard pace still set by Rosch, in front a group 9 riders get 20” on the main bunch. Rosch, Athanasiades, Kononenko, Konrad, Pluchkin, Machado, Machado and Dombrowski.
But it was not to be, they did not work together and was reeled back swiftly, we still have 129 riders in the bunch approaching the final climb to Caminito del Rey, 4.2 km at 6.6 %, hardest at the first half.
The positioning as the climb starts is: A tireless Rosch still in front at the right side.
In the second row, from left to right Pluchkin, Konrad, Konovalovas.
Behind Pluchkin, Schleck, also in the first 15 riders Kruijswijk, Madrazo, Bibby, Dombrowski, Machado, Lecuisinier, a little further back we see Kritskiy, Bellis, Velits, Arndt, Olivier, all within the first 25 riders.
A few riders not between the first 129 rider: Kennaugh, Mai, Brockhoff, they are almost sure to lose some time today.
3 km to the top, slope 7%
Now we see the reason for the hard work provided by Rosch, as soon as he has to let go of the front Dombrowski accelerated, an alert Pluchkin right on his wheel, also Schleck quick to respond. Also Madrazo with Bibby, Monsalve, Velits, Lecuisinier well placed in this critical situation. We also see Arndt and Nepomnyachsniy not to far back.
Taking the shorter left side curve Kritskiy with Brambilla.
2,5 km to the top, slope 7.4%
The intended effect from Dombrowski attack did not happen, more than 100 riders still hanging on to the peloton.
The positioning have changes a little, a spear with Dombrowski Pluchkin Schleck Monsalve
At their right side, a little behind Schleck, Velits with Madrazo and Bibby, a little further back Guldhammer and the race leader Machado
The other riders mentioned above form a line across the road. Now also Castroviejo and Oliveira surprisingly joins up.
We also see Olivier in the mix behind the first riders. Galta with Nesset close to the camera at the bottom of the picture.
2 km to the top, slope 7%
A few changes most importantly Pluchkin is now increasing his pace, moving up side by side with Dombrowski.
Konrad who was falling back just 500 meter ago, have got a 2nd boost of strength now in 3rd position.
Guldhammer also improved remarkable now in 7th position at the far right side of the road. The Wiesenhof rider behind him is Preidler, has been amongst the top 15-20 riders for some time and clearly deserves a mention.
The group is officially still 129 riders.
1.4 km top the top, slope 7.7%
Dombrowski aggressive approach that we saw earlier have faded he is falling back to 5th position, In front we now got Pluchkin, clued to his wheel Konrad having what I dare call a perfect day so far, and behind him Schleck on left and Monsalve on right side.
Besides that, the only major change is that Vysna, Konovalovas with Nepomnyachsniy have improved their position moving into the first 15 riders.
But the pace it still not extreme with 129 officially hanging on.
Under the red kit, slope 5.9%
The first four unchanged Pluchkin, Konrad Schleck Monsalve, the latter lost a little compared to Schleck.
Behind them Lecuisinier have taken Schleck’s wheel, might be a smart move. Also Arndt behind Monsalve well placed before the final dash.
Brambilla at the left (taking the longer path) and Preidler at the right also improving now in 7 and 8 position.
Race leader Machado seems to be struggling keeping up with the first group of riders.
550-600 meters to go, slope 6% Pluchkin opens his sprint from 1st position, a clever move as Konrad seem to be facing his limitations, and can’t follow. Pluchkin opens a clear gap.
Monsalve taking the short path best placed. Coming round Konrad on the longer left route Schleck 3rd at his wheel Lecuisinier.
Behind Monsalve we got Arndt, and behind his left side Preidler and Guldhammer
It is Brambilla taking that very long left banner route
The others in this, what we might now call a front group is from left to right: Vysna, Kritskiy, Dombrowski, Velits, Madrazo, Goos
Pluchkin got 200 meters to the line slope 5.6%, he has a small gap of about 4 meter to Schleck.
It the right side of the road markings Monsalve 3rd, and clued to Schleck Lecuisinier in 4th position, to his left rear side Brambilla.
At the right side one meter behind Brambilla, on a line from left to right se got Arndt, Preidler and Guldhammer.
Behind them 4 rider from left to right Kritskiy, Velits, Madrazo and Goos.
Dombrowski behind Kritskiy and Velits, and to his left Vysna
In the bottom race leader Machado sitting behind Konrad, fighting not to lose time on a bad day.
Aleksandr Pluchkin can celebrate a win at Caminito del Rey, and even if there is no time gaps, bonus seconds enough to take over the GC lead, and also the points lead.
Schleck 2nd and Monsalve wins the narrow sprint for 3rd over Lecuisinier and Brambilla rounding of top 5.
The last points go to Preidler, Kritskiy Arndt, Madrazo and Dombrowski
35 riders get the same time as Pluchkin, so besides an indication of who might be in the best shape, we have to wait until tomorrow’s mountains to get serious caps besides what we got form the TTT.
Kozontchuk kept the KoM and Aker - MOT top sprinter Enger quite impressively came in the first group, leading the youth classification.
For the first time since Porto – Prio got the early lead in the team classification on the TTT, now Gazelle having a small advantage there, something that may well change again tomorrow with finish on Peñas Blancas.
[PTM] Vuelta a Espana 
