Stage 5 Bagà - Collada de la Gallina(Andorra) 162.4 km
The stage starts in Bagá, Provincia de Barcelona. A small town established in the 9th century. Formerly based on textile industry and mining but today shifting towards tourism, being located near the Pyrenees.
From there the stage is heading into the mountains, passing over several mountains in Andorra before the summit finish at Collada de la Gallina, a relative short but very hard climb.
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After a short uphill start, the routes only flat section of about 45 km, passing two intermediate sprint both in Puigcerdà, then just a few km after the last sprint we start the 37 km long climb up to Port d'Envalira, from there it is up and down all day. Including the finish counting as a cat 1, there is a maximum of 58 KoM points at stake today.
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A love day in the Pyrenees, sunny with almost no wind.
Vesuvio – Accumalux takes the lead right from the start, with a climber like Goos in front, it is not easy for those waiting to get in the breakaway.
Vesuvio – Accumalux netralize the race until the top, but when the breakaway starts to form, they doesn’t react and it is Pendleton's with Kennaugh Dees and Rosch taking the lead.
The original breakaway was Stoltz, Gunman, Egidio, Lammertink and Kozontchuk, riding in the blue dotted jersey being 2nd in the competition behind Andy Schleck. They are hunted down by the peloton.
Instead we got a three riders breakaway, Duchesne, Prades and Chhetri
They don’t seem to care about the sprint, a disappointing display for the spectators gathered in Puigcerdà
Both times it is Prades, Duchesne, Chhetri
The distance is slowly increasing but not fast, rolling out of the town they got 3’15, the road is already raising slowly, but 10 km to the official start of the climb.
The Port d'Envalira a frightening thought for anyone in the peloton not specialized in climbing, 27.5 km long in two sections, the first half the easiest, then a downhill and then the second harder part. Average 3.8%, but the last 10 km from 6.0-8.5%.
Today the first section is harder than expected, the Schleck brothers in front of the peloton, slowly reducing the distance to the breakaway, and starting to create the selection out the back door, before we reach the downhill the peloton is down from 182-141 riders. The gruppetto have lost 1’43.
After the mid climb downhill Konrad joins the front for a while setting the pace. Immediately creating further selection with another 30 riders eliminated.
Distance to the breakaway 2’05. All the favorites still looking good amongst the first about 20 riders.
In the breakaway Duchesne attacks from 2.2 km, that was too early, then Chhetri attacks from 1.2 km being the stronger climber, but that doesn’t matter because it is Prades sprinting towards the top.
At the same time Rosch accelerated from the peloton, to improve his amount of KoM points. Starting today 4th in that competition.
Result of Port d'Envalira Duchesne Prades Chhetri Rosch Kirsch F. Schleck Kruijswijk
Distance 3’07 over the top, Rosch at 2’20
There is no attacks between the favorites on the climb, but we see the first victim amongst the better climbers, Novikov no longer with the peloton.
Peloton fast on the downhill, Rosch swallowed and distance to the trio reduced to 1’03
Starting Coll de Ordino 9 km 4.7%, first 5.5 km much hard than the last 3.5 km, within the first km the breakaway is over.
Kirsch is setting a very hard pace in front of Goos with A. Schleck
After about 2.5 km of climbing a cap opens behind them. Let’s take a look at positioning at this critical moment. (44 km to the finish)
Pluchkin aware of the danger attacks to close the gap.
Behind him 6 riders, Kononenko who was protecting Pluchkin, Duchesne and Chhetri from the breakaway. Heymes who was sitting with A. Schleck, Madrazo like Pluchkin accelerating to close up, and Dombrowski.
Another small gap to the next riders: Rosch, Kritskiy, Prades, Kohl, Koren, Machado, Kruijswijk, König behind him another small gap.
It is clear that many top climbers and GC favorites did not expect something like this to happen at this early point on the stage, and may have to use some extra to move forward now. That said as far as we can see most of the bigger names are in the last group on this helicopter shot.
Everyone is in some sort of panic, even Heymes who is actually leading the pursuit for a while until his manager inform him not to.
Pluchkin catch group A. Schleck, Madrazo decides either that he can’t, or that he will rather stay with his teammates.
After a while sitting in the back of the group to catch his breath Pluchkin moves to the front. Surely this group of 3 Vesuvio – Accumalux is dangerous, he want to reduce their numbers and he succeed, soon Goos is done.
Pluchkin leads all the way to the top, but Kirsch accelerated and takes the KoM, most likely just to show that he will lead on the downhill.
The situation when the trio passes the top. 38 km to go.
At 33” Goos
At 47” Kruijswijk, Dombrowski, Madrazo and Machado
At 1’15 Ignatenko, Kritskiy, Lecuisinier, Velits, Keizer and Danacik
At 1’36 66 riders, we can spot. Guldhammer, Monsalve, Galta, Abal, Arndt, Hirt, Olivier and Brambilla
Resullt of the KoM: Kirsch Pluchkin Schleck Goos Kruijswijk Dombrowski Madrazo
Kirsch is not the bravest going down, and behind him Dombrowski raher good on the downhill is going all in, after 6 km descending the two first group melt together.
Behind them group Kritskiy also gets caught be the lager group behind them, now a total of 66 rider with everyone mentioned above.
it is Aker – MOT’s Hoem and Laengen working for the larger group, also getting closer.
They make it back in last minute before the next climb starts.
71 riders start the climb to Port de la Comella, 5.5 km at 5.6%, the last kilometer very tough.
Positioning when the climb starts is (first 24 riders): Kirsch, Schleck, Kruijswijk, Madrazo, Pluchkin, Dombrowski, Kritskiy, Machado, Lecuisinier, Velits, Monsalve, Keizer, Goos, Heymes, Danacik, Guldhammer, Van der Velde, Galta, Haig, Robov, Mai, Brambilla, Kunshin, Oliveira
3 km to the top, we have an attack in front it is Dombrowski, countering it is Schleck, Madrazo, Pluchkin.
A little further back we can also see Machado and Abal accelerating
Dombrowski must have had a feeling that he got the legs, but turns out he was too eager merely serving as a launcher for Schleck who sprints by him with ease.
Also Madrazo with Pluchkin at wheel pass him attempting to catch Schleck.
Let’s take a look at the situation when Schleck pass the top of Port de la Comella.
At 10” Madrazo and Pluchkin
At 34” Dombrowski, Machado and Abal
At 1’10 Kritskiy
At 1’28 – All other CG riders (50 riders)
To no surprise the two first groups melt into a trio of the pre-race favorites on the downhill.
We get a crash on the downhill it is Silva and Salcone
Starting the final climb to a summit finish at Collada de la Gallina, 7.0 km 8.4%
Machado Dombrowski and Abal
The leaders have 51” to group Dombrowski (3 riders) and 1’44 to Galta and Kritskiy who attacked on the downhill.
The next group is 16 riders at 2’11
While the first group holds the distance to all group at this level on the first 3 km, Galta and Kritskiy are reeled back to the large group.
Then Preidler attacks from this group.
The rider in this group are now (in this ordre): Galta, Kritskiy, Monsalve, Brambilla, Goos, Arndt, Van den Broeck Kulhavy, Haig, Olivier, Vosekalns, Velits, Keizer, Lecuisinier, Kruijswijk, Nesset and Guldhammer
Everyone else is at 4 minutes or more.
3.8 km to the top, slope 9.7% Machado Dombrowski and Abal are getting a lot closer sitting just 20” behind the first group.
Behind them Preidler have laid distanced the group behind him with 24”
With 2.9 km to the top the two first groups melt together, slope 10.8%
2.1 km to the top for the leading group. Preidler at 1’57
The large group behind him have split.
At 2’42 we have now got 7 riders, Galta, Kritskiy, Monsalve, Brambilla, Olivier Goos and Arndt
At 3.21 Velits, Van den Broeck, Keizer, Kulhavy, Kruijswijk, Lecuisinier, Nesset, Haig, Vosekalns and Guldhammer
2.0 km to the top, slope 10.6% Schleck has accelerated, Madrazo hanging on. The others struggling losing 19” quite fast.
Schleck has brilliant legs today, continues to attacks and eventually also leaving Madrazo behind.
Under the red kit it is Schleck
At 20” Madrazo
At 54” group Pluchkin (4 riders) Abal sitting in this group is 11th in CG, provided that he does not explode he is looking at a huge improvement today.
At 2’18 Preidler currently 14th in GC also looking very good today if he can keep the distance he got now.
At 2’54 Group Kritskiy (7 riders), the fact that Galta is here and Lecuisinier not, may affect who will wear white tomorrow, de distance between them was 1’40 this morning.
At 3’50 Group Velits / Lecuisinier (10 riders)
There is no way anyone will catch Schleck today, with 200 meters to the line he can start his celebration, at this point already 37” to Madrazo and 1’39 to group Pluchkin. Schleck wins at Collada de la Gallina, his 2nd win in a row, and his 3rd podium in the Vuelta .
Further back in the race, what were 7 riders in group Kritskiy has fragmented.
First Kritskiy, Galta, Olivier
About 11” behind
Monsalve, Brambilla and Arndt
Goos even further back, we don’t know the exact time on him.
Most likely with mixed feelings Madrazo crosses the line 2nd with 47” to Schleck, he have lost to the race leader today, but also put some valuable distance to everyone else.
After leading the group for the last few km, Abal shows just how good legs he had today, sprinting away to claim the last podium and also a few seconds distance to the others. Pluchkin 4th Machado 5th and Dombrowski 6th
Preidler holds out for 7th, in front of Kritskiy, Galta and Olivier
As you may expect Andy Schleck still lead the Race the Point and the KOM. His team also takes over the team competition. There is 26 points down to David Rosch, 6th in the KoM, the best placed rider expected to fight for it.
Fredrik Strand Galta took the White Jersey, that competition is very close now, just 29” between Fredrik Strand Galta, Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier and Daan Olivier
[PTM] Vuelta a Espana 
