The first of the four big GC days to finish us off and probably the least decisive on paper. It's mountain rated but only has one Cat.2 climb - which is quite long though. I'm sure many riders will be looking for a stage win, from the break, a late attack or a reduced sprint. The bigger question on the table is will we see any GC reshuffles? Many riders will be wanting to wait for the harder mountain days to launch a GC assault - or indeed the ITT. Machado still holds the GC lead by 7 seconds ahead of Schleck - the latter hasn't looked as good as some riders but you sense he's waiting for some big attacks on stages 8 and 9. It's actually simultaneous points and mountains leader Taaramäe who's looked the strongest so far, winning stages 3 and 4. A wet day today could see a slippery descent, which is never nice.
An 8 man breakaway forms very easily, they are: De Gendt, Castroviejo, Lopez, van Zyl, Robov (wearing the mountains jersey on Taaramäe's behalf, 2nd in KoM, 20 points) Ramos Ticona, Gallego Martin and Debesay. A very strong move and a large one too, which looks good to make it to the line ahead of the peloton.
Prio-Porto control pace today and don't give the breakaway too large a gap, not abovre three minutes.
A big crash early in the day involving some big names! Taaramäe, Koch, Herklotz, Madrazo, Vinhas, Frank, Goos, König, Kudus, Berhane, Beltran all down.
Everyone looks okay and makes it back to the peloton safely apart from Beltran and König, who sadly have to abandon. The former especially was looking to be picking up some GC momentum. The latter is a blow for Schleck's support and Vesuvio's teams classification chances.
Robov now suffering from a puncture. He should have time to rejoin the breakaway before the mountain. 57km to go, the breakaway have a gap of 2'13.
Unfortunately for him a few kilometres later he is caught by the peloton. Just 7 men in the breakaway now, none of them have any KoM points yet.
3km to go until the sprint point where the climb's steeper gradients begin and Taaramäe isn't messing around. He sends first Schädlich and now Wöhrer to the front to set tempo and catch the breakaway. All the heads of state are watching this closely, especially Machado and Schleck, both of whom are desperately wanting to stay ahead of the Estonian on GC.
We thought we might see a quieter day today - we were wrong! Taaramäe already attacking early in the climb, still 10km left to the summit. Pluchkin is straight on his wheel. No doubt Machado, Schleck and co. will also want to respond to this move.
Now a counterattack from Olivier! 10th on GC (9th without Beltran) senses an opportunity to gain some time, and also to launch an assault on Herklotz in the young rider's jersey, who is nowhere to be seen right now. He needs 3'48 on the German. Also following him is Wellens (who's in a similar GC situation) and, surprisingly, breakaway participant and neo-pro Miguel Lopez. The latter is purely for the stage win, or perhaps to help out Koch?
Olivier gets a gap but Lopez and Wellens can't. The latter, though, is still fighting and attacks again. Meanwhile Pluchkin and Taaramäe press on under the 20km to go banner as Schleck waits. Machado's men are coming towards the front but already look tired.
Unfortunately for the Spotify rider he can't gap the pack either.
Taaramäe now attacks Pluchkin and seems to have outgunned him for now as he goes solo at the front! Surely Schleck, Amador, Machado and co. have to respond now? Even Olivier has a minute's gap already!
It's now Goos at the front and he is chomping away at the gap of the three riders ahead and has dragged a 22-man group away from the peloton. He's also put the white jersey Herklotz in trouble as well as Kritskiy, Morton, Madrazo and Yates!
Madrazo actually in a world of trouble already over 4 minutes behind Taaramäe! The Estonian well ahead of everybody else and in the provisional yellow jersey with just 4 kilometres left to climb! Olivier and Pluchkin still ahead of the yellow jersey group but losing ground.
As the snow begins to fall Machado knows it's now or never and attacks! Schleck follows closely.
This drops Koch and Dombrowski from the group and gives them a gap, though Machado is slightly ahead of Schleck.
Bongiorno counters now, Alarcon follows closely. Both are about 10 minutes down on GC. Bongiorno obviously now with the hopes of Puma potentially on his shoulders, Alarcon has had a bad race so far and needs to be better. The snow, sleet and rain sets a slippery setting for the downhill and an epic one for the uphill as Taaramäe only has two kilometres to the summit and still a gap of two minutes to Machado and Schleck.
For maybe the first time all race, Andy Schleck cracks! Machado forges on ahead and catches Olivier as we also see in the background Vysna of Moser having a great day and catching Bongiorno and Alarcon!
Just 11km remaining for Taaramäe as he summits the mountain over a minute and a half ahead of Pluchkin. A real show of strength here, 9km solo on the mountain only increasing the gap as he went. If he stays safe this should be the stage and GC lead for him.
Pluchkin crosses the line 1'30 behind Taaramäe and 20 seconds ahead of Machado and Olivier. Machado needs to get a move on but you sense the other two won't be too upset with their positions on the climb.
Vysna actually the strongest here as he attacks again, trying to reach Machado and Olivier. Schleck in real difficulty as Bongiorno and Alarcon tire as well. These three are 30 seconds behind Machado and Olivier.
Amador is having a very bad day here as his top 5 could be slipping away, surely he'll need a massive attack to have a shot at winning now. Vosekalns is moving up on GC for Evonik but surely they'd have preferred Koch to have been in that group.
Even worse is Madrazo, who's over 7 minutes behind Taaramäe and visibly exhausted.
Also race radio reporting Vysna has caught Olivier and Madrazo. Taaramäe extending his lead on the descent to nearly two minutes, no other real changes. The Estonian has 6km to go.
The road flattens out for Taaramäe, who's still fighting for every second, but he should gain over a minute on Machado and more on Schleck and Amador.
Taaramäe is simply the best today, an unbeatable performance to claim his third stage win and the GC lead. Chapeau, and what a statement made, a dominant way to ride into yellow.
Pluchkin didn't gain as much time as he may have hoped but showed some fight today to gain 20 seconds on Machado and bump himself to third on GC.
Machado fights for every second but is nearly two minutes behind Taaramäe in third. Olivier is fourth after a strong showing, which should do wonders for his GC and young rider's jersey ambitions. Vysna is fifth, a very smart and strong performance. No word on his provisional GC placing yet.
Schleck and co. were caught on the line by Amador's group. I can't imagine any managers here are very cheery about that one as they concede many GC minutes. It could have been much worse for them though.
As Koch brings hope the big group of the day, Herklotz manages to just fend off Olivier in the battle for the youth jersey. We should see an exciting fight for that jersey over the next three days. There are many stories we can't wait to see unfold tomorrow in the TT, but for now a lot to discuss anyway. Taaramäe's dominance/special water, Schleck's collapse, Olivier's revitalisation. Vysna obviously on the same programme as Bewley and Sagan too. Tomorrow gives a good chance for Keizer to finally move up a bit, Taaramäe to extend his lead and Pluchkin to make some gains on Schleck and Machado. Until then.
