Yesterdays prologue opener delivered Algerian prologue specialist Hamza the leader jersey.
Today not many sprinters have the chance to gain enough time in the finish to take it away from him. Meyer is one of those needing a win as he is sitting just a bit under 20s off him.
Though regular winner Granjel Cabrera surely has something against him winning just like Vanoverschelde, Nizzolo and several other sprinters in the mix.
A very early KoM will reward the first rider over the top with the KoM jersey tomorrow and it`s in the middle of the breakaway attacks.
In the end the first over the top also form todays breakaway as no other rider jumped to them afterwards: Fløtten Irvine Dillier
Interesting mix as last is just 12s off and hence would be a threat for Hamza with 3 sprints already.
Same with Irvine, who is +22s but could in theory also gain enough when still being ahead of the peloton in the finish.
And Irvine as best "sprinter" winning both intermediate sprints on the first half of todays stage, hence being down to 10s behind Hamza only.
More interesting that Dillier only got 3rd twice and hence still has 8s to the leader. He now would need to stay ahead of the peloton as well. Right now with 120km to go the gap is 8min.
The last sprint goes to Flotten this time. Irvine in 2nd and Dillier again 3rd. So now both Irvine and Dillier are 6s behind Hamza. So far we ignored Flotten but he is still more than 40s off and hence was less interesting.
Behind 3 teams stood out all day in chasing. Aeropostal obviously for Granjel Cabrera. Eritel as well for their sprinter Afewerki and of course for GC leader Hamza plus MOL - OMV for Vanoverschelde.
With 10km to go the gap is down to 37s and it`s looking good for Hamza to remain in the lead.
5km and Irvine not giving up yet. Just 6s off the GC lead and hence he attacks the others, who are now caught. 16s gap still.
He still has this ~16s gap at the 3,5km mark when the sprint teams are forming. Same three teams that did work all day.
Kiflay
Besada
Tewelde
Nieves
Afewerki
Dall'Antonia
Meyer
Granjel Cabrera
Bertilsson
Maikin
Van Winden
Kreder
Haddi
Manakov
Aregger
-
Vanoverschelde
-
Von Hoff
Croket
-
Park
-
Ayoune
Opie
Nizzolo
Geschke
Keough
Rasmussen
Richeze
Berger, one of the Richeze sprinters and Selig are the 3 best sprinters missing in those trains.
Eritel still going a tad faster than Aeropostal but Kiflay is in the lead for some time now.
With both trains moving closer to each other, the 3 MOL riders now struggle as they are boxed in.
In the end Van Winden did well to move behind Granjel Cabrera and hoping to have Vanoverschelde in the perfect position.
Same goes for Meyer and Park, who sit behind Afewerki and the faster train. That said, almost head to head and not a lot of difference.
Question is what happens once the final leadout goes into the wind.
Behind Park/Meyer it`s now Bertilsson, Aregger and surprisingly Maximillian Richeze, the actual weaker sprinter on paper for Sancor.
And it`s also the moment when Irvine is caught on the side. Not having enough energy to go for the GC lead today.
Tewelde in the wind now and same goes for Dall'Antonia, who still can`t really go any faster than Nieve did.
Hence Eritel in a good position now with the mentioned riders still behind Afewerki.
Vanoverschelde behidn Manakov another few meters behind as MOL`s sprint train didn`t work at all today.
1,1km and suddenly Dall'Antonia found his legs and now moved into the lead past Tewelde. And also Manakov has done a good job by closing in.
Behind Granjel Cabrera Von Hoff now in a good position as well after being slightly blocked in before.
On the right Park going early and past Afewerki already.
Afewerki basically had a good leadout but now struggles. 900m and he has been passed by couple of sprinters including Granjel Cabrera, Von Hoff and Park and also Meyer, Nizzolo, Richeze and others just behind.
In front still Dall'Antonia with Von Hoff coming fast.
Granjel Cabrera on the left will need to accelerate soon while Park on the right has been in the wind for some time now.
Von Hoff being the spear head with 500m to go. Still super close and basically anyone able to win this today.
Nizzolo flying now and goes past Granjel Cabrera. Afewerki not so much and still struggling behind Park and not being passed by Meyer, who still has a chance for the GC lead. Maikin just behind him.
Both Richeze`s now in the mix for a top10 with Aregger, Bertilsson, Haddi amd several more also in the mix.
What a close decision for many places. The wide roads basically see 20 sprinters going for a top10 or the podium even.
One rider standing out a bit as it`s Von Hoff taking a nice win. He was 1 bike lenght ahead of the others and still wasn`t even able to celebrate in this high-speed finish. But then photo finishes everywhere.
Then Nizzolo beating Keough for 2nd while Granjel Cabrera must be disappointed today with only 4th.
Aregger and Max. Richeze following while also Vanoverschelde and Meyer next had clearly hoped for more. Later in especially since he had chances on the GC lead.
Opie and Mauro Richeze to end the top10, which means Bertilsson (11), Haddi (12), Park (18) and in especially Afewerki (17) were on the later end of the photofinishes.
That said, it was close to the podium even for them and hence on a less close finish, they could do better.
