TTT on the 6th day. With 39km length also one that can lead to some time gaps.
The favourites might be UBS easily as they have a strong lineup here. Kraftwerk, Wiggle, Newton and Eritel might come afterwards. Though several teams are very similar.
For some leaders though it`s about reducing the time loss as you can lose a lot here.
Haute Route - Mavic on the road early. This TTT is not really to their favour any after Pinot`s weak performance yesterday, he normally can`t lose a lot more as it`s difficult for him to get back in the mountains.
That said only Hussein is a proper time trialist and all others are rather weak. Hence expectations today aren`t high.
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes being quite the difference. Half their team is solid against the clock and their leader and last years GC winner Pozzovivo is not too bad neither and should be able to remain their 5th best rider. A solid Brit core of Christian, Rowsell and KoM leader Handley to work the most today and for the moment still leading at the first intermediate!
MOL - OMV Petrom mainly have Van Winden. Then Ratiy and the rest. With the Ukrainian though having lost some time already, their new leader is Pomoshnikov and hence the pace today mustn`t be too high.
Though 2nd so far just 7s down to Wiggle at the early spot.
Same time for Carlsberg - Danske bank. Decent for Garby, who looked pretty good yesterday. Only his positioning was awful. His main support today is Christensen, who is a real powerhouse.
Next up Eritel - Sonatrach and what was disappointing yesterday with a weak Berhane performance, today looks to continue like this.
They are 21s down early on and even 1s slower as Haute Route. Kiflay, Hamza, Hadi and Reguigui normally should deliver more with Berhane being their average 5th guy. Though apparently their work for Hamza and Afewerki so far works against them.
Team Reddit as next team in the +7s first intermediate.
Seeing their depth this is rather good and Krasnoperov might yet again do decent in the 1st week and could remain a dark horse for the GC.
Kraftwerk Man Machine on the road and Kiserlovski so far looks like a sure podium candidate and big favourite for the win maybe. With Bontenackels, Irvine and Gerdemann he has decent support for today and also the longer ITT later on might be in his favour against most other favourites.
+7s for them as 4th team now.
Team Ticos Air Costa Rica might have hoped for more from Barguil yesterday. Though with Chamorro and Sakalou they have two more riders in a good GC position at the moment and all 3 are expected to steadily move up in the harder mountain stages.
Today though they show that a pure mountain train can also show a proper TTT.
7th and +18 for them at the first and faster than Berhane or Pinot!
Newton Foundation having a solid squad here and with Fraile and Warbasse also two of the stronger TT riders as favourites. Verona and Eaton add some more depth and hence one of todays favourites.
6th and +11 looking a bit below expectations though.
Last but not least UBS reaching the first check. And as expected the new lead. Only by 1s though.
For Schelling, who also looking good for a top GC, it`s a great sign. As 6th best TTT riders though he better keeps contact.
And a jump to some teams finishing now. Some unmentioned as well but Statoil, Aeropostal just lose quite a bit time. More than 1-2 minutes to the best today. Haute Route just a bit better while Garmin was 45s faster than those.
Wiggle p/b Boardman Bikes yet again with the best time in the finish at the moment as 5th team finishing.
Meanwhile at the 2nd check they have lost a bit. Just 3s to Kraftwerk, 6s to Carlsberg, Reddit and MOL lost couple seconds while Eritel at 16s gained a bit with Ticos at +21. UBS not yet there.
MOL - OMV Petrom next coming in at +35s to Wiggle. That`s 4s behind Garmin, while SanCor also finished with 1'31 to Wiggle.
Stancu as their 5th finisher really struggled in the end but helped by not getting fully dropped.
Worse for Carlsberg - Danske bank.
Their time is good. 17s to Wiggle and 2nd for the moment. But Garby wasn`t one of their top5 and is dropped. Probably losing ~90s, which he will need to gain back in the mountains...
Krasnoperov meanwhile remains a solid bet for a high finish so far. Team Reddit over the line with 6 riders even and beating Carlsberg`s time. 15s behind Wiggle.
UBS meanwhile reaching the 2nd spot and as expected keeping the lead. 16s ahead, which sees a range of 2min for the moment between 1st and last team.
Kraftwerk Man Machine with Kiserlovski coming in and remain on the podium. 2nd with +7 to Wiggle.
Team Ticos Air Costa Rica also with an impressive TTT here seeing their lineup. 6th and just 34s loss to Wiggle! Good news for Barguil/Chamorro.
Elissonde lost some time today and might end as pure helper only after todays stage.
Newton Foundation next and Warbasse/Fraile also with a good run. 5th and 26s. Might have hoped for more maybe but could have gone a lot worse as e.g. Eritel - Sonatrach shows as 9th and +36.
Pinot`s Haute Route - Mavic at 1'15 and hence a bit more loss.
And as last and obvious winner Team UBS led by Dillier with Schelling going over the line as 5th and with them.
They gained until the end. 36s in total and hence Schelling with a big step forward and actually into the race lead.
Fraile into 2nd ahead of De Marchi today as Telia unnoticed lost 1'37 today.
Kiserlovski as new 4th with a very strong position for the moment while last years winner Pozzovivo also appears in the first rows already in 6th.
Barguil +3'19, Berhane at +3'46, Garby +4'18, Pinot +5'05 already a bit behind.
