After yesterday’s very hard and at least to me unexpectedly decisive TTT, we are now in climbers territory, from the coastal city Mataró we are heading directly north into the Pyrénées. We are going up basically all day, but at the last 61 km it gets very rough, with three climbs right after right other, mounting up to a total of 28 km climbing at an average 5.9%
We can be quite sure that the leader jersey will change rider again after today, as it was not Rigoberto Uran but instead Minions much weaker climber Metkel Kiflay who took it yesterday.
Not to mention that many strong climbers will do what they can to prevent Minions form keeping the jersey. Just to mention the most likely at +2 Schelling, at +7 Tenorio, at +35 Shikai, at +41 Carapaz and at +45 Choi
14°C and clouded with winds mainly at 6 – 9 km/h but sometimes on the flat mid-section up to 20 km/h. There is 16 KoM points at the finish line.
Reminder of top climbers:
M
R
A
S
H
M
R
A
S
H
Tenorio
84
76
67
78
76
Mannion
77
76
71
72
71
Uran
82
81
71
75
74
Kozhatayev
77
75
69
71
74
Intxausti
81
77
69
77
70
Solis
77
75
64
65
58
Shikai
81
76
66
74
71
Bartl
77
74
70
73
72
Eastman
81
75
69
76
71
Grmay
77
73
71
71
74
Machado
81
69
67
72
74
Rodrigues
77
73
71
70
72
Roglic
80
76
74
75
76
Topchanyuk
77
72
70
72
73
Abal
80
76
72
73
69
Scarponi
77
72
70
71
75
Schelling
80
76
70
75
75
Battaglin
77
72
70
69
72
Meintjes
80
76
69
77
77
Hirschlein
77
71
59
71
71
Choi
80
76
68
77
74
Squire
77
70
71
70
77
Carapaz
80
76
65
71
71
Ignatenko
77
70
63
74
73
Bennett
80
74
73
75
76
Kennaugh
77
70
63
71
70
Talansky
79
76
69
75
77
Hoem
77
69
62
74
72
Pomoshnikov
79
76
66
78
74
Galiev
76
79
58
73
69
Pantano Gomez
79
74
68
73
71
Fraile
76
76
66
74
72
Costagli
79
71
67
70
71
Ivanov
76
75
68
72
74
Chamorro
78
76
74
72
75
Andriafenomananiaina
76
74
71
74
72
Ranaweera
78
75
65
75
73
Ortega
76
74
62
68
65
Padun
78
73
73
71
75
Hasta
76
73
60
68
70
The Race
The first move today was initiated by Urcelay, behind him Pronskiy with Poljanec and Pogacar
Getting closer to the early climb KoM holder Haavardsholm realize it is now or never if he want to stay in that competition and soon after another acceleration from the pack by Chamorro, Pantano Gomez, Misbah and Niyonshuti.
Worth mentioning that Juan Ernesto Chamorro and Jarlinson Pantano Gomez are both very good climbers and as such very dangerous at least for a stage win on a profile like this one if the get a substantial lead before on the last climbs.
The opening climb is 3.8 km at 4.8%
Just as the groups melt together Pogacar attack for the KoM, the riders coming from behind have nothing left to counter with, and he takes the KoM in front of Niyonshuti and Poljanec.
Ole Haavardsholm still way ahead in the competition with none of his closest rivals in the breakaway. Distance to the bunch 1’21” over the KoM.
Pogacar attacks with 1.7 km to the top
Right after the climb we see the pack aiming to close the gap cutting the distance down to 48”, but the breakaway persist and after a while the peloton accepts the situation, over the long slightly uphill section from km 168 to 133 the gap crows to 5’17”, on the slightly downhill section leading up to the first point sprint dropping a little to 4’55.
The breakaway do fight for the points, Haavardsholm takes it as his acceleration is way higher than anyone else here.
The pack starts to up the pace a bit more reducing the distance to 3’15 as Haavardsholm takes the 2nd points sprint with 87 km left.
In the breakaway Urcelay working hard to up the pace and help teammate Gomez
Some riders working in the pack from the sprint to the start of the climb: Cheyne, Beniusis, Durbridge, Tennant.
When the climb starts Chamorro take the lead in the breakaway, in the pack now also a much better climber in Solis, 7.5 km to the top for the breakaway, distance 2’59”
Chamorro leading in front of Urcelay
With the sudden change of pace a split in the pack caught Machado off guard and that seems to be crucial, he now sits in a large group of weaker riders falling further and further back, he have to do all the work alone and starting 3’50 down the motivation might not be there either, with his lieutenant leaving him like this.
Up front Pantano Gomez have taking things into his own hands after Urcelay was done, riding away from everyone else with only Chamorro and Niyonshuti still clued. Pack at 3’02” 4 km to the top.
Pantano Gomez attack for the KoM creating a gap of 20” over the last km, meanwhile the trio now alone in front from the bunch and Haavardsholm accelerates from the pack to claim 4th and 8 points extending his KoM lead. Distance over the top 3’41” 52 km left.
The pack takes some serious time back on the descent the lead is 2’37 when the trio starts the first of two climb to La Molina 9.4 km at 5.9 % avg.
After the first about 2 km of the climb strong Fraile and Costagli steep on the gas pedal in the pack, and the back door is now wide open with riders dropping all the time.
Many top climbers now gathering at the front of the pack, we can spot Shikai, Tenorio, Abal, Intxausti, Schelling, Bartl, Kozhatayev, Bennett, Squire, Roglic, Ranaweera more or less in this order.
Distance 1’29 3 km to the top for the leading trio.
Costagli leads the pack
Here we go, Shikai attack and Schelling goes with him.
This was most likely the end of yellow jersey holder Kiflay well done by him to fight this brave though, also KoM holder Haavardsholm dropped and more unexpected Bennett, Mannion and Grmay, just 30 riders left in the favorite group.
Shikai and Schelling are reeled in.
Pantano Gomez again attacks and take another KoM, but this time the favorites is at just 1’15”
Top favorite Tenorio moves to the front on the last part of the climb, but leaves the downhill to Minions domestics Martinez and Haga.
The pack was down to 24 over the top, but the descent is not very fast and 17 riders rejoin, amongst them Costagli, Fraile, Hirschlein, Kozhatayev, Mannion and Rodrigues, the KoM holder and amazingly also the race leader, but Bennett and his teammates do not get back.
We are now at the final climb, 10.6 km to the line for the pack, Roglic attack.
The acceleration takes Le Bon to the front and another increase in the pace, which bring back first Chamorro and then Niyonshuti
Also Roglic almost caught but Le Bon swings off and at the same time Roglic steeps on the gas pedal one more time.
Roglic really got his legs going now, soon the passes Pantano Gomez and drops him immediately.
With 6 km to the top Pantano Gomez at 11” pack at another 18”
The order in the pack is Eyob, Abal, Tenorio, Shikai, Schelling, Martinez, Kennaugh, Choi, Ranaweera, Squire, Eastman, Ignatenko, Haga, Pomoshnikov, Battaglin, Hoem, Meintjes, Rodrigues, Bartl, Intxausti, Seibeb, Uran, Koren, Talansky and Suryadi
More than 40” to the next rider.
Primoz Roglic takes the stage lead
The pace is awfully high now riders dropping all the time:
First Koren and Suryadi
Them Squire, Haga, Rodrigues and Bartl
later Martinez and Kennaugh
Eyob continues his impressive hard work for Abal, but he can’t keep the pace of Roglic now 38” in front of the favorite group. 5 km left for Roglic.
Eyob swings of and now Tenorio takes the lead.
Pantano Gomez get caught due to the new harder pace set by Tenorio, more riders drop and we are now down to 11 riders in pursuit, Tenorio, Uran, Intxausti, Eastman, Shikai, Choi, Meintjes, Schelling, Abal, Pomoshnikov and Talansky
Roglic though got it today, still at 37” with just 3 km left.
In the back of the pursuit could look like Intxausti struggles to hang in.
The next section mainly downhill but still riders keep dropping first Intxausti, then Talansky and latest Pomoshnikov
The order between the remaining favorites on the downhill are Schelling, Shikai, Tenorio, Choi, Abal, Eastman, Uran, Meintjes
With just 700 meters left Roglic got 35”, the finish uphill but he is seemingly sure to take the stage.
200 meters left for Roglic and the 8 riders come round the corner starting the 400 meters left for them.
Roglic wins at La Molina
Tenorio 2nd , Schelling 3rd , Shikai 4th and Choi round of top 5
Abal 6th Uran 7th
All those riders lose 17” to Primoz Roglic
Eastman 8th at 45” Meintjes 9th at 1’00”
Pomoshnikov round of top 10 at 1’35”
In the GC Patrick Schelling (UBS) will take the lead just 1” ahead of Justo Tenorio (Desigual), Rigoberto Uran (Minions) 3rd at +6”
Nicolae Tanovitchii (Popo4Ever) keeps the Points lead and Ole Haavardsholm (Adastra) the KoM. Suranga Ranaweera (Sauber) new U25 leader and new in the team lead ENI - MOL
Volta a Catalunya 
