The mountainous background is certainly the theme for today as we complete several climbs on our way to a shorter but steep finish in Innsbruck. The riders will get one view of this climb early, then go around for a circuit of 5 climbs, before returning to Innsbruck for the finish.
168 km
Our opening move comes from Lienhard. Crncevic and Sendeku are the first to respond.
165 km
A surprise as one of the better climbers, Suaza will be able to come across with Ropero.
159 km
Group two now gets away from the peloton! Led by Riesebeek with, McKenna, Ivo Oliveira and Gaday.
154 km
Short lived for the 2nd group as that was just too much, Groselj leads the peloton back in this already fast race.
146 km
Ease off for a minute and more break away though, a new group with Pozzo, Costa, Lemus Davila, Belgasem, Gonzalez Cortes, Pereyra and Caruso gets free.
Danacik and Gaday had also made a move, and sit between groups 1 and 2.
136 km
On top of the first climb out of Innsbruck the situation is two groups in front of the peloton, the first 1'13 ahead, and the second 35" up.
Group 1:
Ropero
Danacik
Suaza
Lienhard
Gaday
Crncevic
Group 2:
Belgasem
Gonzalez Cortes
Lemus Davila
Sendeku
Pereyra
Pozzo
Caruso
123 km
Breakaway group 2 would be caught and the fast pace that has already dropped riders off the back would finally slow down. The peloton sits at 162 riders and Gonzalez Cortes would be able to cross into the first group from the second.
60 km
The third time of asking on the circuit drops two of our breakaway riders leaving us with 5. While the peloton is down to 101 riders remaining.
Suaza
Danacik
Gonzalez Cortes
Ropero
Crncevic
40 km
4th time on the circuit and we have fireworks! Lopez attacks the peloton, with him are Pluchkin, Keinath and Herklotz.
38 km
Gonzalez Cortes now solo off the front of the breakaway! He must have good legs today.
35 km
That doesn't mean he can hold off an attacking Pluchkin who carries Herklotz and the remaining breakaway riders with him.
34 km
Boasson Hagen fresh off his win at Milano - San Remo works to lead the peloton back but they are 1'19 back.
25 km
There isn't much left to the peloton, but all the favorites are still there in this group of 23.
22 km
The fiery determination of Gonzalez Cortes as he attacks the newly formed breakaway group refusing to allow the favorites to dictate the race!
18 km
Unfortunately on the penultimate climb an attack from Keinath would be the end of the day for any remaining parts of the early breakaway.
Our lead group is now the same attackers from the peloton before.
Keinath
Herklotz
Lopez
Pluchkin
15 km
The elite climbers have made their move from the peloton! Only 9 remain in this group.
Sicard
Guldhammer
Spilak
Choi
Morton
Kinoshita
Madrazo
Lutsenko
Pomoshnikov
14 km
Attack from the breakaway! Herklotz will try to go solo!
13 km
The situation over the top of the penultimate climb keeps changing. So we will list the riders in order as they crest.
Leader: Herklotz
Sicard
+19"
Spilak
+50"
Keinath
Guldhammer
Beltran
Morton
Pluchkin
Madrazo
9 km
Somehow on the decent Sicard found his courage and caught the much better descender Herklotz.
2.5 km
We begin the final brutal climb, the situation still the same, leaders with 22" on the 7 remaining riders.
1.5 km
The grade is well over 10% and Herklotz has dropped Sicard as Guldhammer leads the remaining group.
1 km
The slopes here are brutal and easy to see, now it is Spilak who tries to chase down our leader.
Just around the corner we can see it is Pluchkin and Madrazo coming around the fading Guldhammer.
750 m
Spilak moves into the lead, Herklotz still on his wheel, followed by Madrazo, Pluchkin and futher back Morton with the rest.
500 m
Now it is Madrazo who is able to get past in the fight for 2nd.
fin
Your winner today is Simon Spilak!
Madrazo in 2nd, Herklotz holds on to finish the podium. Not far behind is Pluchkin for 4th.
Next around the corner and up to the finish is Morton with Sicard just beating Guldhammer for 5th, 6th and 7th respectively.
8th for Beltran, Keinath takes 9th and our top 10 is finished by Choi.
