Before we get started with today's coverage, a look at the carnage yesterday's stage caused in the peloton:
Juts 61 riders start today's race. We have a clear day, as opposed to the tough conditions we had yesterday. The profile is also relatively milder, and the riders will be grateful for the relief.
Favourites
STA
RES
REC
COB
SPR
ACC
Summerhill
76
72
69
83
70
73
Vanspeybrouck
78
71
72
82
67
69
Spengler
72
73
76
82
61
70
Zepuntke
79
72
64
81
72
65
Stallaert
76
68
80
81
79
76
Baugnies
80
73
73
80
65
73
Nolf
77
72
69
80
63
71
Ferreira
74
70
69
79
71
69
Van Keirsbulck
75
73
63
78
70
68
Breen
72
72
71
78
73
72
Orue
77
70
56
78
53
58
Sinkeldam
74
70
68
77
68
68
Debesay
75
79
70
77
69
78
Bohli
79
75
65
77
74
68
Albert
74
72
70
77
62
66
Chatarunga
79
72
68
77
70
68
Kulppi
73
69
69
77
65
70
Kosic
74
70
67
77
59
64
Corwin
66
64
63
77
55
56
Grand
74
70
68
77
65
65
Eeckhout
71
71
61
77
64
57
The break forms early with six riders:
Van der Haar Gallopin Marcos Brynjolfsson Philipsen Naesen
Naesen wins the first intermedaite sprint ahead of Philipsen and Van der Haar. The break have pulled out a 5 minute lead over the peloton.
100 kilometers to go for the pack, who're maintaining a steady pace. They're eating into the break's advantage. It currently stands at 3'14". Around eight teams are sharing the pace-making duties at the front.
The break are stating the first cobbled section. 75 kilometers remain.
Marcos has been dropped by the break following a puncture. Awful timing! The break continues to split up ahead of the Minions rider.
19 riders have been dropped from the pack.
Sweeck with a gap at the front of the peloton.
Van der Haar and Brynjolfsson are the front-runners from the break 10 kilometers later.
Marcos and Philipsen in the next group. Gallopin and Naesen are further back.
Sweeck is back in the pack, and soon Naesen, Gallopin and Philipsen are caught as well.
53 km left. Corwin is dropped.
Marcos is dropped at the start of the third cobbles sector.
Up ahead, Van der Haar has dropped Brynjolfsson.
Albert, Dahl-Olsen, Kumara, Domene, Ostergaard and Orue have been dropped from the pack.
Brynjolfsson is back in the peloton now.
Van Asbroeck is the next to be dropped.
Soon, Sinkeldam suffers the same fate.
And then, it is Bohli...
followed by Lindeman.
Van der Haar wins the second intermediate sprint unopposed.
Stallaert and Baugnies take the other bonifications on offer. They trail Van der Haar by 2'41".
15 km to go. No obstacles remain for Van der Haar. He is increasing his lead over the reduced pack, who seem to have run out of riders who can chase the lone surviving breakaway rider.
Baugnies attacks the 26 rider peloton with 9 km remaining. The group now trail by over 4 minutes.
The final kilometer for Van der Haar now. He's not going to get caught.
Behind, Baugnies has a slender 6" lead.
No problems for Van der Haar as he comfortably takes the win. Poor camera work here as they fail to pick up his celebration, and also fail to get a front shot for the sponsors (apologies for that).
The peloton reaches the final kilometer having just caught Baugnies.
800 meters to go as Vedel Kvist launches first, followed by Stallaert. Debesay is on the far side, in perhaps an uncharacteristic position.
Those three are joined by Lindeman at the front with 500 meters to go in the sprint for 2nd.
Stallaert takes the lead with 200 meters to go.
Stallaert indeed clinches 2nd place. Vedel Kvist stayed close but is 3rd in the end.
Debesay has enough in his legs to hold on to 4th. Van Asbroeck is 5th.
Summerhill is safely home in 6th. Vanspeybrouck is 7th.
Ferreira is 8th. Bohli and Kumara complete the Top 10.
Today's winner - Lars Van der Haar.
(Apologies once again for not getting a podium picture as the game crashed before the podium! Wanted to get a picture of his win from the replay but that too couldn't happen because of the crash.)
The slowing down of the pack towards the end, allowed some dropped riders to make it back. However, Domene lost time on the stage, falling from 9th to 11th, as too did Dahl-Olsen who drops from 11th to 14th. Corwin drops from 20th to 30th. Orue must have been on a really bad day, as he misses the time limit, the only rider on the stage to do so, and is eliminated from the race after such a promising start.
No changes at the top of the GC other than Orue's removal. Van der Haar moves to 3rd in the Points standings with Stallaert now 5th. Ferreira keeps his lead, now by just a point over Summerhill, who retains his GC lead. Kumara is the new leader of the U25s.
