Another flat stage with two very easy cat.4 climbs and two point sprints, two longer hill today but the slopes very gentle, a relative late sharp turn will make it important to stay close to the front, not to disconnect in the crosswind.
Again hot and partly sunny, 35°C with winds at about 25 km/h
Reminder of GC:
1
Mohs
14h19'51
2
Canelon
s.t.
3
Krieger
+ 3
4
Carsi
s.t.
5
Bennett
+ 4
6
Moser
+ 11
7
Von Hoff
+ 12
8
Boivin
s.t.
9
Sobota
+ 14
10
Korzh
+ 16
11
Ranneries
+ 18
12
Boev
+ 20
13
Vaquera
+ 21
14
Granjel Cabrera
+ 22
15
Martins Sandoval
+ 34
The Race
Brown with the first acceleration, Finkst and Bravo at wheel.
They are caught without hesitation from the pack.
Then Lau, Oka, Van Wyk, Williams and Zhang, but not able to get away.
Later Ballesteros, Oka, Van Wyk, Williams.
The group has 43” when Christensen and Cheyne counter.
McCormick won’t let is rest and keep the gap around 30”, but the breakaway get to the KoM first, without fight Van Wyk take the KoM in front of Christensen, none of these rider interested in that competition.
After the KoM the peloton let go of the gas, over the 13 km from the KoM to the points sprint the gap grow to 1’40”
Williams, Oka and Ballesteros all at just 5” in u25 classification, Ballesteros the only one to get some bonus here, the sprint was won by Cheyne in front of Van Wyk and Ballesteros
The distance grows to more than 3 minutes, with some 130 km left. From here the pack slowly starts to get a little closer. Butler, Filutas, Franczak, Lagab, Mudgway, Nielsen, O'Connor, Quispe, Rojas Villegas, Scotson, Voicu, Waersted Welten and Yates have taken turns over the last 70 km, but have just cut the cap to 2’17” as the breakaway passes the 2nd KoM
Again the riders in the break do not look for the KoM points and just roll over in their usual paceline. Oka in front of Ballesteros and Cheyne
Over the 13 km between the KoM and the point sprint the workload in the bunch carried by Lagab, Quicibal, Butler, Phonarjthan, Ngandamba, Franczak, Kolev and Nielsen
Distance at the sprint 1’48
The sprint goes to Oka in front of Ballesteros and Cheyne, the two first both improving their virtual U25 standing a lot.
Fox News - Flat Earth Society now put a lot in riders into the pursuit, Butler, Phonarjthan, Rojas Villegas, Vermeulen and Howes
With crosswinds at 21 km/h this might be an attempt to split the pack, with Korzh sitting close to the front behind McCabe
Fox News train is not strong enough and neither are they reducing the gap a lot nor able to split the pack.
Soon the pursuit are taken over by faster riders, Cherkasov, Kolev, Quispe, Toupalik and Ngandamba and although Cheyne makes a desperate last attempt a bit later, the breakaway was basically over with 24 km left.
From km 19 to 14 we see what look like another attempt to split the pack, with top 10 riders Boivin and Korzh hanging very low, this time it is Euskaltel – Elior, with Batmunkh burning a lot of energy at the front, but clearly also creating a situation where many top sprinters are unprotected and trying to hang in on their own.
But the pack do not split and we get 6 km with wind from behind, Euskaltel – Elior now joined by Bianchi – Campagnolo leading with 50 km/h, but with the wind in their back all top 10 sprinters close up prior to the important right turn coming up with 8 km left.
The danger is not over even though all to riders got through the corner without losing position, we got a 26 km/h crosswind on the 8 km leading up to the finish.
Up to km 4, the pace is not extreme but then we get a move by Netia – Vonin, Bernas flying forward in front of Franczak and Sobota with Vaquera at wheel.
Moser best placed amongst the other sprinters sitting with many teammates right behind Vaquera, Mohs also in a fine position.
The other top 10 rider positioned in the order: Boivin, Krieger, Bennett, Canelon, Von Hoff, Korzh, Carsi.
3 km Bernas keept the pace at 49 km/h and that was enough to make a small opening behind the first 9 riders, but Jakobsen was alert and the group include a Euskaltel – Elior train with Fonseca and Moser at Jakobsen’s wheel, besides the two trains we also got Gaspar, Langeveld and Vaquera in this leading group.
In front of the next group Kluge and Dockx waiting for Granjel Cabrera to catch up, and Stash with Boivin
About 8-10 position in the group Mohs, Granjel Cabrera and Krieger
Ranneries, Korzh and Von Hoff a few rows further back, whereas Canelon and even worse Carsi and Bennett really need to move forward now.
2 km Bernas (52 km/h) now more clearly leads with Franczak, Sobota and Vaquera at wheel. All close to the left side banner.
Right side of Franczak, Fonseca and not far behind him Moser, where as it seems like Jakobsen is done falling back behind Sobota close to the left side banners.
Further right between Fonseca and Moser, Stash have connected to Gaspar and behind them Boivin have almost connected to his teammates.
Even further right Kluge, Dockx and Granjel Cabrera have also closed the gap to the leading riders.
Also improved nicely Krieger getting close to Vaquera and right behind him Ranneries and right behind them race leader Mohs, we can also spot Von Hoff not too far behind Mohs, the other top 10 riders further down the line behind Mohs.
1.5 km
Left side: Bernas swings off right as his speed drop to 53 km/h, Franczak takes over (56 km/h) with Sobota clued.
Right side: Kluge (49 km/h) swings of left, Dockx (61 km/h) takes over for Granjel Cabrera
In between those two trains Gaspar now slow (46 km/h) so its Stash (59 km/h) for Boivin and Fonseca (59 km/h) with Moser.
Vaquera either in trouble or deliberately fallen back to Moser’s wheel.
Ranneries have found Boivin’s wheel and Krieger right behind Vaquera.
Not far behind Krieger, Burke (48 km/h) have brought Mohs closer but his pace is dropping now.
1 km left.
Over the last 500 meters the Netia – Vonin train was done leaving Sobota alone, and he cleverly decided to go for Granjel Cabrera’s wheel, a present looking to be the best placed rider sitting behind Dockx (67 km/h) who was first under the kite at the right side of the road..
In the middle also Stash (69 km/h) fast with Boivin and Ranneries
Left of them Fonseca (69 km/h) with Moser in his slipstream, as we can see the three trains moving at close to the same speed.
Vaquera still at Moser’s wheel with Krieger, behind them some distance down to the next group with race leader Mohs still behind teammate Burke, he definitely need to move now it he want to be a part of this stage.
600 meters Dockx is done (56 km/h)
It is Fonseca (68 km/h) in front of Stash (69 km/h) taking the wind.
The top sprinters in the first group have started the final kick towards the line.
From right to left: Granjel Cabrera (70 km/h), Sobota (74 km/h), Ranneries (75 km/h), Boivin (75 km/h), Moser (73 km/h)
A few meters behind Moser Vaquera (76 km/h) and several cycling lengths further back Krieger (75 km/h and even further back Von Hoff 77 km/h, everyone else seems to be out of this one.
400 meters Fonseca still in front but clearly one of the three leading sprinters will overtake him in a few seconds.
300 meters
A sort of strange situation with a misguided team car moving way to slow, but the riders make it around without any serious delay. Boivin leading now with Granjel Cabrera and Moser both very close. Krieger now close enough for a guaranteed 9th in front of slow moving Dockx
200 meters
100 meters
Boivin wins the final stage of Circulo de Juarez, and with the bonus seconds he get also wins the GC.
Moser 2nd and with this also 2nd in the GC
Granjel Cabrera takes the last podium, moving up to 10th in the GC.
Ranneries 4th, Sobota 5th and Vaquera 6th
Krieger 7th, Fonseca 8th Stash 9th and Von Hoff just in time to overtake Gert Dockx and get inside top 10.
As mentioned Guillaume Boivin won the race in front of Moreno Moser with the good stage results today. Alexander Krieger took the last podium after a lot solid stage results.
Moreno Moser won the points classification and Wu Hsing Yang the KoM.
In the U25 we saw riders from the breakaway take bonus today but they all lost time on the finish line and Chris Harper kept his U25 lead. Equinor Pro Cycling was best team.
Circulo de Juarez 
