Is it the toughest stage of the whole Giro 2020? Maybe.
Is it a day where you can lose it all? Surely.
4 long climbs today and it`s the last chance for climbers to move up in the GC, which is in especially interesting for the second fight between Spilak and Herklotz, who only once really came in seperated. Tomorrow`s TT is in favour of Spilak, so the German needs to act today.
And as yesterday has shown, lots of movement from 5th to 15h is still possible as gaps aren`t big a lot of times.
Cat.2: Cima Campio: 18.8 km, 5.2 %
Cat.HC: Passo Manghen: 18.6 km, 7.2 %
Cat.2: Passo Rolle: 20.6 km, 4.5 %
Cat.1: Monte Avena: 13.4 km, 6.0 %
The hardest part surely the 2nd half of the Cat.HC and then the middle section of the final climb. Here the slopes regularly go above 10 %.
No less than 19 riders in the group but the biggest name attacking did not make it: Quintana wanted to try something different today but was not allowed to get into the group.
Still we have a very dangerous mix here as the KoM hunters are sometimes also high in the GC.
Raileanu really missing here as 4th in the KoM fight as it`s now Goos vs several riders for the jersey.
The Cat. 2 starts well for Lierse. Oomen takes the 10 points and none of the others gets any. Smith-Kolesnikov-Jang-Rybalkin next.
Goos remains at 82 and Aru at 73 while Oomen is closing with 68 now.
The HC is much mroe difficult and on the high slopes several riders lose contact.
Grashev was dropped early. Clearly the weakest climber in the break and already back in the peloton.
Now Ndayisenga, Jang and Gebremedhin also dropped!
And ahead of them Aru/Tvetcov. This is obviously bad news for the KoM hopes of eBuddy as the Italian might not get any more points.
Oomen once again being strongest and taking no less than 20 points.
Behind him Goos though up to 2nd and 14 points. Linke, Nesset, Smith following with Smith, Rybalkin, Dekker, Vosekalns, Konig, Iturria, Kolesnikov getting small points only.
So Aru out and Dekker/Konig not looking as strong.
Fight seems to be between Goos and Oomen with the first having a gap of just 6 points now!
Shock for Repsol. Alarcon is behind the favourite group of 42 riders on top of the HC climb and some of his team mates drop back.
But news quickly comes that it was just a puncture and no sign of bad legs.
Riders being dropped already include: Zardini, Raileanu, Stüssi, Wohrer, Jaramillo, Teuns, Heymes, Serrano, Kolar, Rosch as decent support riders.
Not having a puncture but also struggling on the downhill is Bongiorno. The group split another time into a 26 rider GC group and a group of 8 and 7 following.
The Festina leader, 11th in GC shortly in danger to be on the wrong hand but as he still has a team mate with him, he quickly is back with the best.
Looking into that group, easy to see that many riders are isolated already with Generali, Puma, Gazelle, Tinkoff being main exceptions.
Generali in especially while Isostar is not having big numbers here.
3 of theirs though in a small group just behind including also the Repsol train around Alarcon and Zardini, so quickly will come back.
Also Aru, Nesset, Ndayisenga and Gebremedhin are about to make it back into the breakaway group of 13. Though slowly going uphill again, they surely not have the legs as the others.
On top Oomen takes teh win once again but Goos right behind him. Unfortunately uncovered from the pictures.
Lunke, Kolesnikov and Dekker next. So Goos remains in the lead by 4 points only with Aru in 3rd and then Konig and Dekker/Raileanu.
Only the final climb left and with a gap of 5min and 52km to go, it is surely possible but the GC riders clearly will accelerate as well.
Up to 57 riders in there and surprisingly Bennelong (Roe) and Aegon (Zardini) are working. Hosek for Moser as well.
Repsol though with 4 riders as well lining up.
25km and a gap of still 4:40.
The break now splits into pieces.
Godoy the first to be dropped from the actual 13 as the Aru/Nesset group again lost contact.
In front now Konig, who saved energy earlier as also Vosekalns and Iturria.
A quick overview just before the final climb.
3'30 the gap.
Ndayisenga, Jaramillo, Kangert, Ciccone, Dees, Kolar surely the main riders that are now missing to help in the GC group where Bennelong still works with Power but it`s Generali now slowly taking over as Carpenter and Sequera move behind him.
This quickly leads to Repsol losing men power as Benito, Serrano and Roson all drop.
9.3km to go and the attacks start early. Henao Montoya and Hirt first but all of them following more or less.
It`s not Quintana actually but Koch, who was recently setting up a steady pace.
Hirt though the only one to open a gap and actually it`s his biggest rival Schleck being the one allowing it.
It`s the duel for 4th, but chance for more is still there.
The first to follow is Alarcon. He simply can`t only finish 12th and is on a mission now.
The breakaway just 1'30 ahead and still 8km to go!
Kruijswijk is getting ridicoulously strong here. Not only sitting in 7th and being the only rider not feeling tired after the breakaways. He now also attacks, which shows that the pace by Puma can`t be too high.
Several riders notice this as well and so Henao Montoya, Olivier, Spilak, Herklotz and Schleck attack.
This is now the moment where Herklotz needs to go to the limit.
And he puts Spilak under pressure.
Once having no one ahead of him, he continues and Spilak has to fight.
All others with a small gap.
Meanwhile Hirt has reached the breakaway where Konig and Kolesnikov are dropped.
Only Oomen, Dekker, Smith, Lunke and Goos left with him.
Spilak and Herklotz up to Alarcon and having a 32s gap to group Schleck.
And as you can see some riders are missing there such as Haig, Yates, Formolo, Quintana. Those jsut behind Anrdt 1'30 behind.
Gazelle going for Kruijswijk now, who does not have to wait and is extremely strong.
Gesink even with Latour with him, which always is handy.
Here they are. Quintana, Formolo and then Haig. All a bit behind Yates, who is up to Arndt now. But they could become todays main losers if they can`t find their rhytm quickly.
Strong ride still and gaining on rivals but not as strong as the riders ahead. Bongiorno and Kruijswijk can`t follow group Gesink/Schleck/Olivier/Henao but are in for a top10 GC.
Spilak, Herklotz and Alarcon have reached the former breakaway plus Hirt.
9 riders in front now with Konig in between them and group Gesink.
Schleck in danger to lose against Hirt and as he attacks only Gesink can follow.
Olivier is dropped from them and so is Henao.
Surprisingly another rider here as Alarcon is passed now after not able to follow Spilak/Herklotz with 3km to go.
Those two make it over the top first before a 1,7km descent/flat section finishes the stage.
Hirt a bit behind them.
Goos takes 2 more points and so he wins the KoM with 6 points ahead of Oomen! Well done and congrats on this nice result.
Olivier got some support here as Dekker waited for him after losing contact in the break and is now working for him, which also is handy for Henao.
They are not far behind Alarcon but can gain on the riders behind.
Herklotz was not able to open a gap and this might be Spilak`s key to win this Giro.
They are side by side fighting for every second as it can be vital with a TT tomorrow.
And what a way to finish the last mountain stage. The GC leader takes the stage showing his strength and now being the big favourite for the overall as the TT is in his favour.
Hirt in 3rd but the gap to Schleck/Gesink was small in the end. Just 9s which means Gesink pretty much safe in 3rd and Schleck also quite safe in 4th now with Hirt having 1'30 to gain in the TT.
Alarcon next. Not the very best ride but still one of the best of him in this Giro. 2'22 behind the stage winner but surely similar gain on many behind which could result into a top10 surely.
With him Goos and Oomen, who fought until the end for the KoM.
Lunke in 9th but then Smith leading in the group Olivier/Henao/Dekker.
1 min behind Alarcon.
Yates another minute later just behind Konig. Haig with him and also Bongiorno in the end.
Kruijswijk follows 30s later just ahead of Quintana/Formolo, who are losing the top10 today.
Yates remains in 6th having a nice gap still and looking safe.
Then Alarcon in 7th just seconds ahead of Olivier but also Kruijswijk, Haig, Formolo within the same minute! Close fights for the TT.
Couple of riders unfortunately lost against the time limit today so that we have 151 riders remaining tomorrow. Most prominent team Podium Ambition with 3 riders and eBuddy with 2.
