Last year Bennett finished second in the Stage 4 timetrial but found the time he need in Stage 5 to win the race. This year he went one better and won the timetrial and so all he needs to do is defend. Also in his favor is the reduced length of the final climb which will give the stonger climbers less time to make a difference. That said Bennett’s lead is only 3 seconds over Wellens and 4 seconds over Kudus so time bonuses alone will be enough to determine the outcome at the end of Stage 5. With Stage 6 being flat the rider who leads at the end of today will likely be the final winner. In addition to the battle for first only 13 seconds separate 5th from 8th in the GC.
Todays race covers 15 ascents of the same climb to Shimohisakata, with a little extra climbing added the final time to get to the finish. The 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th ascents include KOM points. A total of 157km will be covered, the day is hot but there is no wind.
The favorites are:
The riders start the first ascent only a few kms into the race. The climb is just over 5kms with a steep middle section with 8-10% grades before flattening out about 1km form the top. The peloton completes the first climb with no attacks and Xero controlling things at the front.
On the descent 5 riders get a gap. The front two are Acosta and Burke then 7 seconds behind are Aasvold, Nepomnyachsniy, and Krasnoperov. The last 3 have 24 seconds to the peloton.
As they start the 2nd ascent the front 5 have been joined by 3 more riders, Paulus, Sortveit, and Dunne.
Additional riders are trying to bridge across.
By the top the group is up to 12 riders with the addition of Panayotov, Jones, Ablenado, and Zordan.
There are two more riders trying to bridge over, they are Higuita and Stetina. Not clear yet if the peloton is going to let this group go.
The last two make it across but the peloton isn’t given them a free reign. At the bottom of the climb the lead is only 1’45 with Boivin and Lovassy working.
The 3rd ascent features KOM points and with 1.3 km to ride Zordan attacks and Ablenado and Aasvold follow.
Zordan gets a small gap and takes the first-place KOM points (6).
The rest of the points go to Aasvold (4) and Paulus (2).
The front group quickly reforms after the KOM sprint and their lead has grown to 2’38. Among them only Stetina has any KOM poinits (he has 2). So one of them is gong to need to take significant KOM points on the stage to get the KOM lead from Bennett, who has 16.
Paulus is the closest on GC at 3’39. This looks like a good situation for Xero, no major threat on the GC and they could let the break take the bonus seconds at the finish
Paulus along with Zordan are the only solo team representatives. The rest of the break includes 3 from Adastra, 3 from Desigual, 2 from Azteca, 2 from Swisslion and 2 from Nordica.
The next two ascents pass without any change, Xero may not be too worried about he break but other teams are and they are keeping the lead under control. It is 2’07 with 110k to ride. Carretero Millan and Meeus on the front at the moment.
A few non-climbers are getting dropped on each climb and then having to rejoin during the descent and flat. So there will be some sore legs at the end of the day.
The 6th ascent has a KOM prize, this time the attackers are: Stetina, Krasnoperov, and Aasvold.
The others close them down and it is close at the line.
The points go to: Aasvold 6 (10) Paulus 4 (6) Krasnoperov 2 (2)
A group of 18 riders is split off the back of the peloton this time round and they are still struggling to get back on by the time the peloton starts the 7th ascent. Highest placed rider in that group is 30th placed Benito.
At the top of the 7th ascent for the peloton they trail by 1’46. 88 km to ride.
More riders have been dropped as the peloton is down to 81, but Benito got back across.
Nazaret (41st) is now the highest placed rider behind the pack.
At the top of the 8th ascent the gap is 1’45. The break is still all together but a few more rider are struggling in the peloton, Suaza (40th) and Ginanni both in trouble. Clearly this stage requires a more balanced skill set.
Over the top another 30 riders are dropped including Poljanski (10th) and Dunbar (15th). They get back on but positioning on the climb will be important as there isn’t a ton of time to recover between climbs.
The 9th climb has KOM points, but this time they wait for the flatter section inside the last km to attack. It is Aasvold followed by Panayotov and Dunne.
Aasvold holds on and takes 6 points to tie for the KOM lead (6 + 10 = 16). Other points go to Panayotov (4) and Krasnoperov (2 + 2 = 4)
Meanwhile Kemboi is blasting up the climb and has the lead gap below 1’30.
The climb also splits the breakaway and Jones and Acosta are 30 seconds behind and Ablenado and Stetina are a minute back.
Soon after the latter two are swept up by the peloton. The peloton splits into two groups of about 25 over the top with some of the same riders split off. Further back Benito, Suaza, Ginanni and 26th placed Shapira are gone for good.
Halfway across the valley floor, the peloton reforms and is 55 riders strong and 1’33 behind the front of the race. Shapira is the highest placed rider behind. Jones and Acosta are still in no-man-land between the peloton and the break.
Halfway up the 10th ascent the peloton catches the other 2 dropped breakaway riders.
As the peloton crests the 10th ascent they have eased up some and the lead is back to 1’56. The Yellow Jersey is looking strong at the front.
Up front Panayotov and Krasnoperov have been dropped and are 22 seconds behind their former companions.
Despite the slower pace the pack splits again and at about the same point in the valley it hasn’t reformed, only 22 riders up front, the pace being driven by Bakkafrost and Nordstrom.
The next group in the foreground of the picture includes: Grmay (18th) Pavlic (19th) Parra Bustamente (22nd) Bonnin (25th) Ablenado (27th)
Worse news for Poljanski (10th), Dunbar (15th), Hacecky (28th), Nitu (23rd), and Andriafenomananiaina (17th) who are all behind the pictured group.
11tth climb is complete, Uwizeyimana leads the peloton ahead of Guerreiro and Areruya. There are 45km left and the break leads by 1’21. None of the aforementioned riders have rejoined.
Dunne has been dropped by the break and is about to be caught by the chasers, leaving 7 up front:
Up front Burke starts the KOM attacks with almost 2km to the KOM point on the 12th ascent. Aasvold follows.
With 600 meters to the KOM sprint these two have 28 seconds over Sortveit and 50 seconds over the other 4. Adastra and Desigual seem to have used their numbers in the break to good effect. (The rider with Sortveit is lapped)
Aasvold attacks and takes the 6 points with road to spare giving him 22. With no KOMs tomorrow, he will win the KOM outright unless Bennett wins the stage when they would be tied.
Kudus leads the peloton across the top, 1’47 behind Aasvold with the remnants of the break spread in between. Panayotov, Uwizeyimana and Frankiny struggling to hold on at the back. There 3 more ascents to go.
The 3 riders at the back of the Yellow Jersey group are all able to hang on. On the downhill the remaining breakaway riders are caught except the front two, Burke and Aasvold, who have a lead of 1’44.
25km to, mid-way up the 13th ascent and Monsalve comes to the front. His boys have been working hard all day, he must want to try and redeem what has been a disappointing performance so far. The break has 1’12.
Monsalve doesn’t push hard and the gap is about the same as the top. It is enough to drop Panayotov.
14th ascent complete for Burke, he has dropped Aasvold and leads him by 30 seconds and the peloton by 1’07. The peloton can be seen in the distance, lapped riders in between.
The peloton turns left for the last time, next lap they go right up to the finish. Padun attacks and Monsalve and Yates (in green) follow.
The keep at it down the descent and on to the flat, but so far the only rider dropped is Scarponi who had done much of the work for his team. But Burke lead is under 30 seconds.
4km to go, nearly all uphill. The leaders have relented and two tired domestiques, Uwizeyimana and Guerreiro, are back on the front. Aasvold has 16 seconds and Burke, 56 seconds (3rd and 5th rider up the road, others are lapped).
Aasvold is caught. Padun attacks again behind him are Monsalve, Squire and Kudus. Bennett is well positioned but Wellens (in polka-dot jersey) is a long way back.
Burke is caught and a gap appears as the Europcar riders can’t hold the wheels. Ahead are Padun (14th) Monsalve (7th) Yates (4th) Squire (12th) Kudus (3rd) Bennett (1st) Pomoshnikov (6th)
2.5 km to go as the front group finishes the first part of the climb, a short downhill, then a right turn and the climb to the finish. The lead is 22 seconds. Wellens needs to get on his horse if he doesn’t want to lose his podium spot. Guerreiro (16th) has been dropped after all his work.
1.6 km for the leaders as they start the climb to the finish at the top of the picture. Burke is back with the second group. The gap is 23 seconds, that is the amount Wellens led Yates by at the start of the day.
1.3 km to go Yates leads the way, 8% gradients here. The Europcar armada has closed the gap to 20 seconds.
Under the 1k banner, situation about the same but the breakaway riders who were still in the second group are dropping as is Topchanyuk (13th).
600 meters to go. Yates looks exhausted. Still 24 seconds to the second group. Faiers (8th) only just hanging on to the second group. Gradients at the front are 12%.
400 meters and Bennett goes to the front. Both his biggest threats are well behind him. Wellens has connected the two groups but has ground to make up.
200 meters, Bennett has a clear lead, Pomoshnikov closest to him. The gap has opened up to Wellens again and Padun has dropped into the second group. Faiers and Topchanyuk are definitely gapped now.
100 meters, Bennett looks like he will put an exclamation point on this one. Wellens and the fading Padun have glued the groups back together, there might not be any time gaps in this first group.
Bennett believes.
Bennett will take 2 stages, the GC and a share of the KOM, and quite likely the points. He is the Man in Japan. Monsalve will take second. A better day for him sees him move up to 5th in the GC.
Pomoshnikov takes 3rd, Yates 4th.
Then there is a 17 second gap to Squire 5th and Wellens 6th.
Areruya 7th followed by Konig, who managed to be solid albeit completely anonymously. Atapuma gets 9th and Kudus fades badly to 10th but he will keep his 3rd place as he gets the same time as Wellens and maintains a 5 second edge over Yates.
At 41 seconds are 11th and 12th which are Frankiny and Topchanyuk . At 52 seconds behind Bennett are Faiers, and Padun, who round out the front group. They will be the top 14 in the GC after today as well. Padun faded badly but will just hang on to his jersey.
The jerseys are easy, Bennett has them all except White which belongs to Padun who is 14 seconds ahead of Areruya. Burke moves into 3rd ahead of Dunbar who drops to 4th.
Europcar take over the team jersey with 4 riders in the top 20. Bad day for Fablok as they drop from 1st to 9th in the team competition and have probably the biggest individual loser in Poljanski who drops from 10th to 39th.
Tour of Japan 
