The big mountains are over for this year’s Tour of California although Stage 7 features some longer climbs. Stage 3 turns things over to the punchy climbers. At 195km with most of the climbs packed into the last third, the GC riders will need to be attentive. The stage includes two cat 3 and 3 cat 2 climbs, as well as 2 sprint point.
The stage favorites are the top puncheurs but it is possible the GC teams will keep the stage controlled and it will be decided in the final kilometers.
Three riders get away quickly, two from yesterday, Medvedev (KOM 4th) and Vansevenant (KOM leader) plus Kelly. But Voyagin - Bird don’t want to let them go and after 23k the lead is only 39 seconds.
Eventually there are a flurry of additional attacks and after some hard riding the attackers are all able to come together. With 150k to ride the lead group is 8 riders and they have a lead of 2’59. The additional attackers are: Shirota Lyu Selander (KOM 5th) Norbert Pushpakumara
4 teams with 2 riders each in the break. 3 of the riders scored KOM points yesterday. All of them are at least 5 minutes back on the GC so it will be interesting to see who chases.
The break ignores the first sprint with 129k to go but the first Cat 3 is just round that corner ahead.
On the climb Selander immediately pushes the pace with Vansevenant on his wheel and Medvedev trying to catch up.
Medvedev’s weakness on the punchy climbs is exposed again and Selander takes the points ahead of his teammate. The Eddie Stobart rider hangs on for third. The peloton is at 3 minutes.
70k to go for the peloton. A lot of teams have been working, currently it is Crabbe, Aramco and Kraftwerk. The lead maxed at 4’30 but is now just 2’06. Most of the climbing still to come.
The breakaway starts the first of the Cat 3’s, East Carmel Valley Road, 5.3k at only 5.4%, but the top is much steeper than the bottom. The peloton have cut the lead to 1’30.
2.1k to the top and Shirota has dropped all of the other breakaway riders except Selander and Norbert. Tafjord now pushing the pace in the peloton and the lead is down to 1’14. A few riders have been dropped
Shirota attacks but the other 2 are able to stay with him. 500 meters to go. The peloton is back to 1’37.
Shirota takes maximum points (missed that picture). Selander takes 2nd which is good for 8 points and 2nd in the overall KOM just 2 points behind his teammate. Norbert takes 3rd. Medvedev takes 4 points and is also still in the KOM conversation. The rest of the break is caught before the top. A long descent now before the next cat 2 climb the lead is 2’17.
Tafjord with McCormick and BWT push the pace on the descent reducing the gap back to 1’21. A 19-rider group is dropped reducing the peloton to 79 but nobody important is impacted. Medvedev was never able to rejoin the front 3 and will be back in the peloton soon.
Still 5k to the start of the next climb but with the lead down to 52 seconds Selander decides he can’t wait and attacks.
The attack doesn’t stick but it does add a little to the breakaway lead. It is 1’12 as they start the 3.1k climb of Cachagua Rd. The climb averages 7.5%. 30k left in the stage.
Halfway up the climb, the lead is down to 39 seconds as Kraftwerk and McCormick chase. Shirota launches another attack.
400 meters to the top and Selander goes clear.
Shirota almost gets back to him but the Minion takes maximum points at the top. He now has the virtual KOM lead. Norbert is caught and the peloton is just 36 seconds behind.
Over the top the remaining breakaway riders are caught as Tafjord goes back to the front of what is now a 42-rider group. Kraftwerk and McCormick might be regretting their efforts as Tatarinov, 4th on GC, is among the riders dropped and the only top GC rider missing out. The next highest placed rider dropped is McNulty, 22nd on GC.
But those riders are able to rejoin before the next climb as the peloton swells back to 60 riders. Borisavljevic leads them onto the climb which is 3.8k at 7.2%. There are 14k left in the stage.
1k into the climb Boswell attacks. His team have worked hard today and he needs to do something to justify his manager’s dubious decision to send him to this race.
But Aramaco brings him back. The only impact is to once again put Tatarinov and McNulty in trouble. Along with Revard, 21st on GC.
Past the 1k marker on the climb and Boswell tries again.
At the top his lead is just 8 seconds. The chasing group is down to 33 riders with 9th placed Ratiy the biggest victim.
From here there are 11km to go including one more Cat 3 climb.
Boswell keeps up the pressure along the false flat at the top and the chase group splinters further. Just 17 riders left. Kraftwerk will really be ruing their earlier tactics as both Helme (6th on GC, 1s in young rider) and Dulanjana (3rd on GC) are dropped. Sakalou (17th), Herrada (14th), and Pavlic (19th) are also dropped. Aramco leading the chase.
Amador closes him down as they reach the final climb, which is 1.2k at 9.2%. There are 4.4k left in the stage.
They pace slows slightly as they reach the top of the final climb the group with Dulanjana, Sakalou, Herrada and Pavlic is able to rejoin. Helme still over a minute behind.
But there is a false flat at the top and Boswell goes again. A 5-rider chase group splits off behind him including Mas, Fernandez, Paez, Elissonde, and Diaz.
Under the 1k banner, Boswell’s lead is 9 seconds. The chase group has reformed except Barta has been dropped. Sakalou and Herrada were dropped again a little earlier.
300 meters and it looks like Boswell will get a reward for his aggression.
He takes the win with a minimal gap. There are some splits forming behind but not clear what will be awarded.
Paez takes 2nd (+6 seconds) with Mas 3rd (+10). Aramco settle for two podium slots as they couldn’t quite control the American in the end. But not a bad day for them. The Yellow Jersey earns an excellent 4th also on 10 seconds.
Elissonde (+16) makes it two in the top 5 for Hello Fresh followed by Haas, Amador, Haga Fernandez, and Borisavljevic in 6th to 10th. All of them along with Henao (11th) and Martin (12th) lose 20 seconds. So Amador drops a little further back on the GC. Dulanjana able to minimize his loss, he finishes with a group on 34 seconds.
But the big GC losers are Helme and Tatarinov who drop to 17th and 24th respectively. Helme also drops 35 seconds behind Barta in the White Jersey competition.
Winners on the GC include Mas who moves to 3rd and Boswell to 5th. But only 43 seconds separates 3rd from 9th so all that could easily change.
Diaz holds on to the points lead and Hello Fresh the teams lead.
Tour of California 
