Yesterday's stage was flat compared to this! 185km of some of the toughest climbing you will see in Europe outside of the Grand Tours. 2 HC climbs, a Cat 1, 2 Cat 2's and an HC to finish it all off. Evonik will have a job to do today! Also a great chance for someone to be courageous, join the breakaway, and go for all of the KOM points available. I'll be honest, I'm happy it's not me out on the bike today!
Van Niekerk is one of those trying their luck early on here and he wins the Cat 2 KOM ahead of Smith. To make matters worse for the riders today, it's raining on the lower slopes and there is snow falling on the top. 72km until the top of the next climb!
It appears we have a breakaway consisting of 7 riders with a gap above 3 minutes already. Keeping nice and close together, maybe this is for warmth? Van Niekerk (+ 2'42) Smith Mamykin Zakarin Hofstede Cort Nielsen Iturria
No contest from the breakaway at the only intermediate sprint of the day but this is great for Van Niekerk who rolls through to take the 6 points which lifts him up above Cullaigh to 2nd in the Points classification. The group now has a lead of 4'07 with 150km still to go.
The Peloton had brought the gap down to 3 minutes but only a few kilometres into the Sustenpass climb and the gap is back out to 4'20. The sprinters at the front of the Peloton hand over the reins to the climbing domestiques.
Cort Nielsen wins the KOM at the top and he finds himself alone. He didn't actually attack but was simply too strong for his companions with the pace he was setting. With 109km to go, it's a very long way for the Dane to go solo.
Coming off the climb, the Peloton is down to 54 riders. All favourites safely in here.
72km to the finish and still 7km to the top of our 2nd HC climb and the Peloton whittled down further to only 39 riders. It's Amaysim, MOL and cycleYorkshire doing the damage at the front. In terms of the stage situation, Smith and Mamykin are 1'25 ahead of the Peloton while Cort Nielsen is a further 2'13 ahead. All other escapees caught and spat out the back.
Cort Nielsen wins the KOM which takes him to 40 points. He's got a very good chance of winning the KOM jersey now with a Cat 2 climb only 10km away and then a Cat 1 after that before the finish line.
The duo behind him remain 1'30 ahead of the Peloton. Smith is on 64 points, only 4 off the lead.
56km to go for the lonely Dane as he wins another KOM. His gap is currently just over 5 minutes to the Peloton.
Mamykin and Smith have just about dropped back to the Peloton but they take 2nd and 3rd in the KOM which is vital for the Kiwi who now leads it with 70. Cort Nielsen has 50 and even with winning the Cat 1 will only go to 66 so he'll need to be up there at the finish to take the KOM lead.
Meanwhile, the "Peloton" is now only 17 riders! Other than Van Niekerk who was dropped earlier, it appears that Berhane is the only Top 10 rider missing. He is 1'10 behind this group and will need to work very hard to catch back up.
4.5km to the top of the Cat 1 for the Favourites group. Choi is leading them now. Only Cort Nielsen remains in front and he has 4'38 with 38km to go which does include a lengthy downhill section.
Cort Nielsen reaches the final KOM before the finish line which takes him to 4 points off the lead in 3rd. He has extended his lead to 5'09 to the 19 man favourites group who aren't in a particular rush right now. By the way, he's 5'49 behind Taaramae in the GC.
20km to the line and it's all up hill for the Dane. Can he pull off what would be a very gutsy win?
It's action time in the favourites group with 12km for them to ride. Haig has time to make up after yesterday and he is the first to kick off the attacks here. Roglic is on his wheel.
8.7km and Choi, who chased down the attack just now, is the next to put the pressure on Taaramae who will have to respond here.
Choi (+ 28") is 30 seconds ahead now, Taaramae happy with the pace being set by Carthy for the time being.
The pace from the Brit is doing damage. Cattaneo and De la Cruz are dropped. In front of them, Roglic is also in trouble. Vasyliv and Sivakov already dropped behind the Italian.
4.5km for Taaramae and, if he has anything left, he will have to go soon because Choi has extended his lead to 43 seconds.
Our other story of course is following Cort Nielsen. He has 3km to go and is still 2'21 ahead of Choi so it's looking promising for him right now!
3km for Group Taaramae but they are now 1'07 behind Choi who is having a great day so far! The Estonian is losing the Jersey today at this rate.
1km for Cort Nielsen and his lead still over 2 minutes.
And all you can say is WOW. Cort Nielsen wins the stage after riding on his own for more than 100km. That'll see him move up the GC, likely into the Top 10, and he'll win the KOM too with tomorrow's stage being a TT. An effort that deserves a lot of praise!
Behind Choi, it's Carthy who has taken over the pace making into the final kilometre and Taaramae is suffering!!
Choi is 2nd but Karnulin and Carthy just about got him on the line.
Haig is through in 5th, 33 seconds behind Choi.
Masnada with a crazy ride for 6th, Taaramae is 7th (+ 1'20 to Choi) and will lose the GC lead which gives him extra work to do tomorrow.
Godoy is just behind him and has lost his podium place.
Roglic comes through quite a bit further back in 12th.
Cattaneo does better than yesterday but that's not saying much as he's 13th. De la Cruz suffered a bit today after his efforts yesterday.
Vasyliv and Sivakov are through in 15th and 16th.
Unfortunately it's an awful day for Berhane who is well outside the Top 20.
We've gone a little too far with the Environmentally friendly thing to be honest… Anyway, Choi is our GC leader going into the final stage. He is 20 seconds clear of Carthy but, more importantly, 1'04 ahead of Taaramae in 3rd. Cort Nielsen the big mover up to 6th.
Points leader still Houle who has that one won. Cort Nielsen with more reward as his stage win gives him the KOM jersey. He will win this one.
In the U25s, Higuita leads Sivakov by 1'55. MOL leads the Teams classification now.
The following riders failed to make the Time Limit of 1'06'57: Baterdene Hnik Stepniak Karatzios Vlatos Scotson Yatsevich Resell Korsaeth Mudgway Schomber Cavendish Robeet Minali Vermote Predatsch Boudat (7th in Points)
