Short in km, but quite a lot of elevation. Is Warchol able to repeat his trick of two days ago? Should be another interesting stage GC-wise.
18 riders quickly form the break of the day, and we have some very interesting names here, definitely not your average pancakes: Novak (29th GC), Brandt (14th GC), Grmay (20th GC), Hoem (18th GC), KoM-leader Chaiyasombat, Vuillermoz (7th KoM), Gillett, Bagioli, Antonijevic, Ablenado (35th GC), Azman (22nd GC, 3rd KoM), Moschella, McNulty (4th U25), Croes, Christian (9th KoM), Ji (4th KoM), Rachid and Hacecky (6th KoM). Still a while before they officially start climbing, but they’re already tackling sectors of up to 11% here. Carlsberg currently working in the peloton, they don’t like this group getting away.
The leaders start their ascent of Warrior Mountain (1st cat.), 20.5 km at 5.4%. Hacecky and Ji have already been dropped in the leading group, as the peloton is only 1’30” behind currently. Teams working here are Carlsberg, Eurosport, Kraftwerk, Lierse and Sauber.
Rachid and Antonijevic also dropped with 15 km to climb, as the peloton has lost some time and is now 2’50” behind the fourteen leaders.
Croes, Christian and Bagioli are also out, eleven leaders left with 10 km to climb! The peloton at almost four minutes with 66 km to the finish line, as thirty riders have been dropped there already as well.
McNulty, Ablenado and Vuillermoz also in trouble! 5 km to climb, as our eight leaders have a 3’20” gap over a peloton of 75 riders!
Grmay attacks, looking for the 16 KoM-points at the top! Anyone able to counter him?!
Novak closes the gap but falls still immediately, and an amazing Chaiyasombat wins the KoM-sprint ahead of Brandt and Grmay! When will the fairytale of the McCormick rider end?! At 2’50”, Roe leads a peloton of 64 over the top.
Together with comeback kid Hoem, the leading trio reaches the end of the descent of Warrior Mountain and immediately start their climb to Saxon Pass (1st cat.) on parts of up to 18%. The climb is 8 km long at an average of 9.6%. At 35” of the four leaders is Novak, whereas the peloton of 60 is at two minutes. 40 km to go!
6.5 km to climb as Hoem is dropped again. Is the leading trio able to reach the top ahead of the peloton? They are at 1’45” at the moment.
3 km to climb as this seems to be it for KoM-leader Chaiyasombat! One can only admire his strength so far! The peloton has lost some time and is now following our leading duo by 2’30”, someone needs to help Indosat, as they’ve been doing the majority of the work recently.
Grmay accelerating with 2 km to climb, looking for KoM-points and a stage win!
Zordan is also still thinking about the polka-dots! He accelerates in the peloton and passes Chaiyasombat!
Grmay crosses the top with 32 km to the finish line! Brandt in second at 1’30” and then Zordan and Lierse’s Novak also score some points.
The Project: Africa rider keeps his 1’30” over Brandt in the descent, as he starts the final ascent of the day: 23.4 km at 4.%, but the final 6 to 7 km are definitely the hardest. The peloton of 29 at 2’45”, with Zordan 10” ahead of them.
Min is feeling good and attacks at the start of the climb, with the ever present Novak following him! Domestique Koch trying to close the gap.
The Kraftwerk rider unable to close the gap, but Heymes saves the day. Novak still feeling good, he attacks with still 21 km to climb! Brandt 35” ahead of him, leader Grmay an additional minute.
Novak catches the Glanbia rider with 17.5 km to climb, but is also caught by the other favourites. Grmay still 50” ahead, as yellow jersey Nerz and number two Warchol are both isolated in the group of 24 chasers!
13 km to the finish line as the leader keeps his 50” lead with the chasers currently looking at each other. Pogacar seems to be very close to being dropped now.
Another Min attack with 11 km to go, and of course Novak is right behind him! Ranaweera on his way as well, with Potocki in his wheel!
Min and Novak join leader Grmay with 9 km to climb, as Ranaweera is unable to close the gap towards them! The group of 21 behind them seems to be splitting as well!
Warchol and Cedevita domestique Zordan reducing the gap to 12” with 7.5 km to climb! The other riders in the first chasing group are yellow jersey Nerz, Aru, Denifl, Elissonde, Potocki, Gilanipoor, Lunke, Ranaweera, Chamorro, Kuss and Garby. Looks like another bad day for Carlsberg with their leaders dropped, but also number three Carapaz currently unable to follow the pace!
The three up front are caught with 6 km to climb! Back to sixteen leaders, as Ranaweera, Kuss and Zordan are struggling to hold on!
For the moment they’re able to hold on, but here comes Potocki with an attack under the kite of the final five km! Iranian champion Gilanipoor in his wheel, and once again Novak answering the attack as well!
The HelloFresh rider can’t get away, but we have some nice separation with 4 km to go! The only riders able to follow the other three as well were Nerz, Warchol and Aru, with the former counterattacking now! Further down the road we see Min at 22” and the other favourites at an additional 20”!
But Potocki counter-counterattacks! Together with the Pas Normal rider he has a 20” gap over seven chasers with 3 km to climb, as the two Carrefour riders and Min have joined Nerz, Warchol, Gilanipoor and Novak!
Potocki and Aru with half a minute over their seven chasers, entering the final two km! Min and Garby look to be breaking again!
But the white jersey shows some great resilience, whereas Chamorro loses the wheel of the other chasers! The leading duo still with 30” under the red kite!
Aru with the acceleration, 500 metres to go! Is Potocki still able to answer this one?!
It doesn’t look like it, but yellow jersey Nerz maybe with a final push?!
No! Chamorro making a lot of speed all of a sudden, but it’s too late! Aru is celebrating his win and Potocki will have to settle for second! The yellow jersey comes in fourth at 20” of the Pas Normal winner.
At an additional ten seconds, Novak is fifth ahead of Warchol, with right behind them Min (7th) and Gilanipoor (8th). Garby finishes ninth at one minute of the stage winner.
Denifl (10th) and Lunke (11th) lose 1’25”, whereas Ranaweera and Kuss almost lose two minutes, with the Carlsberg riders and Carapaz at almost 2’30” of Aru! The Ecuadorian drops seven places to tenth in GC, whereas Potocki steps onto the podium.
