On paper maybe the hardest GC stage. 1-2 longer but less difficult climbs until the final part. Here 4 climbs wait for the riders, 3x Cat2, 1x Cat1. The final and likely less steep part then unranked with a small descent towards the finish.
Maybe the final chance for the pure puncheurs to gain time here and improve in the GC. They are ranked at the top of the favourite list by the bookies but seeing they also name Groves as sprinter with some mediocre hill skills, they seem to believe, that those kind of riders might be able to hang on.
Both Bonnamour and Krasts did attack early on as this might be a huge stage for the KoM fight. Though only the first is able to enter todays breakaway, joined by Kamp, Neilands and Rivera. A trio without any KoM points so far and at the early KoM, Bonnamour immediately goes into the virtual lead at 46 points. 4 ahead of Krasts, who should check if he can get some points in the final.
The peloton starts the "long" descent towards the hilly course with some of the puncheur teams chasing, e.g. Lidl for De Bie or Gazelle for Lutsenko.
Though also Amaysim or ELCO and Polar are visible, which migth be for their sprinters!
A nice day for Wirtgen at least as EA Vesuvio doesn`t need to do too much with all the teams willed to chase. 2'50 for the break and 66 km to go.
The 4 climbs are all similar, they have a very steep beginning but quickly lose the high percentages and are finishing to the top in low gradients. Good news for weaker puncheurs as they just need to keep contact on that first part and might be able to "recover" on the later.
The question is if they are able to do it four times in a row plus they need to hope for no serious attacks by the strong men.
Bonnamour nicely collecting more points and while Krasts indeed attacks along with Roosen from the peloton for the minor ones, it`s clear that the French is going to take over after today.
Kamp, then Rivera are about to follow next in the ranking and move ahead of the others.
On the 3rd of the four hills we see the first attack, though the peloton behind shows how big the peloton still is. Gidich it is on a 4% section. Van Niekerk behind him, then with a small gap already Philipsen ahead of the peloton! Bold move.
Groves in 2nd position of the peloton as well just like several sprinters. The puncheurs really not pushing for it here.
The move was enough though to open gaps. Ioannidis, Dennis and Bazhkou, all in the 2nd half of the top15 GC find themself on the wrong side of the split.
37 riders are in the first group, where some sprinters even had energy to go for the sprint! Banaszek ahead of Groves and Zhao! Also Philipsen, Coquard, Kragh Andersen and Bol in that sprint.
A gap of 35s to a group around Paez, Malecki, Trondsen, then another 20s to the group around some dropped stage hunters such as Schmid, Storer, Stüssi, Ioanidis, Dennis etc.
The final climb and with 12,8 km to go we hit the 4 % slopes. It`s going a big steeper next but quickly will be in lower gradients again.
Final chance to attack.
De Bie and Lutsenko though in ~15th position not really looking to plan something and also Wirtgen ahead of them looking safely in the GC lead.
The breakaway by now is caught, so no more KoM points and stage glory.
7,5% and Gidich/ Sagan showing ambitions. They attack and Trakhov follows together with De Bie, who quickly accelerated.
Then Groves trying to keep contact as also Lutsenko and Sepulveda.
Meintjes and Aranburu are the next trying to speed up, but there is a clear gap here.
Wirtgen with small problems it seems as he is in that group around Conci, Ganna or Geoghegan Hart.
Also most sprinters are at the back of this group now. Apparently this last attack was indeed delivering some selection.
The KoM is reached. The top4 puncheurs go over the top first. Then 12s later Trakhov, Sepulveda and Groves and another 20s later the GC leader group but in fact lots of riders might be able to re-join them at the moment from further behind.
And as the slopes are way down already but the way to the finish still quite a bit to go, the gaps melt together.
The puncheurs though not giving up this time. There still are small gaps here and there and they won`t allow it to get together fully.
Sagan and De Bie with the next attack, still 5 km to go.
Not really that successful but at least under the 1km banner, which is the point of 0 % slope, there are still visible gaps.
Lutsenko in the first position, then Groves ideally placed for a potential stage win as best placed sprinter.
De Bie and Sagan on the sides of the road.
Ganna is up there, Gidich, Wirtgen.
Though also Contreras and Philipsen not placed very bad neither.
Sepulveda, Malecki and Conci as well in that first group whereas there are smaller gaps behind then with Errazkin and Cosnefroy trying to close this one followedby Geoghegan Hart or Meintjes and Aranburu.
Coquard a bit further behind, not sure though if he lacked the energy or was now working for 8th GC Ioannidis, who is with him.
Just like 3rd in GC Oliveira, who is in big trouble or even more 7th Izagirre further behind.
500m and Lutsenko is in the lead. He was the most passive of the 4 top puncheurs and is having a decent sprint. He can stay ahead of Groves and Sagan for now while De Bie and Gidich are not able to match those.
100m and Lutsenko starts celebrating. Wirtgen behind coming closer showing his strength here as he will surely keep the GC lead...
...as also taking 2nd on the stage. Ahead of Malecki, who is making this a nice Gazelle 1-3. s.t. for them though.
Groves in 4th with a strong performance but it wasn`t the big win here for him, then Sagan and Paez, who also made it back in the end.
De Bie, Gidich and Ganna next but gap wise the first 22 riders including Contreras and Philipsen as two more sprinters made it in together.
Oliveira losing big today and drops from 3rd to 9th in GC. Similar with Ioannidis from 8th to 13th.
Izagirre even down to 20th or Rohan Dennis to 48th.
