Back to the hills today but the sprinters still occupy the favourites list though those last two hills look more mountain like to myself it will be interesting to see if any gaps form.
Strange start to the stage today with small 1 and 2 riders going off the front over the top of the first climb we still have no clear break.
Revard beats Ryuki and Fortunato
Eventually, this does lead to our break of the day.
Fortunato (6th KOM 24pts) Hefnar Oram (3rd KOM 32pts) Ramirez Revard Ryuki (5th KOM 26pts)
But in the distance there's some more attacks
Carapaz is attacking across with Sunderland and Van Vliet.
They get across after 20km of chasing but this wakes up the Peleton and the valley down towards the big Cat 1 climbs of the day are ridden at a high pace. The gap maxes at 4"54 and none of the break are dangerous on GC but Newton seem determined to not let Carapaz gain any time back on GC and by time we start the next Cat 1 climb the gap is down to 1"30
Oram (3rd KOM 32pts) and Ramirez are dropped up this climb as Carapaz and Sunderland set a fierce pace from the bottom but the gradual slope means few gaps in the break.
Carapaz beats Revard in the KOM and is closing in on Barcelo's lead in the KOM standings.
In what seems very anti-climatic based on the racing so far we see very little action up the Cat 1 climb the final time with the Peleton pacing hard and having the gap under 45 seconds by the top Carapaz takes another KOM win and is up to 56pts on 22 behind Barcelo. Ryuki is 2nd over the top and is now also up there on 52pts. As seen behind Euskadi chased but Barcelo did not pick up any additional points and over the top of the climb we were heading towards a bunch sprint.
At the back of the peleton the only major name dropped is Rodriguez who was 25th on GC and 2nd in U25 he loses 3"12 on the day.
Hofstetter was the only hilly sprinter to find this too much and he's just off the back of the leaders entering the sprint and would not be involved much like all other pure sprinters today though 80 riders made the main group.
Initially Carr leads out Morin for Hilcona but with over 4km to go this seemed slightly early Jorgenson kept himself well positioned though.
And then with 2km to go we get the actual leadout... Kind of
Lemus Davila with Penasa and Sirironnachai on his wheel a real who's who of sprinting talent and Groenewegen will be quaking in his boots watching these climbers go after his exploits in Paris-Nice.
The two-stage favourites Dzamastagic are set behind Korosec reports suggest they may have been laughing at the 50kg climbers sprinting in front of them but this cannot be confirmed.
Korosec goes under the 1km to go banner, Dzamastagic takes his wheel behind Bernard, Morin and Stage 1 winner Vanhoucke are in the next row.
Dzamastagic and Korosec come level but the slight incline has caught them out and their stopping Vanhoucke is coming fast could he do it again...!
Not quite he is touched off by Bernard for a huge win his team Genii Hyundai N Cycling have been one of the performers of the week so far and now take a deserved stage win. Vanhoucke great again in 2nd and Korosec holds on for 3rd though he should really have won but for the 3rd stage its a missed opportunity and baring a miracle he won't win a stage at a race where he could have taken 3 stages in the right circumstances. Dzamastagic, Smith and Sirironnachai with the Duvel and Zain man both adding top 10's to their races for the 3rd and 2nd time respectively.
Jorgenson rolls in 11th ready for the bigger test tomorrow. Vanhoucke now leads the Points Jersey.
[C2] Volta a Catalunya 
