Welcome to the Balkans International We start our 6 stages here with a moderately hilly short stage that finishes on a 3% kick to the line for the final 2km.
And we saw no fight for the breakaway today as the first two riders to attack were quickly allowed a big 5"30 gap Charles and Naud were the two riders to be allowed clear.
And they took the first two KOM climbs Cat 2 and Cat 4 in the same order with Charles winning both sprints and taking an early lead in the competition.
spent much of the day as the leaders in the pack trying to keep the two breakaway riders in check and did a great job bringing the gap down to 3"14 halfway through the stage. Bellan also took 3rd place at both the opening KOMs.
Our 3rd Category climb of the day is a 3rd Cat and once again its Charles leading over the top he's really put himself in a great position to take this jersey for the day now.
Into the valley we see two intermediate sprints, and at both we get the same order Naud leading across from Charles. The interesting development behind is only one rider sprints from the pack on both occasions, and that was Oliveira who picks up 4 bonus seconds for his troubles.
Onto the biggest climb of the day the final Category 2 climb with 50km to go and Naud has left behind Charles and gone solo the gap to the pack is only 50 seconds over the top but our two breakaway leaders pick up 1st and 2nd for the final time today as they would quickly be caught. With the final standings
Charles 29 Naud 25
as the Podium Ambition man taking the first KOM jersey.
Here is the moment Naud was caught with 25km to go by a charging Vanthourenhout from King Power who have a big train at the front to keep the pace high up this long false flat road.
The nature of which meant the next 20km went by without any incident and the full starting peloton would come into the 5km to go with only our two breakaway riders Charles and Naud being dropped.
Downhill and 5km to go we finally see some action at the front Stannard makes a dig off the front
He times this right into the bottom of the final 1.8km 3-5% climb to the finish in his wheel is Lopez with Quita still pulling the peloton on the front for King Power.
Stannard has the momentum though and builds a large gap with Lopez glued behind him Phinney makes an effort on the left hand side of the road.
Under the kite and Lopez goes by Stannard is this the right time to make his move? behind Bettiol and Quita lead the bunch with the favourites still in the rows behind.
Bettiol is closing fast on Stannard and Lopez but there's only 200m to go Van Niekerk gets a gap up the inside of Phinney and is pushing for the podium too.
Lopez is the strongest though he timed this perfectly using the very strong Stannard attack and jumping off his wheel to take the first stage in the Balkans.
Its close behind but Stannard holds off Bettiol and Van Niekerk with a bunch up for the minor placings as Quita, De Bie, Phinney, Areruya, McCarthy and Sagan come across in that order to complete the top 10.
We see no gaps at all in the bunch today with only Charles and Naud dropped from the bunch with the former leading KOM. Sprinter Willems 32nd place on the stage was enough for him to lead the U25 rankings.
