Manninen recovered to take the win yesterday but it wasn't enough to dethrone Van der Lijke from the top of the GC. Today is yet another opportunity for a sprinter to take the win and stake a claim on the leaders' jersey.
Favourites
Rider
FL
SP
AC
RS
Manninen
73
80
78
73
Bol
76
79
77
77
Van der Lijke
70
79
74
66
Walscheid
73
79
79
74
Perera
71
79
80
73
Marin
74
78
78
73
Plowright
74
78
76
73
Hayakawa
72
78
77
66
Norbert
75
77
75
77
Another day but it's the same riders in the break! Theiler, Insausti and Buck-Gramcko.
Theiler wins the only KOM of the day, followed by Buck-Gramcko and Insausti. The Zappes Kolsch rider takes the lead in the classification.
Buck-Gramcko wins the first intermediate sprint ahead of Theiler and Insausti.
The order is the same at the second intermediate sprint.
And again at the third!
The break is caught with 30 km to go. Kone and The ONE are at the front.
Kone are alone at the front with 5 km to go. Can Manninen go back-to-back? Zappes Kolsch are just behind. Ethiopian are on the left. The ONE and Parmalat also have their trains going.
1.5 kilometers to go. Kone are leading out Manninen. Olei is on his wheel. Van der Lijke is on his side. Ethiopian are leading out Perera. Zappes Kolsch are there for Walscheid through the middle.
Consonni has moved to the front of the pack with Van der Lijke on his wheel! The Ethiopian and Zappes Kolsch are just behind with Kone having fallen back. 700 meters remains.
Still its Consonni at the front with 400 meters left to ride. Marin is moving up with McGill makng up ground on the right.
The situation completely changes in another 200 meters as it's Marin vs Van der Lijke at the front now. Bol is finishing fast as well.
It's a 3-way battle for the win inside the final 100 meters!
Marin wins! He has enough in the tank to keep the others at bay.
Bol pips Van der Lijke to 2nd.
Perera, Manninen, Hayakawa and Kelly make up positions 4th through 7th.
Olei, Plowright and Consonni complete the Top 10.
Today's winner - Gabriel Marin.
Van der Lijke keeps his GC lead with Marin moving up to 2nd. Theiler's gains with the intermediates moves him up to 3rd. Marin and Van der Lijke share the Points lead, with Buck-Gramcko and Insausti sharing the KOM lead. Theiler regains the U25s lead with Buck-Gramcko losing time today.
