After Lutsyshyn went first, Viennet is one the second tier trime-trialists able to put up a reference time. It’s 1h09’24 for the French champion, a time which will soon be beaten by Tanfield (1h08’16, and then Lammertink (1h07’24).
The Dutchman takes 39 seconds to Tanfield in the last third of the stage, which is quite a performance.

Gonzalez Salas is 1’53 off, Goldstein 2’03. The performance seems even more incredible, when Erdenebat comes in provisional 3rd, with a gap of 1’33! Van Niekerk can’t do better, 1’54 off.

Beniusis is the first who seems able to challenge Lammertink: he’s 2 seconds faster at the first chrono, 3 seconds slower at the second. He finishes in the same time as the Dutchman and takes the hot seat by a fraction.

The Indian champion John is the last of the group, 20th at 2’25.

Van Moer is the next to go, and he’s putting a decent time, finishing provisional 3rd at 43 seconds. He’s only the first rider less than 1 minute slower than Beniusis.

Ocampo has more difficulties: already 1’10 off at the second check, he loses 1’45. Zakarin loses 1’41 (1’14 on the last part!) while Christapopoulos is the new provisional 3rd (+26 seconds).

But it’s Cataford who’s the main attraction now, being faster in the first check. He loses some time though, and is also 3rd, at 4 seconds.

And already two favorites on the road: Zmorka (33 seconds late on the first check) and Würtz, in his world champion jersey. Will one of them take the lead?

Zmorka loses more time at the 2nd check (+0’46), while Würtz exploded Lammertink’ and Cataford’s times! (-0’28). It’s a hard day for the Ukrainian champion, who 53’’ off in the end.

Würtz indeed takes the hot seat for 54 seconds: 1h06’30. Could he enter the top 20? He’s 4’20 behind Niu, who’s not the best time-trialist.

Kämna finishes well, provisional 12th at 2 minutes, when Oliveira is at 1’34, good enough for 6th. He could gain some positions in the GC.

Niu, in green, is the first to finish. He should keep his jersey, and can win the best climber jersey if he takes 31 seconds to Delbove. That is, if I get the jury’s classification correctly.

The best young rider, Kmieliauskas, delivers, only 57 seconds behind Würtz, on set for a great GC.

But the big hopes are for Dunbar… who doesn’t seem on his best day. He loses 1’20 on Würtz. Same time for Mano.

Phinney loses 2’07 and will be behind them in the GC.

Conci is 1’32 off, which is a good result for him. Not the case for Van Niekerk, who’s 9’50 off. He’ll drop severely.

In any case, Wirtgen is too strong and he smashes the best times: 1h05’49 is 41 seconds faster than his teammate.

Storer (+8’57), Yates (+8’54) and Vansevenant (+7’23) times are anecdoctic, as they slide out of real GC position.