Team CSC-Orbea have had a quiet race but today are enthusiastically chasing hoping to set things up for Roman Maksimov
10th on GC Peter Stetina crashes along with Romain Sicard but CalGiant do a great job in getting both back into the pack.
Meanwhile CSC continue to chase pretty much alone and the look like they are doing enough with the gap down to 3 minutes with 33km remaining.
The 5 man break lead us through these finishing circuits with the weather thankfully having improved.
The final two sprints are taken by them:
Sprint 2: Dupont - > Meyer - > Colex
Sprint 3: Meyer - > Dupont - > Duenes Nevada
The break does get to the bell for the final lap, but with just a 23 second lead it wasn't going to happen for them. Strangely in the pack once again we do not get any lead outs, meaning Maksimov is in front with 4km to ahead of Marco Guillén Assan Bazajev Emanuele Rizza Robert Förster
Denis Galimzyanov
and Mattia Gavazzi
Domenico Pozzovivo is being kept to the front by Isaac Speirs and both may fancy their chances in the sprint.
The order of things remains the same with no-one launching their big move until with 1.5km to go and Rizza blinks first.
Under the kite and Rizza has hit out in front ahead of Maksimov, Guillen and Bazajev. Galimzyanov has followed Rizza's forward move with Pozzovivo also competing in this sprint.
Bazajev pulls across as Guillen blocks the gap between Rizza and Maksimov, this in turn blocks Galimzyanov out of any chance of forwad momentum.
On slight uphill to the finish both Rizza and Maksimov fade, bringing Bazajev to the front with Guillen trying to hold firm. Galimzyanov and Pozzovivo have a chance of a podium.
Bazajev holds for the win ahead of Guillen, Galimzyanov, Pozzovivo and Maksimov.
Rizza fads to 7th in the sprint behind Forster and ahead of Lima. None of the GC riders were dropped today meaning Pozzovivo takes the Slovenia crown ahead of Rujano and Nazaret