The first mountain stage clambers up one of those Colombian super climbs, this one weighs in at around 30km and is possibly one of the easier finishing climbs the riders will face in this race.
Given this last climb it is perhaps no surprise that there are no early breaks. Anton Martin takes the early sprint prime ahead of riders like Lutsenko (MTN), Gottfried (WWE), Cano (BCR), Ciocan (Mobil), Eibegger (Magna), Bucciero (Boeing) and Abreu (FC Barca)
Mora (Mobil) attacks ahead of the 2nd Cat climb to get the points along with IhlenFeldt (MTN) and Mayo (WWE).
These three make a go of it and build up a six minute lead before Die Berg begin to chase it down.
Coming into the final 30km climb the break have two minutes, it is an undulating one with a downhill break three quarters of the way up.
Four kilometers in and already Justo Mayo is struggling and has to let go of Mora and Ihlenfeldt in the break.
Not much further up Menchov decides to start the fireworks - yes the sleeping assassin is waking up!
Of course this is marked well and it is Iberia with the numbers up front who bring back Menchov and indeed the break before the downhill section. They have whittled it down to 30 or so riders up the first part of the climb.
Rohregger (Magna) though launches the first worthwhile attack in the final 8km uphill section.
Menchov cannot bridge to the Austrian and Iberia struggle to make any headway as Rohregger holds a 30 second advantage. Iberia it seems are trying to protect Anton Martin and so it falls to Arroyo who pulls Rohregger back and attacks without hesitation at the 5km to go kite.
If they couldn't get Rohregger back it looks unlikely that Arroyo is going to be pulled back as the Spaniard is romping away quickly pulling out a minute.
Behind him a group of 13 chasers form:
Rohregger, Naibo (Magna)
Rojas Villegas, M Salas and Esquival (BCR)
Menchov, Gonzalo and Calzati (Barcelona)
Roman (Mobil)
Rodas (MTN)
Dombrowski (WWE) and Moreno (Iberia)
But no-one can live with Arroyo today and they can only hold the Spanish veteran to a minute as he takes the win and the GC lead.
Denis Menchov had a good climb today and nabs second off of Moreno.
Iberia made the horrible mistake of working for Anton Martin and allowed Arroyo to dance away and left Moreno having to rely on other teams who were not up to it.
Stage results
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
David Arroyo
Die Berg Komt Er
6h31'29
2
Denis Menchov
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 59
3
Daniel Moreno
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
4
Thomas Rohregger
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
5
Deiber Esquivel
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
6
Marco Salas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
7
Julián Rodas
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
8
Sylvain Calzati
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
9
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
s.t.
10
Eduardo Gonzalo
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
11
Maky Roman
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
s.t.
12
César Rojas Villegas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
13
Sebastian Salas
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
14
Carl Naibo
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
15
Georgi Petrov Georgiev
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 1'58
16
Markus Eibegger
Magna-Ryanair
+ 2'36
17
Dominik Hrinkow
Magna-Ryanair
+ 2'53
18
Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 3'56
19
Mikel Astarloza
Team WWE
s.t.
20
Kevin De Weert
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
21
Johan Esteban Chaves
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
22
Juan Pablo Valencia
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
23
Antton Ibarguren
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
24
Stefan Ihlenfeldt
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
25
David Boily
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
26
Craig Lewis
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
27
Francisco Anton Martin
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
28
Fabricio Ferrari
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
s.t.
29
David De la Cruz
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
30
Bernardo Colex
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
31
Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
32
Henry Raabe
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
+ 4'27
33
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 4'48
34
Juan Mora
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
s.t.
35
Rob Britton
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 5'25
36
David Bartl
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
37
Dennis Van Niekerk
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 6'37
38
Eugenio Alafaci
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 8'20
39
Tyron Giogieri
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
40
Andreas Graf
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
41
Daniel Paulus
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
42
Johann Rabie
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
43
Clement Chevrier
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
44
Javier Chacon
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
45
Stefano Pirazzi
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
s.t.
46
Jorge Abreu
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
s.t.
47
Alexey Lutsenko
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
48
Lawson Craddock
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 13'52
49
Stefan Hristov
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
s.t.
50
Ryan Roth
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
51
Andreas Hofer
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
52
Jamie Sparling
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
s.t.
53
James Lewis Perry
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
s.t.
54
Robby Meul
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
55
Guillaume Boivin
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
56
Spas Gyurov
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
s.t.
57
Justo Mayo
Team WWE
s.t.
58
Loic Desirac
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
59
Óscar Pereiro Sio
Control Team
s.t.
60
Iban Mayo
Control Team
s.t.
61
Haimar Zubeldia
Control Team
s.t.
62
Andrii Bratashcuk
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
63
Laurent Didier
Team WWE
+ 17'54
64
Hayden Roulston
Team WWE
+ 20'48
65
Bram Tankink
Team WWE
+ 21'52
66
Antonio Bucciero
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
s.t.
67
Emanuele Rizza
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
68
Alex Ciocan
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
s.t.
69
Jose Luis Cano
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
70
Saïd Haddou
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
71
Alexander Gottfried
Team WWE
s.t.
72
Angel Vicioso
Control Team
s.t.
73
Oscar Freire
Control Team
s.t.
74
Francisco Mancebo
Control Team
s.t.
75
Francisco Perez Sanchez
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 24'25
76
Jordi Simon
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 36'00
GC
Arroyo turns around a disappointing few days for De Berg with a virtuoso performance on the climb. Bar him though there was little to choose between the rest, only really Georgiev of the teams leaders was dropped.
Rank
Name
Team
Time
1
David Arroyo
Die Berg Komt Er
11h41'54
2
Daniel Moreno
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 32
3
Thomas Rohregger
Magna-Ryanair
+ 41
4
Carl Naibo
Magna-Ryanair
s.t.
5
Denis Menchov
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 46
6
Julián Rodas
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 57
7
Eduardo Gonzalo
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 58
8
Sylvain Calzati
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 1'02
9
Maky Roman
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 1'06
10
Deiber Esquivel
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
+ 1'08
11
Sebastian Salas
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
12
César Rojas Villegas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
13
Marco Salas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
+ 1'11
14
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
+ 1'19
15
Georgi Petrov Georgiev
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 1'50
16
Markus Eibegger
Magna-Ryanair
+ 2'02
17
Dominik Hrinkow
Magna-Ryanair
+ 2'35
18
Francisco Anton Martin
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 3'15
19
Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 3'37
20
Johan Esteban Chaves
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
s.t.
21
Juan Pablo Valencia
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 3'46
22
Stefan Ihlenfeldt
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 3'49
23
Craig Lewis
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 3'54
24
David De la Cruz
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 3'55
25
Fabricio Ferrari
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 4'03
26
David Boily
Alstom-RBC
+ 4'05
27
Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
28
Bernardo Colex
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
29
Kevin De Weert
Die Berg Komt Er
+ 4'16
30
Antton Ibarguren
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
31
Mikel Astarloza
Team WWE
s.t.
32
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 4'40
33
Juan Mora
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 4'43
34
Rob Britton
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 5'17
35
David Bartl
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 5'24
36
Dennis Van Niekerk
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 6'35
37
Javier Chacon
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 8'01
38
Andreas Graf
Magna-Ryanair
+ 8'02
39
Jorge Abreu
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 8'07
40
Daniel Paulus
Magna-Ryanair
+ 8'10
41
Alexey Lutsenko
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 8'18
42
Johann Rabie
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 8'19
43
Eugenio Alafaci
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 8'27
44
Henry Raabe
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
+ 8'32
45
Stefano Pirazzi
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 8'36
46
Tyron Giogieri
Die Berg Komt Er
+ 8'40
47
Clement Chevrier
Die Berg Komt Er
+ 8'44
48
Andreas Hofer
Magna-Ryanair
+ 13'39
49
Spas Gyurov
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 13'44
50
Stefan Hristov
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
s.t.
51
Jamie Sparling
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 13'46
52
James Lewis Perry
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
+ 13'50
53
Lawson Craddock
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 13'59
54
Ryan Roth
Alstom-RBC
+ 14'01
55
Robby Meul
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
s.t.
56
Guillaume Boivin
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
57
Justo Mayo
Team WWE
+ 14'11
58
Loic Desirac
Alstom-RBC
+ 18'03
59
Laurent Didier
Team WWE
+ 18'14
60
Andrii Bratashcuk
Die Berg Komt Er
s.t.
61
Hayden Roulston
Team WWE
+ 21'08
62
Óscar Pereiro Sio
Control Team
+ 21'21
63
Iban Mayo
Control Team
s.t.
64
Haimar Zubeldia
Control Team
+ 21'23
65
Antonio Bucciero
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
+ 21'45
66
Jose Luis Cano
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
+ 22'00
67
Alex Ciocan
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
+ 22'03
68
Alexander Gottfried
Team WWE
+ 22'04
69
Saïd Haddou
Alstom-RBC
s.t.
70
Bram Tankink
Team WWE
s.t.
71
Emanuele Rizza
Die Berg Komt Er
+ 22'12
72
Francisco Perez Sanchez
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
+ 24'06
73
Angel Vicioso
Control Team
+ 29'21
74
Francisco Mancebo
Control Team
s.t.
75
Oscar Freire
Control Team
s.t.
76
Jordi Simon
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
+ 36'15
Points
Rank
Name
Team
Points
General
1
Francisco Anton Martin
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
6
33
2
Daniel Moreno
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
16
28
3
David Arroyo
Die Berg Komt Er
25
25
4
Markus Eibegger
Magna-Ryanair
4
24
5
Juan Mora
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
12
22
6
Denis Menchov
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
20
20
7
Alexander Gottfried
Team WWE
0
16
8
Alex Ciocan
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
2
16
9
Thomas Rohregger
Magna-Ryanair
14
14
10
Eduardo Gonzalo
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
6
13
11
Jorge Abreu
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
0
12
12
Deiber Esquivel
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
12
12
13
Marco Salas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
10
10
14
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
7
10
15
Alexey Lutsenko
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
0
9
16
Julián Rodas
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
9
9
17
Maky Roman
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
5
9
18
Stefan Ihlenfeldt
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
8
8
19
Sylvain Calzati
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
8
8
20
Jose Luis Cano
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
0
8
21
Bram Tankink
Team WWE
0
8
22
Emanuele Rizza
Die Berg Komt Er
0
8
23
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
0
5
24
César Rojas Villegas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
4
4
25
Justo Mayo
Team WWE
4
4
26
Sebastian Salas
Alstom-RBC
3
3
27
Carl Naibo
Magna-Ryanair
2
2
28
Georgi Petrov Georgiev
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
1
2
29
Antonio Bucciero
Boeing-Vivacom ProCycling
0
2
KoM
Mora and stage winner Arroyo did enough to create a three way tie at the top of the mountains points.
Rank
Name
Team
Mountain
General
1
Jorge Abreu
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
0
16
2
Juan Mora
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
16
16
3
David Arroyo
Die Berg Komt Er
16
16
4
Bram Tankink
Team WWE
0
14
5
Stefan Ihlenfeldt
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
12
12
6
Maky Roman
Mobil - Castrol Cycling
12
12
7
Denis Menchov
FC Barcelona - Estrella Damm
10
10
8
Johan Esteban Chaves
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
8
8
9
Javier Chacon
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
8
8
10
Sebastian Salas
Alstom-RBC
8
8
11
Justo Mayo
Team WWE
8
8
12
Joseph Dombrowski
Team WWE
6
6
13
Carl Naibo
Magna-Ryanair
4
4
14
Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez
Iberia - Communidad Valenciana
2
2
15
James Lewis Perry
MTN - World Bicycle Relief
0
2
16
César Rojas Villegas
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica
2
2
17
Clement Chevrier
Die Berg Komt Er
0
2
18
Andrii Bratashcuk
Die Berg Komt Er
0
2
Youth
The stage looks set for a bit of a battle for the youth jersey between Dombrowski and Rojas Villegas.