Yesterday the GC battle took a day off, maybe the terrible weather, maybe they are all on the limit or maybe there were saving themselves for today. The race’s 5th mountain top summit finish is at Ax 3 Domaines. It is the shortest of the finishing climbs but very steep (10% over 6.6k) and immediately proceeded by the HC Port de Pailhiéres (12k at 9.1%). Prior to that the stage’s 159k features two Cat 1 and two Cat 2 climbs. So there should be another battle for KOM points.
The stage favorites:
If it was the weather that muted the stage yesterday it might be even quieter today. Once again the stage starts with a climb, not that the riders at the back of the peleton can see anything.
A few k into the first climb to Sant Marti de Surroca and some familiar attackers at the front in Carboni, Nesset, Sequera, Cink, Madouas. Cink the only new face from yesterday, both KOM competitors already accounted for. Others trying to come across.
At the top Carboni has a gap on the rest and takes maximum points.
Madouas third behind Nesset. Sequera holds on for fourth. That is a two-point gain for the Puma rider, he trails by 5 points in the KOM now.
Behind Festina is working on the front. It looks like De la Cruz wants to try the break again but he wants the gap closed first.
After a short descent the front 3 begin the next climb, the Cat 1 Serra Cavallera, 5.9k at 8.9%. The peloton is 3’01 behind, in between are the other two from the original break plus Stork and Schinnagel from Puma, Vuelta legend Brambilla and van der Poel and Meurisse. It would be a big advantage to Madous if his teammates get across.
EA hasn’t had much joy this race, looks like they want in on the break as well. About 30 riders already dropped.
2.2k to climb. Carboni attacks and Madouas is immediately dropped, he has been out front so many KM this race, it must be catching up with him. Most of the rest of the attackers are 1’17 behind Madouas, so he might be able to hang on for some points on this climb. Peleton is at 2’24.
Carboni powers away to take first place at the top again. Nesset already 1’05 back. Madouas still holding an advantage over the rest of the attackers, who have dropped Sequera. Now a descent and then another Cat 1 climb.
Madouas holds on for third, he has the KOM jersey back unless Sequera can recover. The peloton not far behind.
Sequera can’t score Madouas leads by 5 points
Carboni still on his own as he reaches the beginning of the Collada de Toses, the riders climbed the other side of this yesterday. This side a little steeper, but still long more than hard at 18.8k at 4.7%.
Nesset is at 1’05 the peloton at 3’55 where Evonik is now on the front. The other riders still in between, not clear how that will play out.
127k to go, 13k to climb and EA hasn’t relented. Wirtgen doing the work, looks like they want to get Kirsch up the road. They have caught Sequera, Stork and van der Poel. Carboni at 3’03, Nesset at 1’26 and the rest of the escapees just 46 seconds ahead. 100 riders left in the peloton.
1.8k to climb for Carboni. EA has run out of riders behind and Evonik on the front but with less commitment. His lead is now 4’47, Nesset 2’21 behind him the rest of the break 3’44 behind.
1k to the top for Madouas, he has had help to recover from Schinnagel, and he attacks. Third place points should be available.
Madouas settles for 4th at the top but that is another 8 points added to his lead. Carboni is over 4 minutes ahead the peloton which is about 2 minutes behind this group. There are 114k to, most of it less intense, until the riders reach the base of the Port de Pailhiéres with 37k to go.
The peloton reaches the sprint point in Puigcerda with 90k to ride. The other teams appear to have given up getting in the breakaway so Evonik setting an easy pace and the peleton is back to 121 riders. Carboni is at 6’29 the other six (Nesset, Madouas, Schinnagel, Brambilla, Cink and Meurisse} are at 6 minutes so they should be able to catch Carboni soon. They are about to start the Cat 2 climb to Fort Romeu (8.7k at 5.5%)
73k to ride, 600k to Fort Romeu as Carboni attacks, Madouas and Meurisse stick with him. Nesset and Cink were dropped earlier in the climb, the other 2 are just behind. The lead has ballooned to 8’40. Another win for the breakaway is possible.
Madouas can’t stay with Carboni but will secure 2nd. Carboni moves into 3rd in the KOM competition on 77 points but is still a long way behind Madouas who has 131 points. Mostly flat and downhill now until the start of the Port de Pailhiéres.
The breakaway is back together. They are about to reach the 2nd sprint in Escouloubre, and have just start the Port de Pailhiéres. Their lead over the peloton is 11’52, which is where it has been hovering for some time, some of the other GC teams helping Evonik now but not pushing hard. Carboni sitting about 10th in the virtual GC right now but the gap will likely close from here so that isn’t much of a consideration. 35km to go.
30k to go for the peloton. King Power on the front but they are just maintaining the gap at around 12 minutes not closing it. Nesset, Cink and Schinnagel have been dropped up front.
2.7k to climb and Madouas is dropped but he should have enough cushion to take some KOM points and protect his White Jersey.
Carboni wins another climb solo. He is having a great day and has to be favorite for the stage win as he has already opened up 1’35 on Meurisse and Brambilla. Peloton at 11’22.
2.2k to the top for the peloton and Pinot, Kirsch, and Roman attack.
Over the top Cattaneo and Carthy attack and are followed by a number of GC riders including Tenorio. The 3 mentioned before have a 1 minute gap.
18k to go. Cattaneo and Carthy are joined by Koshevoy who attacked just before them. They are 45 seconds behind the original attackers and 12 seconds ahead of a group of 7 GC riders. Another 20 seconds behind that group Blums is leading 3 Evonik riders trying to close it down for the Red Jersey with help from Moser as Hirt is the only GC top-10 rider other than Taaramäe to miss the move.
6k to go for Carboni. He is on the final climb which averages 10%. He has a 2’08 lead over Brambilla and Meurisse and 11’24 over Taaramäe whose team is still working on the descent to close down the GC attacks.
10k banner and Evonik brings the GC attackers back, an earlier attack might have made more sense. The other 3 are just ahead.
The peloton on to the final climb, Brozyna to the front. Tenorio must be feeling good. Just ahead Pinot has dropped the other two.
1k banner for Carboni, his lead is 2’48 over Meurisse, who has dropped Brambilla, and 9’38 over the Red Jersey group.
A titanic performance from Carboni, shadows of his last week at the Giro. He wins the stage, much of which he rode solo, by over 3 minutes, and he puts himself in with a shot at the KOM competition on Stages 19 and 20.
1.7k to go for the Red Jersey group. Tenorio on the front. Taaramäe a little far back but he still has a teammate with him. Not enough distance for significant time losses.
Meintjes attacks and a group including him, Tenorio, Cattaneo, Carthy, Madrazo and Kirsch, who has been caught, get a small gap. Vosekalns working to close it down.
Meurisse takes 2nd, not in the same class as Carboni but a brave ride.
Cattaneo and Kirsch have been dropped by the attackers who are sweeping up the remnants of the break. Haig working to with Taaramäe to catch them as the gap is up to 39 seconds. All the top 11 on GC are in one of these two groups.
Brambilla takes 3rd, a few years ago it might have been different.
Brambilla will be the last breakaway rider to make it as Madouas will be caught before the line. Also hurts the Puma rider in the KOM compeition. Haig has pulled himself and Taaramäe back to the Tenorio group but there still could be some small gaps.
Pinot takes 4th ahead of Tenorio.
Carthy 6th, Madouas 7th, which means he gets 2 KOM points. His lead is a solid 30 points over Carboni. Madrazo 8th followed by Taaramäe and Haig to complete the top 10.
Hirt and Meintjes, who suffered towards the end, take 11th and 12. There were no time gaps among any of the aforementioned GC riders
Cattaneo, who totally cracked in the last 2k, Bennett and Kritskiy, are the weakest of the top GC guys, finishing 18th, 19th and 20th. The first two lose 1’09 to the Red Jersey and 30 seconds to Reis who finished in 15th. Enough to move the King Power rider back up to 9th in the GC. The Russian loses 1’24 to the Red Jersey and drops behind Cathy into 8th.
Carboni’s heroics move him up into 12th in the GC.
Aular loses over 2 minutes to Madouas and the Red Jersery group meaning the Puma rider also has a solid lead in the White Jersey competition as his breakaway exploits have put him 6’58 ahead.
As has been looming for a while now Evonik take over the team lead. They are 2’51 ahead of Tinkoff.
It is still raining when Vlatos finishes last on the stage 1’06’41 behind Carboni just under 1 minute before the time cut.