A pretty busy stage yesterday with a break never really being allowed much room. With a couple of Sky chaps in the break Movistar got to work on the front. Early race leader Atapuma crashed out of the break but still in the race. There were a few moves on the final climb, even Contador had a go, but it was Dries Devenyns who had a few seconds over the top but was unable to maintain it on the flat roads into Bilbao. A reduced sprint taken by OBE’s Jens Keukeleire.

No changes on GC. In fact Quintana still holds red, combined and spotty jerseys. Valverde has the green and Movistar has the lead in the team competition. Quite the lock out!

The longest stage of the race today, and a hard lumpy one at that…

Here’s inrng’s summary…

The Route: a full day’s racing in the Basque country, a region that includes part of France by some definitions of course. At 213km this is the longest stage in the race and hilly too with 3,720m of vertical gain as they head into the Pyrenees. There are four third category climbs and all between 5-7km at no more than 6.5%.

The Finish: there’s a finishing circuit that’s half in France and half in Spain. Original? Actually it’s a copy of the 2014 Tour of the Basque Country stage won by Tony Martin from a breakaway. The cross back into Spain and arrive in Dantxarinea, a cross-border shopping destination and the finish town but don’t cross the line, instead there’s loop taking them back into France.

It’s mostly on wider roads but there are some smaller sections and it rises and falls and the road rises at over 6% for 1.5km as they cross the border back into France with 8km to go, an unmarked but significant climb before a gradual descent into the village of Dantxarinea again. After the turning for the finish with 500m to go the road rises at 1.5-2% for 400m.

The Contenders: a good day for the breakaway. When Tony Martin won here in April 2014 he did it with help from then team mate Jan Bakelants (Ag2r La Mondiale) and the Belgian is in good form and ideal for a stage like this.

Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) is another pick and if he’s better known for asphyxiating his rivals in sharp uphill finishes he still packs a good sprint from a small group. Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo) can sprint even faster but tends to place more than win – third yesterday – even if he’s won a stage of the Tour of the Basque Country too. Otherwise it’s hard to keep the preview concise given the course is open to many and a section of the peloton will fancy their chances in a breakaway in the mountains so perhaps the likes of Thomas De Gendt, Tejay van Garderen and Pierre Rolland are going to sit today out? Gianni Meersman is a safe pick in case of a big sprint while Adam Hansen says he’s waiting for the second half to pick of a stage so he could be in the action too.

Reduced bunch sprint or a break probably today. I can’t see many teams being happy to put the work in to keep a break in check. Suspect the GC riders will try and take it as easy as possible today. It’s the queen stage tomorrow, 3 cat 1 climbs then a big finish up the top of the HC Aubisque.

Finally with all the talk of bike computers and power meters, some amusing speculation over at velonews as to what Quintana was doing fiddling with his bike computer on the Covadonga climb. “Hey Alberto, I’m like 10 seconds down on this KOM, got to go…” 🙂

Looking forward to watching tomorrow, will be an exciting one!

My money is on a break of non-contenders today

Likely, and I suspect the peloton would be happy to see a decent break go.

Agreed. Wouldn’t want the hassle/risk of the bunch sprint jostling etc.

Ideal situation for viewing would be a decent sized break so there is still a good race at the end, and the GC boys saving themselves for tomorrow’s pain!

My money is on a break of non-contenders today

Spot on 🙂

Looks like the peloton has let the break go despite a bit of chasing by FDJ and Trek SF who look to have missed out…

Michael Gogl (Tinkoff), Danilo Wyss (BMC), Gatis Smukulis (Astana), Tom Stamsnijder (Giant – Alpecin), Sergey Lagutin (Katusha), Jelle Wallays (Lotto Soudal), Yves Lampaert (Etixx – Quick Step), Vegard Stake Laengen (IAM Cycling), Valerio Conti (Lampre – Merida), Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon18) and Romain Cardis (Direct Energie) enjoy a 4’40 lead at km 35.

Now almost 6 mins at 42k.

Romain Cardis maybe looking to improve his position on GC being the current Lantern Rouge 🙂

I dodged the work bullet but have my 3yo in tow, so we’re just going to have a walk up to the beach to watch the race pass through San Sebastian.

Standard fare so far today, break of 12 or so sitting 6m clear, Movistar pulling the peloton. 180km to go. (edit, forgot to hit Post!) I love the roads around here but can’t see it being the best day’s racing.

Descent of Lizarrieta is properly sketchy, should be interesting to watch.

approx 11 minutes now. highest contender an hour back so i guess thats it away

Break working well…

Movistar DS… “The goal is to spend a day as quiet as possible. ”

They have the same goal as me!

Though I imagine hiding behind a VDU drinking coffee is harder that a 200km pootle in the sunshine 😆

i’ve tipped Loic Chetout for great things today so they better not be having a quiet one!!

I’ve watched bike races in far worse places!

San Sebastien?

Nice.

About halfway and the break has over 18 minutes. Teams in contention for a sprint still seem to be talking up a sprint finish.

Yeah I saw that but found it surprising. Over 19 1/2 minutes now with 86km to go. Some one will have to think about starting to work if there is going to be a sprint!

Neither the break nor the pelotón were pressing on through San Sebastian so can’t see that gap coming down much.

Five and a half hours in the saddle for today’s stage winner Conti. Another 26 minutes before the peloton rolled in. That’s a long day!

grippy roads round ‘ere! Pleased for Conti, he read that perfectly, but the stage was a snoozefest

Lovely scenery round there.

Lovely scenery round there.

Yep, a stage for the scenery, not the racing!

They didn’t really trouble the local KOMs. That’s about the only positive from today…

Yep, a stage for the scenery, not the racing!

tere was racing – when I missed that bit – last wee breakaway from the breakaway aside
i could have ridden with the peloton today. and probably continued posting on here

I fell asleep watching the highlights last night just about where they were discussing anagrams of riders surnames!