And… the win wasn’t for a breakaway rider!

Fortunato🇮🇹 did most of the big climb alone ahead and took the juicy 1^st category points . Behind, there was not much of a gap between the big group and the peloton which wasn’t really letting go. Gaudu🇫🇷 which was expected to go in a breakaway today, was dropped by the peloton in the first kilometre of the climb, or so.

After the big climb, a group of 5 gathered around Fortunato🇮🇹, including Plapp🇦🇺 again, Poels🇳🇱, Quintana🇨🇴 and Bilbao🇪🇸. They rode and rode and rode, but UAE kept them under 3 minutes (I think?). It allowed Fortunato🇮🇹 to grab the points of the first of the two 2^nd category climbs. But then it became more difficult, as Trek came pulling, using a still present Pedersen🇩🇰, and the gap shrunk and shrunk.

The breakaway was caught in the beginning of the second 2^nd category climb, Fortunato🇮🇹 surrendering first, as it became clear that he had no chance to reach the top ahead of the peloton.

Then stuff got a bit fuzzy for me, as I happened to have a bit of a kip. I don’t know in which order stuff happened 😁 Carapaz🇪🇨 vigorously attacked in that climb making a gap of over 1 mn I believe. Behind, there were several small attacks/acceleration where Ayuso and Roglitch didn’t shine, to say the less, contrarily to Del Toro🇲🇽. In the end, the gap was falling but Carapaz🇪🇨 kept enough to win. Behind, Del Toro🇲🇽 won the group sprint, always watching behind him, looking for Ayuso. Last time bonus went to Ciccone🇮🇹, who beat Pidcock who had launched the sprint ahead, and Bernal.

After 20 minutes, Gaudu🇫🇷 still hasn’t crossed the line. Good thing for him that delays are huge today. Or maybe the good thing for him would be to get out of the race?