After yesterday's ambush today Astana attempted a similar strategy and much to their delight Jakob Fugsland played his cards perfectly and captured a massive solo win, gaining a huge chunk of time ahead of everyone else except the two rider that are still ahead of him, Adam Yates and Primoz Roglic.
The say began off with a big and dangerous breakaway, Denz (AG2R), Oss (Bora), Van Hooydonck (CCC), Rovny (Gazprom), Van Asbroeck (Israel), Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Arcas (Movistar), Pedersen (Trek), Simon (Cofidis), Morabito (FDJ), Giovanni Visconti, Gabburo and Zardini (Neri Sottoli). The gap had a maximum of 9 minutes, and with 35Km to go it was still 1:45, but with the race quickly blowing apart, the remains of the break were caught with 20Km to go.
The peloton took it very slowly in the begining and the bulk of the stage, but with the entrance in the final circuit bringing nerves and position fight the gap came down quickly, together with Astana's work in the final 40Km
In the second-to-last passing through the final climb Astana put the pressure, and Jakob Fuglsang went on the attack with 24Km to go. A long-range attack like yesterday and again the other GC contenders had no reaction to it and no collaboration to shut down the gap.
Reacing the breakaway with 20Km to go the Dane lead them and with 10Km to go he went solo, as his climbing skills were too much for Pedersen and Gabburo. From there on Fuglsang found no opposition and despite having his gap shortened by the chasers he never looked as though he'd loose the stage.
In the chasing group with 11Km Adam Yates surged on the attack, only having Primoz Roglic able to follow him. The chasers split into tiny groups and these two collaborated their way into the final climb, where Yates distanced Roglic and expanded his overal gap by 18 seconds, now having a gap big enough to have a good possibility to win.
The final chance for the sprinter's to show what they're made of. After a couple of days in the hills a flat day once again shows. Like the previous stages the first half is quite rolling, lots of ups and downs, lots of riders who will try to get in a breakaway and a dangerous one might appear, with a vaguely downhill parcours and rolling terrain the stage can go to a breakaway member if the peloton allows a strong one to leave.
They will be glad to know that at least the technical effort required to be a part of the sprint won't be so high, other than a left turn just outside of the final kilometer there aren't more technical obstacles.
Who can we expect to see?
Well pretty much the same riders as in stage 3. There isn't much to look at, Viviani and Gaviria the clear favourites, with Sagan always trying to seize an opportunity. With a less technical finale Sagan won't have so much room to play with so it should totally be up to the other two tomorrow.
Nizzolo, Modolo and Bauhaus are 3 powerhouse sprinters who are capable of fitting in if the occasion feels right, Jens Keukeleire and Clement Venturini are two others to watch, as they had a very strong result in the other flat stage.
It's a short sprinter list so who is it for the win tomorrow?
Prediction Time
⭐ Nizzolo, Modolo, Bauhaus, Venturini, Stuyven
Gaviria got blocked in the other sprint, I think we couldn't see the true power the Colombian had in his legs, and tomorrow with a less technical sprint he will be able to beat Viviani in the line.
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