Unlike the past days there was a more underdog win today as there wasn't much intention to bring back the break surpringly, and in the break itself there weren't attacks and came down to a sprint finish where Mads Wurtz took a big win in front of Brent van Moer and Simone Velasco.
Positive: Israel getting a nice win, nothing else to note really.
Negative: Liepins was the man to beat and the only one to drop in the break, and no-one tried to attack the group with Wurtz the clear favourite. Alpecin, Deceuninck and plenty other teams had sprinters looking forward to today but they didn't seem to all their wood burning, lost a good opportunity.
The Route
The traditional final time-trial. Short, fast, one for the purists.
The Weather
The wind will be strong but as the time-trial is an out-and-back it shouldn't make much difference, coming from the north and loosing intensity throughout the afternoon, there's also a slight possibility that rain can come in the way of the riders.
The Favourites
The main favourite to take it, even though the competition is strong, is without a doubt Filippo Ganna. It's been a big while since he hasn't won a time-trial and tomorrow's suits him perfectly, only a mishap could take away that win for him.
The competition consists of some world-class time-trialists aswell firstly including Swiss champion Stefan Kung and the Belgian champion Wout van Aert, two big powerhouses who look in great form and will have a big dig to try and disrupt Ganna's reign and the podium will likely be made of these 3 riders but some more have a possibility of getting in that much wanted podium.
I would say plenty of the riders are in equal position and will also depend on some good weather and a good day to get in there, we can start by a couple of riders who have been in the break today Mads Wurtz and Nelson Oliveira are both very solid time-trialists who will be up there, you've got some riders that are fighting for the GC like previously mentioned van Aert but also obviously Tadej Pogacar and João Almeida who can do really well, Almeida's teammate Kasper Asgreen, Ineos have got a trio of riders who will be trying to get a strong result in Geraint Thomas who faltered in yesterday's brutal stage, but also Michal Kwiatkowski and Jonathan Castroviejo who have been in domestique duties throughout the week, although they will surely have the win in their team.
And then you've got some riders who occasionally perform really well but aren't consistent, they can always pull of a strong result though as they will like the pan-flat aspect of the stage, men like Maciej Bodnar, Jan Tratnik, Michael Hepburn, Edoardo Affini, Benjamin Thomas and Trek duo Ryan Mullen and Quinn Simmons will surely give it their all out on the road.
Prediction Time
⭐ Oliveira, Almeida, Pogacar, Thomas, Kwiatkowski, Bodnar, Hepburn, Mullen, B.Thomas
I think the win should be easy despite the strong competition, Ganna takes it.
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