Todays 182 km stage featured 3 climbs.
After completing the last climb the 5 man break: Niki Teristara (Team Milram), Ludovic Turpin (AG2R La Mondiale), Yuri Trofimov (BBox Bouygues Telecom), Remi Pauriol (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne), and Inigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Euskaltel - Euskadi), had more than three minutes on the peloton. With about 5 km to go, the break had about 2 min 14 sec on the peloton and the sprinters decided they would not be able to real the break in, leaving Silence - Lotto to set the pace.
The 5 man break worked together until less than 2 km to go, and then they started to get ready for the finish. Niki Terpistra was leading the group with 1 km to go, and watching to see who would go first. It seamed as if all the other riders knew Niki was the man to try and beat. Going into the last slight left hand corner about 300-400 m before the finish, Inigo Landaluze Intxaurraga (Euskaltel - Euskadi) who was in the last position, decided to make it a go. Niki responded immediately while Inigo created a bike length size gap as the group came out of the corner. Niki closed the gap within seconds and passed Inigo while all the other sprinters followed. As the sprint progressed further, Niki opened about a bike length gap on the next rider (Remi Pauriol), When it was clear to Niki that he was going to win, he raised a clenched fist in victory as he crossed the line.
Read Team Milram's news of the race by clicking here.
Danny
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