The last three days have seen the podium monopolised by Lotto-Soudal, with two wins for Andre Greipel and one for Tim Wellens. Lotto-Soudal always seem to be right on the money tactically, and these few days have really seen them reap the rewards for their organisation.
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But before that, a word on the leader during the international transfer, Marcel Kittel. I asked last time who could stop him, and the answer appears to be himself. Or at least, his own limitations as a rider. A terrifying unit of a man, he was never really likely to make it through the mountains with the pink jersey still on his back, losing a handful of minutes in both stages 4 and 6.
5 and 7 looked a lot more achievable for sprinters (and indeed being won by his compatriot Greipel), but Kittel simply could not haul his large frame over the hills quick enough to stay with the other sprinters in stage 5, and a big effort to stay at the front in stage 7 was scuppered by a puncture with 5km to go yesterday.
With Kittel out of the equation, Tom Dumoulin (TGA) has regained the maglia rosa, finishing at the front of the elite group in stage 4 behind stage winner Diego Ulissi (LAM). Let's gloss over my pre-race prediction that Lampre-Merida would be anonymous throughout the Giro.
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Stage 6 was the first to really shake up the GC, and as he did in the Vuelta last year, Dumoulin took the early opportunity to put himself at the front. He attacked late in stage 6, taking chunks of time out of Rafal Majka (TNK), Alejandro Valverde (MOV), Mikel Landa (SKY) and Vincenzo Nibali (AST). Or, to phrase it another way, outperforming what could be a likely top 4 in the final GC standings.
Ilnur Zakarin (KAT) might take issue with that last statement, as he and AG2R's Domenico Pozzovivo stayed with and ultimately just beat Dumoulin, the Russian in particular building on his good early season form, and currently sits a solid 3rd in the standings, 13 seconds ahead of Valverde and 19 clear of Nibali. He can afford to track the big names in the next mountain stage before deciding when to attack.
Before we stop talking about stage 6, chapeau to Tim Wellens, who took his first Grand Tour stage win, and what a win it was. He attacked from the breakaway, something which he's no stranger to doing, but on this occasion nobody had anything approaching an answer. Wellens won the stage by well over a minute from Jakob Fuglsang (AST) and Zakarin. Debate over whether he was allowed to stay out front because he's not a GC threat should not diminish the plaudits for as well-deserved a win as you'll see this year.
Stages 5 and 7 were ones for the sprinters, and as I said earlier, both times Lotto-Soudal had their tactics spot on. They protected Andre Greipel through the hills before the finishes, and he won stage 5 just as dominantly as Kittel had a few days earlier, launching a very early sprint, and never looking like being caught.
Stage 7 was harder work for Greipel, who lost his lead out man in the pushing and shoving inside the last few hundred metres. Caleb Ewan (OGE) was at the front of the race, with Greipel looking bunched in and out of it. I've watched the finish a few times now and I'm still not sure how, but Greipel surged past everyone and took another convincing win. I don't know what they feed their sprint prospects in Germany, but whatever it is, it works.
Today's stage 8 probably won't do a lot to the GC, with the principle riders saving themselves for Sunday's much anticipated time trial in the chianti vineyards. With the first true mountain stage not coming until next Saturday, whoever leaves the vineyards in the lead will fancy themselves to keep it for a few more days.
Can Dumoulin produce more heroics, to provide writers with something to keep the words 'Vuelta 2015' away from his name for the rest of eternity? Will someone conveniently happen to break down next to a barrel of nicely aged wine? Probably not, but wouldn't it be nice?
General Classification
1. Tom Dumoulin (TGA) 29:23:23
2. Jakob Fuglsang (AST) + :26
3. Ilnur Zakarin (KAT) + :28
4. Bob Jungels (EQS) + :35
5. Steven Kruijswijk (TLJ) + :38
6. Alejandro Valverde (MOV) + :41
7. Diego Ulissi (LAM) + :41
8. Vincenzo Nibali (AST) + :47
9. Kanstantsin Siutsou (DDD) + :49
10. Rigoberto Uran (CPT) + :51
Sprint Classification
1. Andre Greipel (LTS) 119
2. Marcel Kittel (EQS) 106
3. Arnaud Demare (FDJ) 91
King of the Mountains
1. Tim Wellens (LTS) 21
2. Damiano Cunego (NIP) 20
3. Alessandro Bisolti (NIP) 16
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