Greig Leach

The last four members of the early break knew that the end was neigh when the last of vehicles behind them were pulled out of the gap. The race officials will remove any vehicles between a group and the chasers behind to prevent those chasing using the vehicles to draft up to those ahead. Eugert Zhupa (Wilier Triestina), Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Pavel Brute (Gazprom-Rusvelo) and Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe) had been away for 196 kilometers of the 206 kilometer stage, but it looks like their time off the front was about to come to an end.