We're underway on stage 3 of the Tour de Romandie, another moderately hilly day starting and finishing in Romont, with the route taking a sort of figure of eight shape as it takes in four categorised climbs across 160 kilometres.
The early second-category ascent of Sorens has made for a lively start to proceedings. A number of riders attempted to leave the peloton but in the end only Simon Pellaud (Switzerland) clipped away over the top to claim maximum KOM points, wearing the mountains classification jersey after yesterday's efforts in the break.
There has been a regrouping of the peloton as the descent begins, but now we see Sam Bennett - yes, a sprinter - on the attack.
136km remaining from 160km
Bennett's moment of adventure comes to an end as the road flattens out. Peloton all together.
Here's a closer look at the stage profile. There are a couple of third-category climbs coming up but it's that second-category ascent of Villars-Bramard, 12km from the line, that will shake things up. Not just that, but the further uncategorised inclines that lead to the finish, including the uphill drag to the line.
It's got Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) written all over it, but could go a number of ways. The Italian was the only sprinter to survive the final climb two days ago, only to be dropped on a false flat section as the overall contenders made it a GC day. That could well happen again, and the finale is certainly difficult enough to create some gaps, and we could see the likes of Roglic, Costa, Thomas and Gaudu slugging it out to the line. Alternatively, the terrain is ripe for a breakaway win, and, especially after Stefan Kung's exploits yesterday, we should now see a decent battle to get up the road.
On the attack is a small group of riders, with a small gap over the rest.
Kenny Elissonde (Team Ineos)
Lennard Kamna (Team Sunweb)
Michael Storer (Team Sunweb)
Michael Albasini (Mitchelton-Scott)
Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Merida)
123km remaining from 160km
And now they're joined by two more
Andrey Amador (Movistar)
Roland Thalmann (Switzerland)
120km remaining from 160km
The seven breakaway riders have pulled out ground on the second climb of the day, the short third-category climb in Vuisternens-en-Ogoz. They have 1:30 in hand over the peloton as they head over the summit.
Nico Denz has missed the breakaway boat and is desperately swimming across. He trails by 37 seconds and doesn't seem to be making inroads.
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It's race leader Primoz Roglic's teammates who are controlling the peloton, and they're not allowing this breakaway much wiggle room. The gap still stands at 1:30.
The riders have passed through the finish line for the first time. Here's the slightly messy race route.
Amador is 22nd on GC, just 1:10 down on Roglic, which may explain why this breakaway aren't being given much leeway.
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Thalmann and Albasini have dropped from the break, leaving five out front.
85km remaining from 160km
After 75km of racing it's still unsettled out there. The five leaders still only have a lead of 1:20.
Meanwhile, a large group that was distanced on the previous climb, including Elia Viviani, has just rejoined the peloton.
Asrtana's Nikita Stalnov has attacked from the bunch and is trying to bridge over to the break.
80km remaining from 160km
Stalnov makes it!
That makes it six out front with a lead of 1:18.
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The gap remains stable at 1:20 as we approach the first intermediate sprint, which precedes the third climb of the day, the third-category Vauderens.
Manuele Mori (UAE Team Emirates) has abandoned after a large crash in the peloton. "He has injuries to nose and mouth as well as thigh and wrist," say his team.
Confusion from the race organisers, who make the correction that it was Amador, rather than Thalmann, who dropped from the break with Albasini.
Thalmann, in fact, has taken maximum points atop that third-category climb.
50km remaining from 160km
WIth 50km to go, the breakaway riders come towards the finish line once again. They have a lead of 1:30 over the peloton.
A reminder of the breakaway riders, after the changes:
Kenny Elissonde (Team Ineos)
Lennard Kamna (Team Sunweb)
Michael Storer (Team Sunweb)
Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Merida)
Roland Thalmann (Switzerland)
Nikita Stalnov (Astana)
After Amador's departure, Storer is the best-placed breakaway rider on GC, 2:42 down on Roglic. Either because of him, or because of the mistakes made yesterday, or a combination of the two, the Jumbo-Visma-led peloton are keeping them on a short leash.
Sam Bennett abandons
The Irishman tackles that final rise to the finish line just behind the peloton, before slowing up over the top and peeling off the race route to find the Bora-Hansgrohe bus.
42km remaining from 160km
The breakaway begin to nudge their lead out slightly, and it rises to 1:43.
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Jumbo-Visma pick it up again as they take on a fast downhill section. The gap falls back to 1:20.
35km remaining from 160km
The riders are heading uphill again on one of the many uncategorised climbs on this Romandie route. They'll then head downhill towards the foot of the final climb, which will begin with around 20km to go.
Some change in the peloton. After a day of Jumbo-Visma on the front, we now see the pink of EF Education First. It's Hugh Carthy, who was prominent two days ago, who has come to up the pace. Michael Woods clearly fancies his chances on this finale.
31km remaining from 160km
The gap drops to below the one-minute mark under EF's forcing. The breakaway riders are working well together but they stand next to no chance today.
EF are really riding hard here. It'll be interesting to see how they play it when they get to this upcoming second-category climb. It tops out 12.5km from the line but it's far from where the difficulty ends. The final ramp to the line, now the riders have had a chance to go through it twice, appears steeper than the profile suggests.
EF turn it up another notch, bringing four riders to the front now. The peloton is strung out and the gap has come down to 43 seconds.
26km remaining from 160km
Dombrowski puts in an acceleration now for EF as they take on the final rise before the descent to the Villars-Bramard climb.
The gap is tumbling. 26 seconds now as they head through an exposed section, with the wind blowing from the right.
The descent begins and EF back off, leaving Jumbo-Visma to guide them down.
20 seconds for the break now as the road flattens out and teams start to jostle for position ahead of the climb.
A reminder of the stage profile, with 19km to go.
Thalmann looks over his shoulder and sees the peloton close at hand. He puts in a big acceleration in a bid to delay the inevitable.
17km remaining from 160km
Two go with him but it doesn't last long, and the peloton is back with them with just over 17km to go. All together!
Here we go then, the break is done just as the climb begins. It's rated second-category and contains some steep ramps.
Carthy attacks
It's more of an acceleration than an attack, actually. There's no gap but his teammate Tanel Kangert is on his wheel and the bunch is strung out and thinning out behind.
Three EF riders on the front once more, dictating the tempo.
Albasini is dropped. He might have fancied a finish like this but won't be in contention today.
15km remaining from 160km
2.5km to the top of the climb and EF have thinned the bunch. Carthy is leading, as he did for so long two days ago.
Carthy beings to show signs of pain. Behind him the peloton is strung out into one long line, snaking up these gentle bends. Sprinters have been dropped but none of the GC riders in difficulty.
Mountains classification leader Simon Pellaud moves up towards the front of the bunch. He wants the points here.
And on cue, Pellaud jumps clear and takes maximum points at the top - as he did on the first climb of the day - to extend his lead.
12km remaining from 160km
12km to go now and we have a short descent before another uncategorised climb and even an intermediate sprint before the final punch up to the finish line.
Kangert takes it up for EF.
And now Lotto Soudal take over. It's Thomas De Gendt on the nose.
10km remaining from 160km
They swing onto the uncategorised climb. It's Carl Frederik Hagen on the wheel of his teammate De Gendt.
Colbrelli is still in there.
And back to EF. Carthy comes to the fore once again.
8km remaining from 160km
David Gaudu rips his arm warmers off, ready for business.
A reminder of how things stand of GC ahead of the finale
1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 8:32:13 2 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:10 3 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:12 4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:13 5 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:14 6 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:15 7 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:17 8 James Knox (GBr) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:18 9 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 10 Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:19
Dombrowski picks it up and the bunch is getting smaller but is still sizeable, with Colbrelli very much present and correct.
6km remaining from 160km
De Gendt attacks. He wins the intermediate sprint but that wasn't the intention. He's looking to shake things up here.
De Gendt opens a gap but there's no panic behind.
Caicedo now picks it up in the bunch, with Gaudu prominent behind.
5km remaining from 160km
Under the 5km to go banner and De Gendt has a handful of seconds.
It's a wide, flat road for De Gendt and he's not going anywhere for the moment.
4km remaining from 160km
The road tilts back uphill and De Gendt is caught.
CCC take it up now.
Thomas is brought towards the front of the bunch.
3km remaining from 160km
They crest that rise and now being a fast downhill section towards the foot of that final kick to the line.
There'll be a fight for position here ahead of this finale.
Roglic moves up to third wheel, behind two CCC riders, one of which is Paddy Bevin.
2km remaining from 160km
Rui Costa and Geraint Thomas are up towards the front of this bunch already.
1km remaining from 160km
Here we go, we're nearly at the climb.
1km remaining from 160km
Van Baarle comes to the front under the flamme rouge. 1000m to go!
And now the climb begins!
Van Baarle peels off and Thomas takes it up. Gaudu on the wheel. Costa and Roglic in attendance.
Colbrelli still there up towards the front.
Crash! Colbrelli and a couple of others go down.
Davide Villella comes to the front
Here we go, final 200m
Costa accelerates!
Gaudu responds
And wins it!
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) wins stage 3 of the Tour de Romandie
Costa takes second, Roglic comes up late for third. Thomas looks like he had a mechanical at the end there.
A fine win for Gaudu, who surged well clear and sat up and smiled, arms outstretched, as he crossed the line. That's the second win for Groupama-FDJ in as many days.
After all EF's work, Woods was fourth. In fact, Thomas collided with the Canadian during the sprint and had to stop his effort. Felix Grosschartner (Bora) was fifth and then there was a three-second gap back to the rest.
Roglic retains the overall lead but his advantage has been cut. Gaudu started the day third at 12 seconds but, thanks to his 10 bonus seconds (compared to Roglic's four for third place), that deficit has been halved. Costa, who was second overall, drops to third at 8 seconds.
Top 10 on stage 3
1 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 3:50:53 2 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 3 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 4 Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First 5 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 6 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert 0:00:03 7 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 8 Davide Villella (Ita) Astana Pro Team 9 Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto Soudal 10 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
General classification after stage 3
1 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 12:23:02 2 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:06 3 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:08 4 Felix Großschartner (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:19 5 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:20 6 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:21 7 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:25 8 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:00:27 9 Michael Woods (Can) EF Education First 0:00:28 10 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:29
"I felt really good all day," says Gaudu.
"In the finale the guys did a great job to position me over the last couple of climbs. We brought Thomas De Gendt back and I felt I still had some power in the legs. At the foot of the final climb I was up in the first positions and as we went up I was feeling pretty strong. Coming out of the final bend I went for it but I didn't overly believe. I said to myself, all the way to the line, that it wasn't possible, that'd I'd finish second, but in the end it smiled on me."
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