The pure Ticino stage from Ambri to Cari was very much one for the climbers. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) had the best legs on the tough final climb and took the stage win.
The 149 kilometre stage through Ticino passed twice through Cari. The final climb from the south side was particularly tough. The early five man breakaway was caught just before this climb. From this point on, around 10km before the finish, the stage developed into a real elimination race. The leading riders in the peloton were pulling around the bends at a fast pace, dropping more and more riders from the main group.
Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) secured the first two KOMs in the early stages of the race but the Kazakh was no longer a factor on the climb to the finish.
With around four kilometres remaining a leading group of just five riders formed. Among them was the overall leader Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates). And it was Yates who pushed the pace with 1.5 kilometres to go. Enric Mas (Movistar Team) was the only one who could briefly follow his wheel.
Mas soon ran out of steam leaving Yates unchallenged to take the stage win, defending the leader’s jersey in style. Having taken the last KOM of the stage with his victory, the Briton also takes the lead in the mountain classification.