Greig Leach

Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM) used the final dusty section of gravel to split up the peloton. With just eighteen kilometer left to go, it was a move that Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) had to take very seriously. Niewiadoma started the day in third over all just sixteen seconds off of the lead between here and the finale there is a possiblity of a total of thirteen bonus seconds between the bonus sprint and the finish line. Liane Lippert (DSM) can barely be seen through the dust trying to stay with the two ahead of her. The rest of the peloton can't be seen for all of the dust being kicked up by the race vechicles and the riders themselves. I am thrilled that the motorcycles can be in front of the action to bring us all these scenes, but it does mean that they are kicking dust and grit into the riders' faces. The top three places remain the same at the end of the day with the same time gaps. With the exception of the Spanish Champion, Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) all of the GC contenders made it across the gravel with their positions and bodies intact.