Everything was to be decided on this stage. Today it's much easier one, and it's most unlikely there is going to be a bigger change in the general classification.
The stage started in Oświęcim. A symbolical moment when the peleton stopped by the gate of Auschwitz concentration camp, built and operated in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The cyclist laid white roses under the gate to mark a 65. anniversary of liberation the surviving prisoners and the city.
The route was really hard. A lot of cyclist stayed behind the main group, several dozens of riders. There were breaks on the last kilometers, but there were not succesful.
But it was so close! Marek Rutkiewicz of Team Poland BGŻ made a break from the peleton 15 km before the finishing line. He was leading very long, crossed the finishing line first on the next to the last lap, but the peleton catched him up soon.
Watch the video of Rutkiewicz's break here: link.
Eventaully it was Bauke Mollema of Rabobank who crossed the finishing line first. There was no chage of the lider of the general classification, however, and Daniel Martin of Garmin-Transistors is the most likely to win the race. Seems the Poles have to wait another year!
Watch the video of Mollema's finish: link
The best of Poles was Sylvester Szmyd of Liquigas. He is 6th in the general classification. He was dissapointed how everything tuned out.
"I'm sad. I though that I had a chance, that I could do what Mollema did. (...) On the contrary to what I expected, todays stage was harder than yesterdays."
He criticized the lone break of Marek Rutkiewicz.
"It was without a chance. It was obvious that the cyclits of the lider's group will take after him, as well as Lampre and Caisse d'Epargne. It might looked cool, nice in the tv, but it would be a miracle if "Rutek" crossed the finishing line first.
Hope both Szmyd and Rutkiewicz are going to be among the best ten participatns of the race, but, well, in the road bicycle races only the first place really counts.
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