Soon after the stage begun, the breakaway was formed; a group of four riders went clear, with the group consisting of Reto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling), Lampre-Merida's Manuele Mori, Maxime Bouet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Robert Vrečer, who was looking to regain the lead of the mountains classification that he lost to Thibaut Pinot of FDJ on the previous stage. Vrečer led the group over the Julier Pass, where the quartet enjoyed their largest advantage of the day, at almost five-and-a-half minutes. The lead dropped as they progressed through the itinerary, and the advantage was around a minute with to go. Hollenstein attacked the rest of his companions at this point, and managed to remain clear until around to go, where the peloton moved past under the impetus of the Orica-GreenEDGE team, with assistance from Cannondale.