 An attack @-@ laden opening to the stage allowed a breakaway of fifteen riders to be formed after around 20 km ( 12 @.@ 4 mi ) of racing , with mountains classification leader Thomas Damuseau being among the group , to maintain his lead in those standings ; the best @-@ placed general classification rider among the group was Francesco Gavazzi ( Astana ) , who trailed overnight leader Rohan Dennis of Garmin – Sharp by just under three @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half minutes . The lead gap went over five minutes at one point during the stage , but was around half that as the leaders approached the final climb of the day . Tim Wellens ( Lotto – Belisol ) and Orica – GreenEDGE 's Daniel Teklehaymanot set the pace at the foot of the climb , before Wellens attacked on his own . RadioShack – Leopard 's Matthew Busche was able to bridge back up to Wellens , before dropping him . 
