The lead was reduced by the peloton to about three minutes at the start of the final climb of the day. On the climb, Ramos quickly shook off Weylandt, and started up the climb by himself. Several early attacks from out of the peloton were pulled back, but the first which succeeded was by Spanish climber Oscar Sevilla who quickly opened a lead of several hundred meters. He was shortly followed by 's Dario Cioni, and as the climb entered its steepest final stage, the solo leader Ramos was caught and passed.