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After lots of action, a heap of attacks and 183km of racing, Rui Alberto Costa (Lampre Merida) has emerged as the winner from stage 6 of the 2015 Criterium du Dauphine.
After an opening to the stage that saw attack after attack, finally after 94km of racing a breakaway was established and what a strong one it was. Tony Martin (Ettix – Quckstep), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Rui Costa (Lampre) and Tony Gallopin (Lotto – Soudal) formed the break.
They were able to quickly enlarge their advantage over the peloton and had it sitting around the 3 minute mark for a majority of the stage. With 10km in fact as they started to go uphill, the gap was 3 minutes.
Tinkoff Saxo were sitting on the front of the peloton without a General Classification hopeful, Tejay Van Garderen in his yellow jersey was completely isolated. and Chris Froome had one team mate who didn’t look interested in working.
Attacks in the final 10km however from both the breakaway and peloton flew thick and fast. The first man to go was Simon Yates (Oirca). He wouldn’t be sighted by rider or camera again until he was inside the final kilometre of racing as he rode himself to a fifth place finish and into fourth place on the General Classification.
Then it was Dan Martin and Benat Intxausti who attacked and gained significant distance on the peloton. Benoot of Lotoo Soudal also managed to join them. Meanwhile Van Garderen was doing all the work and at one point chased an attack that it looked like Chris Froome wouldn’t able to chase down.
Out in front and it wasn’t all calm sailing either as Tony Gallopin and Vincenzo Nibali launched many attacking raids. With 3km to go however it was Gallopin attacked as the breakaway crested an uphill and went downhill. He gainst quite an advantage before they went back uphill and with 1.5km to go it was Nibali who attacked.
Nibali’s attack was strong, as he rode away from Valverde and Costa, bridging the gap to Gallopin and then riding straight away from him. Costa however put the foot down, chased hard and as Nibali faltered in the final couple of hundred metres Costa rode around him to take the win.
Nibali moves himself into yellow with the commanding performance for second place, whilst Valverde outsprinted Gallopin on the run to the finish to grab himself four bonus seconds and a top 3 spot in the General Classification.
Yates was next over the line before Dan Martin’s group finished. Froome led the yellow jersey group home putting a couple of seconds back into Van Garderen, the direct reverse of yesterday.
Stage 6 is the hardest stage of the race on paper and promises to be a cracker.
In the end a fascinating stage that Nibali proved to be just far too good in.
After the first major battle in the mountains on Stage 5, we now move onto Stage 6 which is a medium mountains stage and will have a summit finish as the riders take on the 183km journey between Bonnet – en – Champsaur and Villard – de – Lans.
Join The Roar for live coverage from 8:45pm (AEST).
Romain Bardet (Ag2r) proved that he may be a rider to contend with as July rolls around after a punishing attack got him the stage win yesterday. That was ahead of a charging Team Sky train that decimated the peloton including one of Chris Froome’s major rivals Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) who lost 1:20 to Froome.
Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) ended up moving into yellow after hanging onto Froome and then riding around him in the closing stages.
Stage 6 is very lumpy and will feature six categorised climbs. Four category three climbs, and a category two. A single category one climb which is the second last climb on route, similar to yesterday’s stage in that regard.
Other than that there is hardly a metre of flat throughout the stage always keeping riders on their toes.
From the very beginning of the stage the first two climbs, both category 3 appear within the first 30km. The Rampe du Motty, reached after 20 km is 2.3km at an average gradient of 8.3%. A short descent follows before the Cote du Barrage du Sautet which is 2.2km at an average gradient of 4.4%.
Almost 30km of rolling terrain will follow before the riders hit the category 2 climb of the Col de la Croix – Haute and then before the riders can even relax the category 3 climb of the Col de Grimone. When the riders get over the top of the Grimone there will be 108km to go in the stage out of 183.
After 50km of more hilly terrain the biggest climb of the day, the category 1 Col du Rousset will be reached. At 13.8km with an average gradient of 5.4% it will certainly remove a lot of riders from the peloton however reaching the summit with 51km to go none of the General Classification contenders will be trying anything.
Possibly though team mates could go up the road to be in a position to deliver support on the final climb.
After the descent the stage continues its hilly nature and from about the 170km mark it will go uphill to the finish with little hints of a descent. However the real climb to the Villard – de – Lans only officially begins with 2.2km to go. However it is steep enough at 6.2% and with the leg burning nature of the stage it will be a very reduced peloton coming onto the final climb.
The hilly nature of the stage will ensure there are no sprinters anywhere near the finish line, whilst the punchy nature of the finish line will more than likely ensure there are no out and out climbers winning the stage.
Punchy riders seem the go for this stage and as such riders like Simon Gerrans (Orica), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Romain Bardet (Ag2r), Tony Gallopin (Lotto – Soudal), Rui Costa (Lampre) and Daniel Navarro Garcia (Cofidis) should be in with a massive chance.
However, two of the overall contenders will be looking to put time into the rest on this stage, not just by means of riding away, but bonus seconds. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) suit the punchy nature of this finish and both have lost time on the overall standings.
PREDICTION: I fully expect Voeckler to crack the morning breakaway and if they get away than he will win. Rodriguez and Valverde will wage their own battle on the final climb but won’t win the stage. If the peloton come back together than Gerrans looks the goods for mine.
For what should be a very interesting stage, join The Roar from 8:45pm (AEST) for live race coverage and don’t forget to leave a comment if you’re following along.