Stage 6 is the final hilly stage in this year’s Int. Österreich Rundfahrt. It’s still close between the best riders in the overall classification, meaning it’s everything to play for on the road to Melk.
Stage favourites are Levarlet Hoogerland Schreurs
There are still 126 riders in this race, and the big question today is if a breakaway will be allowed to fight for the stage win, or if it will be another battle between the strongest puncheurs.
It takes quite some time before today’s breakaway is allowed clear, but with 156 kilometers left four riders have gapped the peloton nicely. They are Teklehaimanot Bjelkmark Sys Fuglsang
They lead the peloton with 1’35.
They don’t contest the intermediate sprint with 12 kilometers later as Fuglsang
rolls through first. Though, it’s interesting to see Bjelkmark
not being bothered, as he sits 13th overall only 3’26 behind Iglinski
before today’s stage.
The toughest climb today is the first one, and as the breakaway riders have started to climb, they’re joined by four more riders. They are Di Gregorio Pancake Paulus Loosli
It means we have a strong breakaway of 8 riders four minutes in front of the peloton with 139 kilometers to go.
Fuglsang
is the only rider interested in the 10 mountain points as he has 26 from being part of a successful breakaway on stage 2. He wins them easily with 127 kilometers to go as the eight riders up front are six minutes in front of the bunch. That means Bjelkmark
by a good margin is the provisional leader of the race!
Paulus
finds out he should care about the mountain points too, as he sits fourth in that competition before today’s stage. He wins the third category climb 116 kilometers away from home in front of Fuglsang
They’ve extended their lead back to the bunch to a nice seven minutes.
You must say it’s quite surprising to see Metinvest-Emirates
do the early chasing as they lead the peloton over the climb 8’21 behind the breakaway. Are they just punishing themselves for not being in the breakaway, or do they believe in a top result from Pakthusov?
Bjelkmark
is allowed to go first over the second intermediate sprint 95 kilometers from the finish line. Those six bonus seconds means he’s up to 11th overall if he and all the other overall contenders finish on the same time today.
Paulus
again proves strongest in the fight for six more mountain points 85 kilometers away from home. Today’s performance gives him 46 points in total, which should be third place in the mountain classification, while Fuglsang’s
44 points in total should be fourth place.
Just as interesting as the mountain classification is the time gap back to the peloton. They lead the bunch with no less than 8’30!
Metinvest-Emirates
were clearly not riding for Pakthusov
as he’s dropped when he tries to get water for his team mates with 58 kilometers left!
Up front in the peloton it’s now all LukOil-Rostelekom
They’re doing well, as they’ve cut the gap to the breakaway down to 5’40 with 56 kilometers to go, meaning they’ve given themselves a good shot at bringing them all back.
As the peloton comes to the finish line for the first time today 33.8 kilometers before it really matters Bouygues Telecom
has started to help LukOil-Rostelekom
This is certainly a perfect stage for yesterday’s winner Levarlet
and the Frenchman could take the yellow jersey with a good show today.
Scarponi
gets things going in the peloton with 29 kilometers to go! The Italian attacks, which must be a good sign for his team as he has been a huge disappointment so far here in Austria.
He’s chasing 2’50 behind the breakaway.
He is quickly pulled back though as other riders like Schreurs
tried to follow. But it only makes space for more attacks, and with 27 kilometers to go Levarlet
decides it’s time to shake race leader Iglinski!
No luck for him either as LukOil-Rostelekom
just shuts them all down. Next to launch is Bibby
with 24.3 kilometers to go.
The Brit actually makes his attack stick and holds a 18 seconds gap with 19 kilometers to go. Several riders finds out they want to be with him, as Kolobnev
leads Hoogerland Scarponi
with Levarlet Schreurs
trying to launch an attack on the right side of the road.
All this attacking sees the gap to the breakaway down to only 1’20.
The crowd goes crazy for Bibby
as he still holds a gap of 17 seconds back to all the other favourites when he crosses the finish line with 16 kilometers to go! Is this the stage where the Brit finally shows himself at his best?
At least he catches the breakaway three kilometers later, only to see his team mate Teklehaimanot
launch an attack together with Di Gregorio Paulus Bjelkmark
That’s quite some team tactic you must say.
They’re all caught by the chasing bunch though, but that doesn’t stop Bjelkmark
launch a strong attack from the very front. And look at this, he’s followed by Scarponi!
The Italian has been very strong today, and now he’s the only strong puncheur being able to find his way to the front and attack together with the Swede!
Levarlet
is having none of it though, as he thunders past the duo with 11.6 kilometers to go! Bibby Iglinski Kolobnev
are trying to come up with a strong response behind in the peloton, but the Frenchman is clear of the bunch!
10 kilometers to go and we have a new situation. Levarlet
is the solo leader, chasing both the stage win and the yellow jersey. Though, he’s only 16 seconds ahead a bunch of 86 riders where all other favourites sit pretty.
The Frenchman is impressive, as the peloton can’t shut him down! Kolobnev Hoogerland
decide the best way to catch Levarlet
is to attack themselves with 6.4 kilometers to go.
And those attacks catch Levarlet!
No time to rest though, as Der
immediately launches a bid for glory. Kolobnev Hoogerland
still have som energy left and try to follow 5.1 kilometers away from home.
But with 3.2 kilometers to it’s all together! LukOil-Rostelekom
has done an amazing job to keep Iglinski
in contention for the stage win here as the riders prepare the sprint.
The sprint opens up with 2.500 meters to go, and it’s all LukOil-Rostelekom
at the front! Huzarski
leads them all, just ahead of Efimkin Popov Khripta Kolobnev Iglinski Anderson Der Schreurs Sys
2.000 meters left and Iglinski
already hits the front! That must be too early, no?
Anderson Schreurs
follow right behind, looking to be served a perfect lead out by the race leader!
The riders go under the kite and they’re all making their moves! Now leading is Anderson
in front of Iglinski Schreurs Zakarin Popkov Scarponi Popov Hoogerland Capecchi Machado
This looks to be a battle between Anderson Schreurs
and with only 700 meters left it’s the Canadian holding the lead!
Schreurs
struggles to make any difference compared to Anderson
as he’s still about a bike length behind 300 meters before the finish line!
Anderson
it is! A huge sprint from the Canadian secures him the stage win here in Melk! Schreurs
must settle with second, but the Dutch rider can only admit he wasn’t strong enough in the sprint today, as he had the perfect wheel just behind Anderson
with two kilometers to go.
It’s a photo finish for third place, and race leader Iglinski
secures himself some vital bonus seconds just in front of Scarponi
Popkov Golas Kolesnikov Zakarin Machado Capecchi
round off the top ten today.
Sorry for no exported results again. PCM is proving quite annoying not wanting to export anything in this race anymore.
