STAGE 6: Bled - Krvavec 156 KM
Stage favourites:
*****Atapuma(SAH) ****Szymd(IBA) **De Weert(SWI)
**Konig(NES) *Serpa(CAR)
We end on a climb 13 kilometres in lenght averaging 5%, expect the mountain men to fight out the win.
Chainel leads the attacks today.
The 7up rider would by joined by Morajko, Sullivan, vandeWalle, Vogondy, Appleby, Louder and Boilly for the break today.
Muravyev falls!
He wouldn't be the only one. The dangerous steep descents also caused Swift and Minard to fall early on in the stage.
Cartoon Network animate the race.
Bochman (39th @ 4'24) attacks with the break at 5'00 with 90 kilometres to go, nice to the Dane attacking after his aggressive efforts in Oman.
With 84 kilometres to go and the break at 7'00 Swiss Life and Aer Lingus are the only teams riding on the front, they want the win today.
In the tunnel.
Bochman is really struggling to reach the break by himself, he cut the gap down to 2'00 but can't reduce the gap anymore.
Mori falls! He was 13th in the GC going into this stage, he fell with 65 km to go and would not recover. He would finish over 30'00 down today.
ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!
Atapuma, Chernetskiy, Charteau and Ascani attack with 52 kilometres to go. Atapuma is way too strong for the rest and leaves the trio in his dust with the original break at 4'00 and Bochman at 2'00.
40 KM to go.
Bochman can only watch on as Atapuma passes him and leads the original break over the penultimate climb of the day collecting 10 KOM points.
Louder's last stand.
Weary of Atapuma the original breakaway riders attack, just before the final climb, with 13.5 km to go and the peloton behind at 2'20.
When the climb kicks up Atapuma soon distances the breakaway riders. The Colombian is looking strong after being dropped yesterday.
Serpa, wearing the KOM jersey for Szymd, is the first favourite to attack.
Garate (Aer Lingus) puts in a superb shift on the front and brings back this attack and a further attack by the aggressive Cartoon Network rider.
More attacks!
7 KM to go: Atapuma has 1'20 over the favourites.
Konig (Nespresso) is the next to attack, who else! Shortly after that Simon Clarke puts in a speculative attack with Serpa, but Garate brings both attacks back.
Sitting in second wheel all the time the red jersey is looking very comfortable.
Finally!
3 km to go: Atapuma has 1'00 over the peloton and looks destined for a super victory, but Tschopp attacks as Garate finally moves aside. Szymd immediately goes with this attack.
SAHIN SUCUKLARI WIN STAGE 6!
The Turkish based team have a win to remember with a great solo display from Atapuma, who will move high up in the KOM competition as well. Great win!
Behind Tschopp and Szymd trudge on as the finish is close as Konig, Serpa and De Weert attack behind.
Szymd wins the battle for second over Tschopp. The Pole looked very calm and collected today. With bonus seconds and Cummings behind he will extend his GC lead today.
The next group home lose '18 to Szymd they are Serpa, Konig (who else) and GC favourite De Weert.
A large group of GC favourites come home @ 1'09 compressed together. This group contains over 30 riders, with many still harbouring GC ambitions.
STAGE RESULTS:
| 1 | John Darwin Atapuma | Sahin Sucuklari | 4h20'04 | | 2 | Sylwester Szmyd | Team Iberia | + 32 | | 3 | Johann Tschopp | Aer Lingus | s.t. | | 4 | José Serpa | Cartoon Network | + 50 | | 5 | Leopold König | Nespresso | s.t. | | 6 | Kevin De Weert | SwissLife | s.t. | | 7 | Simon Clarke | Bluebell Creameries | + 1'09 | | 8 | Emanuele Sella | Alcyon | s.t. | | 9 | Sérgio Paulinho | T-Mobile - Deutsche Post | s.t. | | 10 | Rémy Di Gregorio | Koenigsegg - Libero | s.t. |
UC points bonus: Who finished 14th today? (Send a PM)
Please TITLE the message with the rider you think it is (so you don't need to add a message). |
Cummings was very close though. 
