After 3 sprint stages with 3 different winners it`s time for the puncheurs again. The 6th stage goes up on the Crown Range with a 4,5km climb and tough slopes. It`s the best chance to create gaps as it`s even harder than the Bluff Hill on the 2nd stage, where Rocchetti has won. So the Italian must be named as one of the top favourites again.
But several puncheurs will try to improve their performance and beat him today.
Not only the attacking teams are pretty equal like on the previous stages. Also the riders repeat their effort day for day. So it`s again Delgerbayar in the breakaway for the third consecutive day. Also Kochetkov has been active before.
The other two riders are Horgan and Scarponi.
I almost missed the sprint. So here the short overview of the result, even though it`s 200m too late.
Delgerbayar won ahead of Kochetkov and Horgan, while Scarponi already lost a lot of time on the previous stages and is not interested.
Horgan is actually very dangerous in there as he sits in 10. overall with only +34s. So the Kiwi from the Cadbury team must be watched.
Evian is the expected team in front. But today they get some support earlier. Already with 100km to go and a 6min gap Ekspla are showing themselves in the pace work. With Cioban and Sikevicius they have two interesting riders. Or will they go for Friedman today? The sprinter would have chances to collect more bonus seconds on the next 3 flat stages.
At least the riders first must to be concentrated. Goddaert (17./+'43) obviously wasn`t and hits the ground.
2nd sprint and this time Horgan takes the maximum points. And more important for him probably the 6 bonus seconds.
Kochetkov and Delgerbayar follow.
The gap clearly went down on the last 60km andso they only have 90s with 35km to go.
Also mentionable that one sprinter obviously hasn`t learned from the danger on the 2nd stage: Hochmann once again dropped and is calmly riding behind the peloton.
With only 6,4km left we have the first KoM and while Horgan wins it we see Scarponi being active for the first time. He takes the 2nd ahead of Delgerbayar, which is important for the team as his team mate is wearing the jersey and Delgerbayar and Kochetkov would both become too dangerous. So smart riding here.
And as you can see the peloton did almost catch them here, so the breakaway won`t have a chance.
Several puncheurs closed the gap first to the breakaway riders in front. Kirchen Rocchetti, Anuar Aziz Firsanov Torckler Vorganov Siskevicius, Cioban Nardin
Still they haven`t created a gap, but at least this means, that they will have a great position when entering the climb soon.
And it`s the Brazilian allrounder Nardin going into the climb as first rider.
Most other puncheurs try to close the gap. In especially mentionable Hugentobler and Olsson as they weren`t named before. First one isn`t known as best puncheur but the KoM jersey makes him stronger today.
Also the last puncheurs like Torckler or Firsanov realize that this is the time to attack.
Also within this attacks are Phelan and Anuar Aziz.
A bit behind and still not attacking are Vorganov and several strong Gazelle riders like Daspuntsag, Kriek, Shaekhov or Lalouette. They obviously just go with Nardin, who is in the first position.
The peloton is still pretty packed with 2,1km to go. Nardin has a 16s gap to Cioban in 2nd, who already has a 37s gap to the peloton.
The other puncheurs definitely need to do something more soon, otherwise these two will be hard to catch again.
Kirchen Anuar Aziz Vink
also created a gap now. Surprisingly Evian did send Anuar Aziz here instead of Rocchetti, who must be afraid of keeping the lead now.
Meanwhile the first two have started the sprint with Nardin being in the first position.
Behind the trio around Kirchen 4 more riders have created a gap to the peloton and again no Rocchetti in there.
It`s Vorganov Olsson Siskevicius Gougeard
So Evian really is strong today having their riders in the 2nd and 3rd group but have missed the first group and also Rocchetti, who has the lead is a bit isolated in the peloton now.
Finally Rocchetti is doing something and he is doing something strong.
Around the corner you still see Nardin and Cioban with Kirchen and Anuar Aziz following next.
Vink lost contact a bit and is passed by Olsson now and then already Rocchetti is flying up the climb. Maybe a bit too late.
Siskevicius and Vorganov are the other riders here but also Firsanov and Torckler finally made their move and follow soon behind them.
Nardin still in the pole position and Cioban can`t really come closer.
With 400m to go it`s looking quite good for them but they can`t slow down as Kirchen is still coming fast from behind.
But it was enough. The last part was a bit more flat again and here he was able to play his advantage.
Nardin was the smartest with that early attack right into the climb and wins well deserved.
Only Cioban was able to follow and finishes 2nd within the same time.
Kirchen with a good 3rd today ahead of Anuar Aziz as best Evian rider. Both lose 25s to the front duo but will improve their GC standings clearly as they also have a gap to the next.
49s to Nardin and 24s to Kirchen a group of 7 finishes. In there are Olsson, Vink, Siskevicius, Rocchetti, Firsanov, Vorganov and Torckler. So more or less all puncheurs were able to gap the peloton today that finished 1'16 behind Nardin.
GC wise this means that todays stage winner will take the yellow jersey ahead of Cioban. Both were the strongest today and this also shows the overall now.
Rocchetti still keeps a podium spot as 3rd ahead of Kirchen and Firsanov.
Torckler who follows as 6th can still improve when repeating his sprint performance from yesterday.
Next to the GC and Youth jersey, Nardin also leads the points ranking after todays stage. So he is pretty much dominating the tables at the moment as the win also moved him up to 2nd in the KoM ranking.
Hochmann was later joined by Awang and both finish far behind the next group but with +17'01 still inside the time limit.
