The first hilly rated stage and we're heading for San Francisco and it's famous streets, that will definitely make for a tough challenge today! 177km in total, the final 35km feature several short, but steep climbs.
The profile doesn't it show properly, but the finishing climb is more like a wall than a climb, so gaps are likely to happen. Will Eastman be able to control any attacks? And how will premium puncheurs like Zaini or Gaimon do?
It took us more than 120km to finally see a group trying to escape! Yap, no single attack in the entire first half of the stage:
Danacik, Georgiev, Tsikhanau, Haga and Soto Pereira make for a not too shabby breakaway, establishing a 2'30"-gap quickly!
Danacik (+ 2.45) as the best-placed in the GC, while there's no one actually going for the KoM-sprints later on..
..and so the next attacks happen back in the bunch, we're already into the final 30km:
Dyball and Gaimon jump away from the 66-men-peloton on of those steep climbs!
It's finally an action-packed race now, as several riders try to join Dyball/Gaimon just a few moments later (24km to go for this group, while the breakaway holds on to a 1'15"-gap):
Doi bridges across the chasing duo, while also Kashechkin and Zaini try to attack a few metres in arrears..
Kashechkin joins Doi/Gaimon (with Dyball a few metres ahead) and puts some pressure on GC-leader Eastman that way:
18km remaining and the bunch with Eastman is 26" behind Kasheckin/Doi, while the mid-race breakaway is another minute ahead..
As this chasing group enters the final 14km with just two short climbs to come, they actually managed to open up a comfortable gap on the peloton:
definitely have now put real pressure on Eastman, who's leading the 35-men-bunch in order to narrow this gap!
And not only those, but also Danacik may be a real threat for the GC - at least today: he goes for an acceleration out of the front group, climbing today's penultimate "wall" in San Francisco!
With just 7km to go, Danacik/Georgiev/Pereira dropped their companions and still lead by over a minute on group Kashechkin/Doi.. Danacik also takes the final KoM-sprint:
KoM-competition Crane 41 Danacik 31 Pereira 21
For the overview: Danacik definitely with a real chance to overtake Eastman in the GC today! And group Kashechkin/Doi may also gain back some valuable time on the GC-leader, who still struggles to bridge a slightly growing gap!
Georgiev counters Danacik's move right after the climb, as those two finally drop Pereira to enter the final 5km together!
And they will of course for the line honours: Danacik caught up to Georgiev close to this wall of a climb! Can the Bulgarian counter this strong sprint?
He can't: Danacik was too strong and finishes the stage as first ahead of Georgiev (19 seconds behind)! This is a great result for both, but Danacik may even hope to slip into yellow, given the latest gaps we've seen..
And also a strong showing by Kashechkin, who lost so many time on Eastman in the TTT:
+ 35" Pereira, Tsikhanau and Kashechkin!
The Kazakh with a strong finish there and an impressive ride today, which should Eastman show, that it ain't all sealed yet..
+ 1'08" Doi, Haga, Gaimon
+ 1'26" Dyball
So also Doi and Dyball as the maybe more promising GC-contenders in this group will gain back valuable time on Eastman, who couldn't follow the crucial moves today!
And here comes the man in yellow, at least trying to open a small gap on the remaining bunch: same goes for Zaini..
..who completes today's Top-10 with another gap on Eastman eventually:
+ 2'13" Zaini
+ 2'37" Eastman and Hudecek
+ 2'55" for the first peloton with Rohregger, Agudelo, Rodas/Di Gregorio
So a day, which began so quiet, ends with a bang, as Danacik indeed takes the race-lead from Eastman today! The US boy couldn't defend yellow in this tricky stage, but at least just drops to 2nd with 14" on the new leader. Doi and Kashechkin, as well as Dyball, gained back quite a lot on Eastman and can consider this stage a huge success.
Final Results Stage 6/
*Results did not export, so no complete results this time
