With some steep, yet short, hills in the final 5 kilometres up to around 5% what type of rider would take this one?
On this 200 km+ stage we see the three same teams present in the breakaway as yesterday. The break for stage 6:
- Laas
- Sendeku
- Alawi
The break would share the spoils at the checkpoints throughout the stage, nice to see.
Alawi, strongest out of the break, is well ahead as we go under the 5 KM to go banner. Would he hold off?
No, he is caught with under 4 KM to go.
2 KM to go:
Brammeier
Trusov
Tvetcov
Nizzolo
Rowe
Cano
Park
Drapac
Semple
Markus
Docker
Vanderaerden
Who is missing? Guillén and Salleh are. The winner of stage 5 and one of the main antagonists won't feature in the sprint today. Well done to the 'pure' sprinters who have put themselves in a winning position over the short steep hills.
Little changes with the 1 KM banner about to be reached.
But once we have passed the banner we have a drag race. Tvetcov (right) and Nizzolo (left) get a big gap back to the rest.
100 meters to go.
And the two aforementioned marginally lead with 100 meters to go, but like yesterday the sprint wasn't timed well and they will be beaten. The two quickest coming up are Drapac and Rowe.
Stage 6 win for Rowe!
We reach the half-way point of the race with a victory for cycleYorkshire! After the sprint train capitulating on stage 5 this more than makes up for it. It wasn't textbook, but hey!, a win is a win! Drapac has to settle for second place again. Docker rounds out the podium and is now just 1 point off Geschke's lead in the green jersey race.