Stage 6 is the final stage and GC decider. It's a short, mostly flat 8.5 km time-trial. The top 30 riders are within just over a minute of each other and while you don't expect big gaps on this course, the margins are already slim enoigh. This whole race has been a race of seconds, so let's see where they fall. We have another nice sunny day with little to no wind, hopefully those conditions carry throughout the stage. Mahdar
is on the ramp and we are ready to begin.
Van der Ploeg is solid against the clock, so we will use his time of 10'26'' as an early benchmark.
Razumov fresh off helping Duolingo win the team time-trial takes the lead now with a time of 10'15''.
His time though didn't last that long as Al Murawwi comes in 3'' quicker.
Cataford ruined his GC hopes on stage 2, so his only chance to contribute now is to try and get a good stage result here. He takes the lead with a time of 9'57''.
We haven't seen anyone come close to Cataford's time, Kemboi is the first to come within 10''. So far so good for Cataford.
Bernal comes to the finish 41'' slower than the Canadien, but the will look at the time of Kalaba, fighting for the U25 jersey.
Paillot is one of the pre stage favourites, but he won't be making up any ground in GC.
+17''
Next to the finish is Laizer, who is also slower.
+15''
Kalaba is more sprinter than time-trialer, he will lose time on GC, but he has beaten Bernal and looks set win the U25 classification.
+33''
Balloni is sprinting to the finish and has come in only a fraction of a second behind Cataford! This time will surely improve his final GC.
+0''
Cataford's dreams of a stage win are over now. Sergent has the new best time. The Kiwi has been on good form throughout the race, but lost spots in GC via the TTT. He's looking to try and break into the top 10 with this result.
-4''
Hamza on the other hand will be losing his spot to Sergent and perhaps Balloni also.
+10''
Swift was a very high 19th on GC before the stage, but will probably drop all the way out of the top 30 today.
+46''
Hang on, we have a suprising new best time! It's Sean Downey from Glanbia, a fantastic effort from the Irishman.
-1''
Mullen is not as fast, but enough to defend his 17th place in GC.
+3''
Another Glanbia rider Sebright is not having a great day and will slip down the ranking.
+14''
Not a bad effort from Dempster, but I think he will lose his place to Downey.
+7''
Glanbia showing of their depth of time-trialing talent with Ford coming in next. He is also slower, but if he has to lose out at least he loses to a teammate.
+13''
Atkins will also lose a couple spots.
+12''
Schädlich can't quite match the best times, but he is faster than the last few that went before him.
+5''
Rekita falls into the same area as the riders before him. Unfortunetely the photographer went to the toilet, so we don't have a picture.
+13''
We only have the top 10 left to reach the finish. This are the current stage standings:
Pre race favourite Fiedler has now set the best time. Can he make the jump into the top 5? The photographer is stiil in the toilet
-4''
Postlberger was rider who benefited from a strong team performance in the TTT and is losing time now.
+20''
His teammate Gonzalez Salas is normally better against the clock, but he's not showing that here.
+13''
Cornu suffers the same fate as Postlberger.
+23''
Haga has been performing well the entire race and here is another strong ride. But he will lose his place to Fiedler who is at worst 6th now.
+8''
His teammate Janse van Rensburg lost a bit more time so Fiedler has cracked the top 5. Can he grab the stage win also?
+12''
Viennet had a heathy advantage over Fiedler and therefore defend his 4th place.
+6''
Kittel comes to the line and it's another subpar performance for his standards, but it's just enough to fend of Viennet.
+9''
Howson has been consistent throughout this race and here is another very good performace. This easily keeps him at least 2nd in GC and it's the 2nd best time today.
+3''
But in the end it's Marlen Zmorka yet again who shows he is the king against the clock. He beats Fiedler's time and wins this race with aplomb!
-3''
As has been said Zmorka wins the stage ahead of Fiedler and Howson. The Ukrainian started the race with a win and capped it off the same way.
Stage result
1
Marlen Zmorka
Repsol - Netflix
9'43
2
Jacob Fiedler
Mapei
+ 4
3
Damien Howson
Duolingo
+ 8
4
Sean Downey
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 9
5
Jesse Sergent
GCN Racing
+ 10
6
Emilien Viennet
Polar
+ 11
7
Ryan Mullen
Polar
+ 13
8
Chad Haga
Minions
s.t.
9
Marcel Kittel
Repsol - Netflix
+ 14
10
Alexandor Cataford
Podium Ambition
s.t.
11
Alfredo Balloni
Mapei
+ 15
12
Lucas Schädlich
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
13
Zakkari Dempster
Duolingo
+ 17
14
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg
Minions
s.t.
15
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Repsol - Netflix
+ 18
16
Faycal Hamza
Project: Africa
+ 21
17
Josh Atkins
Mapei
+ 22
18
Szymon Rekita
Minions
+ 23
19
Michael Ford
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
20
Salem Kemboi
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 24
21
Aggrey Sebright
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
22
Lukas Postlberger
Repsol - Netflix
+ 25
23
Metkel Kiflay
Project: Africa
+ 26
24
Sten Stenersen
Polar
+ 27
25
Patrick Gretsch
Project: Africa
s.t.
26
Dominique Cornu
Duolingo
+ 28
27
Mohammed Al Murawwi
Aramco DP
+ 29
28
Kristjan Koren
Team Europcar
s.t.
29
Manuel Betilson
Project: Africa
s.t.
30
Polychronis Tzortzakis
Berg Cycles
+ 30
31
Richard Laningo Laizer
Project: Africa
s.t.
32
Chris Barton
Minions
+ 31
33
Kevin Predatsch
Mapei
s.t.
34
Nikita Razumov
Duolingo
+ 32
35
Morten Reckweg
Berg Cycles
s.t.
36
Yoann Paillot
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
37
Giorgi Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 33
38
Fabio Silvestre
Berg Cycles
+ 35
39
Jesus Herrada
Repsol - Netflix
+ 36
40
Marko Pavlic
Team Europcar
+ 37
41
Westley Gough
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
42
Antonio Barbio
Duolingo
+ 38
43
Flavio De Luna
Polar
+ 39
44
Lawson Craddock
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
45
Mark Cavendish
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
46
Vojtech Hacecky
Minions
+ 40
47
Mohammad Ganjkhanlou
Trans Cycling Team
+ 41
48
Burr Ho
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 42
49
Gabor Kasa
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
50
Josue Gonzalez Cortes
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
51
Steven Burke
GCN Racing
s.t.
52
Paul Van der Ploeg
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 43
53
Tom Scully
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 44
54
Yuri Trofimov
Repsol - Netflix
+ 45
55
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
+ 47
56
Gino Mäder
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
57
Domingos Goncalves
Berg Cycles
s.t.
58
Daniel Schorn
Team Europcar
s.t.
59
Lluis Mas
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
60
Jon Aberasturi
Podium Ambition
+ 48
61
Ian Richardson
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
62
Sirak Tesfom
Project: Africa
s.t.
63
Dusan Kalaba
Minions
s.t.
64
Edoardo Affini
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
65
Mohamed Harrif Salleh
Trans Cycling Team
+ 49
66
Alex Frame
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
67
Mikhail Ignatiev
Trans Cycling Team
s.t.
68
James Knox
Trans Cycling Team
s.t.
69
Laureano Rosas
Minions
+ 50
70
Miguel Angel Benito
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
71
Marc Soler
Polar
+ 51
72
Sven Vandousselaere
Mapei
s.t.
73
Darijus Dzervus
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 52
74
John Archibald
GCN Racing
s.t.
75
Leonardo Basso
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 53
76
Stefan Bissegger
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 54
77
Shane Archbold
Duolingo
+ 55
78
Venantas Lasinis
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 56
79
Egan Bernal
Polar
s.t.
80
Ben Swift
Berg Cycles
+ 57
81
Mihkel Räim
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 58
82
Jacques Janse van Rensburg
Team Europcar
s.t.
83
Itamar Einhorn
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 1'00
84
Darshana Prasad
Aramco DP
+ 1'01
85
Maximilian Walscheid
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 1'02
86
Xhuliano Kamberaj
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
87
Martin Mahdar
Team Europcar
s.t.
88
Erik Mohs
GCN Racing
+ 1'03
89
Fabian Lienhard
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
90
Nico Brüngger
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 1'04
91
Oscar Avelino
Aramco DP
+ 1'05
92
Michael Vink
Team Europcar
+ 1'06
93
Ricardo Vilela
Berg Cycles
s.t.
94
Byron Munton
Project: Africa
+ 1'07
95
Alexander Edmondson
Podium Ambition
s.t.
96
Heiner Rodrigo Parra Bustamente
Team Europcar
+ 1'08
97
Jaka Primozic
Trans Cycling Team
+ 1'10
98
Cristian Munoz
Trans Cycling Team
+ 1'12
99
Jan Brockhoff
Polar
s.t.
100
Zisis Soulious
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
101
Siim Kiskonen
Duolingo
+ 1'13
102
Julian Alaphilippe
Podium Ambition
+ 1'15
103
Eugert Zhupa
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
104
Alexis Gougeard
Polar
s.t.
105
Jani Tewelde
Aramco DP
+ 1'16
106
Beka Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 1'17
107
Kristian Sobota
Duolingo
+ 1'20
108
Milan Menten
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 1'21
109
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 1'22
110
William Connolly
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 1'23
111
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 1'24
112
Nick Miller
Team Europcar
+ 1'26
113
Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil
Aramco DP
+ 1'27
114
Joni Brandao
Berg Cycles
+ 1'29
115
Tesfay Abraha
Trans Cycling Team
+ 1'30
116
Julius van den Berg
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
117
Michael Matthews
GCN Racing
+ 1'31
118
Armindo Fonseca
Aramco DP
+ 1'32
119
Kenji Itami
GCN Racing
s.t.
120
Soufiane Haddi
Project: Africa
+ 1'34
121
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Minions
+ 1'36
122
Jens Keukeleire
Podium Ambition
s.t.
123
Gerben Thijssen
Aramco DP
+ 1'45
124
Andrea Guardini
Mapei
+ 1'46
125
Bram Welten
Podium Ambition
+ 1'53
126
Alexander Richardson
Aramco DP
+ 1'54
127
Enzo Wouters
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 1'55
128
Scott Thwaites
GCN Racing
+ 1'59
129
Andre Sotberg
Trans Cycling Team
+ 2'06
130
Marcio Portela
Berg Cycles
+ 2'13
131
Ramon Domene
Podium Ambition
+ 2'16
132
Pedro Merino Criado
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 2'20
133
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 2'21
134
Dan McLay
GCN Racing
+ 2'41
Zmorka also led the GC from start to finish and the final result was never really in doubt. Once all the sprint stages were negotiated it was close to a formality that he would win it all. Howson can also be pleased with his performaces and his lead his teammates to an impressive in the team time-trial. Kittel was to at his best for most of the race, but took advantage of very good team performance to carry him onto the podium.
GC
1
Marlen Zmorka
Repsol - Netflix
14h30'48
2
Damien Howson
Duolingo
+ 19
3
Marcel Kittel
Repsol - Netflix
+ 39
4
Emilien Viennet
Polar
+ 40
5
Jacob Fiedler
Mapei
+ 41
6
Chad Haga
Minions
+ 45
7
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg
Minions
+ 47
8
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Repsol - Netflix
+ 53
9
Lucas Schädlich
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 59
10
Dominique Cornu
Duolingo
+ 1'01
11
Lukas Postlberger
Repsol - Netflix
+ 1'02
12
Szymon Rekita
Minions
s.t.
13
Sean Downey
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 1'03
14
Zakkari Dempster
Duolingo
+ 1'05
15
Ryan Mullen
Polar
s.t.
16
Josh Atkins
Mapei
+ 1'06
17
Jesse Sergent
GCN Racing
s.t.
18
Michael Ford
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 1'07
19
Aggrey Sebright
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 1'13
20
Alfredo Balloni
Mapei
+ 1'16
21
Faycal Hamza
Project: Africa
s.t.
22
Kevin Predatsch
Mapei
+ 1'33
23
Jesus Herrada
Repsol - Netflix
+ 1'35
24
Richard Laningo Laizer
Project: Africa
+ 1'40
25
Yoann Paillot
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 1'43
26
Morten Reckweg
Berg Cycles
+ 1'44
27
Yuri Trofimov
Repsol - Netflix
+ 1'49
28
Ben Swift
Berg Cycles
+ 1'52
29
Miguel Angel Benito
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
30
Dusan Kalaba
Minions
+ 1'53
31
Steven Burke
GCN Racing
s.t.
32
Westley Gough
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 1'57
33
Giorgi Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 1'58
34
Sirak Tesfom
Project: Africa
+ 2'04
35
John Archibald
GCN Racing
+ 2'09
36
Josue Gonzalez Cortes
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 2'11
37
Egan Bernal
Polar
+ 2'12
38
Sven Vandousselaere
Mapei
+ 2'16
39
Fabio Silvestre
Berg Cycles
+ 2'17
40
Lluis Mas
Repsol - Netflix
+ 2'23
41
Salem Kemboi
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 2'27
42
Daniel Schorn
Team Europcar
+ 2'29
43
Gabor Kasa
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
44
Mikhail Ignatiev
Trans Cycling Team
+ 2'32
45
Patrick Gretsch
Project: Africa
+ 2'36
46
Byron Munton
Project: Africa
+ 2'37
47
Marko Pavlic
Team Europcar
+ 2'43
48
Siim Kiskonen
Duolingo
+ 2'52
49
Antonio Barbio
Duolingo
s.t.
50
Vojtech Hacecky
Minions
+ 2'57
51
Manuel Betilson
Project: Africa
+ 2'58
52
Metkel Kiflay
Project: Africa
+ 3'00
53
Chris Barton
Minions
+ 3'06
54
Tom Scully
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 3'08
55
Kristjan Koren
Team Europcar
s.t.
56
Mark Cavendish
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 3'09
57
Alexis Gougeard
Polar
+ 3'10
58
Sten Stenersen
Polar
+ 3'12
59
Shane Archbold
Duolingo
+ 3'15
60
Jan Brockhoff
Polar
+ 3'17
61
Fabian Lienhard
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
62
Ian Richardson
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 3'18
63
Laureano Rosas
Minions
+ 3'19
64
Lawson Craddock
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
s.t.
65
Polychronis Tzortzakis
Berg Cycles
+ 3'22
66
Alexandor Cataford
Podium Ambition
+ 3'26
67
William Connolly
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 3'29
68
Flavio De Luna
Polar
+ 3'35
69
Xhuliano Kamberaj
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 3'36
70
Milan Menten
Farfetch Pro Cycling
s.t.
71
Marc Soler
Polar
+ 3'37
72
Eugert Zhupa
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 3'40
73
Domingos Goncalves
Berg Cycles
+ 3'43
74
Alexander Edmondson
Podium Ambition
+ 4'06
75
Darshana Prasad
Aramco DP
s.t.
76
Mohammed Al Murawwi
Aramco DP
+ 4'08
77
Darijus Dzervus
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 4'09
78
Gino Mäder
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
79
Soufiane Haddi
Project: Africa
+ 4'14
80
Zisis Soulious
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 4'16
81
Andrea Guardini
Mapei
+ 4'19
82
Leonardo Basso
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
83
Nico Brüngger
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 4'21
84
Nikita Razumov
Duolingo
+ 4'25
85
Kristian Sobota
Duolingo
+ 4'29
86
Ricardo Vilela
Berg Cycles
s.t.
87
Kenji Itami
GCN Racing
+ 4'31
88
Alex Frame
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 4'34
89
Venantas Lasinis
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 4'36
90
Jon Aberasturi
Podium Ambition
+ 4'39
91
Stefan Bissegger
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
92
Mohamed Harrif Salleh
Trans Cycling Team
+ 4'49
93
Julian Alaphilippe
Podium Ambition
+ 4'50
94
Michael Vink
Team Europcar
+ 4'51
95
Julius van den Berg
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 4'59
96
Burr Ho
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 5'01
97
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
+ 5'06
98
Heiner Rodrigo Parra Bustamente
Team Europcar
s.t.
99
Armindo Fonseca
Aramco DP
+ 5'13
100
Beka Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 5'15
101
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 5'20
102
Tesfay Abraha
Trans Cycling Team
+ 5'21
103
Oscar Avelino
Aramco DP
+ 5'26
104
Maximilian Walscheid
Centovalli - Fiat
s.t.
105
Mohammad Ganjkhanlou
Trans Cycling Team
+ 5'32
106
Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil
Aramco DP
+ 5'33
107
Itamar Einhorn
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 5'48
108
Jani Tewelde
Aramco DP
s.t.
109
Michael Matthews
GCN Racing
s.t.
110
Nick Miller
Team Europcar
s.t.
111
Jacques Janse van Rensburg
Team Europcar
+ 5'51
112
Jens Keukeleire
Podium Ambition
+ 5'52
113
Erik Mohs
GCN Racing
s.t.
114
Alexander Richardson
Aramco DP
+ 5'58
115
Jaka Primozic
Trans Cycling Team
+ 6'03
116
Enzo Wouters
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 6'05
117
Cristian Munoz
Trans Cycling Team
+ 6'08
118
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 6'18
119
Mihkel Räim
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 6'22
120
Pedro Merino Criado
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 6'23
121
Scott Thwaites
GCN Racing
+ 6'31
122
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Minions
+ 7'10
123
Dan McLay
GCN Racing
+ 7'11
124
Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 7'14
125
Gerben Thijssen
Aramco DP
+ 7'29
126
James Knox
Trans Cycling Team
+ 7'53
127
Edoardo Affini
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 8'02
128
Andre Sotberg
Trans Cycling Team
+ 8'08
129
Joni Brandao
Berg Cycles
+ 8'18
130
Bram Welten
Podium Ambition
+ 8'26
131
Paul Van der Ploeg
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
+ 8'31
132
Ramon Domene
Podium Ambition
+ 8'35
133
Martin Mahdar
Team Europcar
+ 9'56
134
Marcio Portela
Berg Cycles
+ 10'10
The other man besides Zmorka who won two stages was Salem Kemboi. He was very impressive in the sprints and is a deserved winner of the points jersey.
Points
1
Salem Kemboi
Farfetch Pro Cycling
66
2
Ben Swift
Berg Cycles
57
3
Marlen Zmorka
Repsol - Netflix
50
4
Mohamed Harrif Salleh
Trans Cycling Team
50
5
Jacob Fiedler
Mapei
36
6
Mark Cavendish
Kraftwerk Man Machine
36
7
Andrea Guardini
Mapei
36
8
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
34
9
Damien Howson
Duolingo
32
10
Emilien Viennet
Polar
30
The competition for the U25 classification shifted on the team time-trial. Minions put in a great team performance that vaulted Kalaba into the jersey, which he was able to easily defend on the final stage.
U25
1
Dusan Kalaba
Minions
14h32'41 (1)
2
Egan Bernal
Polar
+ 19 (2)
3
Salem Kemboi
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 34 (3)
4
Byron Munton
Project: Africa
+ 44 (4)
5
Siim Kiskonen
Duolingo
+ 59 (5)
6
Milan Menten
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 1'43 (6)
7
Gino Mäder
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 2'16 (7)
8
Zisis Soulious
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 2'23 (8)
9
Nikita Razumov
Duolingo
+ 2'32 (9)
10
Venantas Lasinis
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 2'43 (10)
11
Stefan Bissegger
Centovalli - Fiat
+ 2'46 (11)
12
Julius van den Berg
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 3'06 (12)
13
Beka Nareklishvili
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 3'22 (13)
14
Alexandr Ovsyannikov
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 3'27 (14)
15
Mohammad Ganjkhanlou
Trans Cycling Team
+ 3'39 (15)
16
Mohamad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil
Aramco DP
+ 3'40 (16)
17
Itamar Einhorn
DK - SVA Zalgiris
+ 3'55 (17)
18
Jaka Primozic
Trans Cycling Team
+ 4'10 (18)
19
Enzo Wouters
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 4'12 (19)
20
Cristian Munoz
Trans Cycling Team
+ 4'15 (20)
21
Gerben Thijssen
Aramco DP
+ 5'36 (21)
22
James Knox
Trans Cycling Team
+ 6'00 (22)
23
Edoardo Affini
Farfetch Pro Cycling
+ 6'09 (23)
24
Andre Sotberg
Trans Cycling Team
+ 6'15 (24)
25
Bram Welten
Podium Ambition
+ 6'33 (25)
As expected Repsol win this team competition with ease due to the abundance of time-trial talent they posess. Losing the team time-trial by just a second had no affect as they put 5 riders amongst the top 25.
Olympia's Tour - Stage 6 
