It's time for the real GC stages now! We start off with 192km which looks fairly easy for the most part but ends with 5 hills before a run to the line. This should drop the GC pretenders and allow the favourites to start flexing their strengths.
Today does favour the Punchy riders more though so it's not yet one for the pure Climbers. Those with a good kick definitely favoured on a stage like this. Definitely can't rule out a late attack though.
We're 1 quarter of the way into this one and the Peloton has only allowed 2 riders the freedom today. It's Malori and Rodriguez ( + 41"). Their gap is 2'37 at the moment.
100km still to go for our duo out front. Their gap being managed as it bounces around the 2'20 mark.
Rodriguez is by far the better climber of the 2 and easily wins the first KOM sprint of the stage with 65km to go. The Peloton has brought the gap down to a minute.
These hills are definitely going to cause chaos as the first one already splits parts of the Peloton. It looks as if they've all made it back though.
Before we even reach the next KOM with 55km to go the Peloton make the catch. De Bod was the one who did the work which paved the way for Guerreiro to win the KOM rather easily.
Houle wins the intermediate sprint with Enger fighting him all the way.
KOM Leader Zakarin takes maximum points at the 3rd KOM sprint with Van Hooydonck 2nd. These 2 on 49 and 45 points respectively.
It's fast at the front as Spanopoulos wins the KOM sprint. Looks like some gaps further down the road but we will get confirmation of that shortly!
23km to go and our "Peloton" is down to only 27 riders! Definitely some interesting names caught out behind but some of these will latch back on again.
Potentially not the best for energy conservation as Houle wins the 2nd intermediate sprint with 19km to go.
15km remaining and the group of 27 still out front as there's a lack of cohesion in the group behind which contains the Yellow jersey along with the likes of Cort Nielsen, Karnulin, Fraile and Kennaugh, Carboni, Aular and Prado. Iturria is even further back.
14km to go and this isn't a shock after his efforts a few days ago! It's Van Niekerk on the attack again but from much further out this time and with still one more ascent of Hagenfirst ahead of him.
We hit the climb with 7.7km still to go and Van Niekerk only just ahead of this 26 man group but he isn't giving up just yet.
6.3km for the South African and he's now 1 minute ahead! Houle has been handed chasing duties but he's not too keen to use any of his energy just yet.
This is the view from the 87 man Yellow Jersey group that has almost caught the 26 man group. Van Niekerk is well on his way to victory as he now has a 2 minute lead!!
Van Niekerk goes under the kite and he can soak this one up although I suspect he'll want the time gains from this so he keeps pushing!
AND IT'S STAGE WIN NUMBER 2 FOR OUR FAVOURITE SOUTH AFRICAN!! A well-timed attack which made the most of the lack of cohesion in the group behind him. This will be a GC lead for him too!
1km for the 26 man group behind and Houle is at the front still.
It's another 2nd place for Houle while Cerny is 3rd.
Most of the main favourites (except those previously mentioned) finish safely within this group.
Group Fraile and Cort Nielsen is a further minute back.
Yellow for Van Niekerk with a 1'14 advantage to Houle but, more importantly, 1'38 to Haig who has Taaramae, Choi, Cattaneo and others for company.
Zakarin leads the KOM by 4 points. Houle is the new Points leader by 7 points. Festina now leading the Teams classification.
Tour de Suisse - Stage 6 Report 
