So the big question for Pais Vasco stage 6 is can Pogacar finally seize the GC lead when it matters most. Because up until now he has sat in 2nd or 3rd after every stage and in every stage the rider(s) ahead of him has faltered but Pogacar has not been the one to benefit.
So Penko led after stage 1 but when he lost time Roman, who started 3rd on GC, skipped over Pogacar due to placings. Roman in turn lost time on S3 but Kalaba scored enough bonus seconds to move ahead of Pogacar, who stayed in 2nd. Kalaba lost time in the time trial but Cosnefroy and Kämna rode well enough to drop Pogacar to third on GC. Continuing the pattern in stage 5 both of those riders dropped time but Conci grabbed the 3rd place time bonus to move from 3 seconds behind to 5 seconds in front of Pogacar, keeping the Slovenian 2nd once again.
Pogacar will hope to find 5 seconds on Conci on Stage 6 but he could be leapfrogged again as Dunbar starts the day just 7 seconds behind him, Senni is 8 seconds behind him and there are 8 riders within 42 seconds of the lead. Of course, no matter what happens the peloton won’t feel too much sympathy for Pogacar since many GC leads surely lie in his future.
Stage 6 is identical to last year, 148k, 3 cat 2’s and a cat 3 climb and then a climb to the finish which is Cat 1. That climb is 4.6k at 6.8% but the last kilometer features max gradients of 22%.
Last year there were small time gaps at the finish, enough to change the GC given the standings this year. Yesterday’s winner, Novak, finished 2nd on the stage and Kinoshita was 4th and a younger Pogacar finished 8th. There are also 3 sprint points in the last 40k which could also impact the final standings.
Oomen once again tops the favorites list; he finished 15th on this stage last year but already had a lock on the GC.
The first attacker is KOM leader Rodriguez, he lost a lot of ground yesterday by going too early spending a lot of energy on the flat and getting dropped on the climbs. Let’s hope he hasn’t made that mistake again. The rain can’t help.
Rodriguez gets his lead up to almost a minute but then the attacks from behind get going and his lead is quickly reduced. Lots of riders want to be in the break today.
20k in and the riders reach the bottom of the first categorized climb, the Cat 3 Alto de Itziar, 5.2k at 4.1%. 10 riders have joined Rodriguez. The peloton led by Tafjord is still chasing and is only 42 seconds down. At this point the 11 breakaway riders are: Tesfom Piaskowy Fabbro Rodriguez Waeytens Colleoni Mulubrhan McKenna Serrano Shapira Laas
At the top of the climb Waeytens, Serrano and Shapira take the points. Rodriguez fading but luckily for him none of the point scorers had many points previously. Behind the peloton has relented but more attackers are trying to get a across.
110k to go as the riders have a view of an angry sea. 5 more riders have joined the break and a few others were shut down. The lead is up to 2’39 so this looks like the break of the day. The new additions are: Berlin, Petrovski, Craddock, Gebrezgabihier, and Zordan. The last 3 all settle in at the back of the breakaway while their teammates help to drive it on. Craddock is the best on GC in 28th (+5’10) while Zordan is the biggest threat in the KOM, 3rd on 28 points.
68k to go for the peloton now, the flat part of the stage is over. The remainder of the stage features 3 Cat 2 climbs before the finish. The breakaway’s lead hovered at just over 2 minutes for most of the last 50k but is now down to 1’53 as they start the Alto de Iritxulegi (6.1k @ 5.8%), the first Cat 2. Lierse and Zalgiris leading the peloton at the moment but among the teams of the top riders only Indosat not participating in the chase.
About 2k from the top Laas takes off from the breakaway, only Zordan and Serrano chase.
Laas takes maximum points. Behind Waeytens has brought Rodriguez up to the two chasers.
But the are unable to get around them. Zordan takes 8 points, Rodriguez 2. The Bordeaux man’s lead is down to 6 points (42 to 36). These 4 have 41 seconds over the rest of the break with the peloton another 30 seconds behind.
The next Cat 2 starts after a short descent. It is the Alto de Agina (4.1k at 6.8%). Laas has kept on the pressure and has 34 seconds on the four chasers. Another 18 seconds to the rest of the original break with the peloton another 42 seconds behind. A handful of riders have been dropped from the peloton. But not Ratiy yet.
1.5k to climb the breakaway is all back together with the peloton at 45 seconds.
1k to the top as Rodriguez attacks.
But Zordan comes around to take maximum points. Gebrezgabihier, who has 0 points previously, rather cruelly snatches 2nd. The Bordeaux man now leads 48 to 46.
The 12 surviving breakaway riders reach the bottom of the descent with their lead back to 1’40 as the peloton eases off. 44k to go. With the bigger gap now, the break should reach the final Cat 2 climb in 12k and sweep up at least the first sprint bonus points in 6k. The riders dropped from the break are Tesfom, Berlin Waeytens and Mulubrhan. Waeytens seemed to decide it wasn’t worth the effort rather than being dropped. 124 riders left in the peloton which is being led by Lierse and Jura.
The last Cat 2 is the Alto de Ibardin, 4.0k at 5.4%. Gebrezgabihier attacks with 1.6k to the top and Rodriguez leads the chase with Zordan on his wheel. He has the much better GC standing if he can limit his loss to two points and create a tie for the KOM lead that would be a win for him. The peloton is back within a minute.
800 meters to the top. Zordan comes along side Rodriguez. These two now have a gap of 15 seconds on the rest of the break. The next 800 meters will determine the KOM jersey unless the break survives to the finish. This climb also constitutes part of the final climb hence the 1k banner ahead.
Zordan pulls away and is almost up to Gebrezgabihier. He needs to pass the Eritrean if he wants to win the KOM, or hope Rodriguez falls behind the chasers.
Gebrezgabihier denied Rodriguez on the last climb and evens it up here by denying Zordan. Rodriguez holds on to 3rd. Meaning it is 54-54, but Rodriguez has a 4-minute GC advantage, so he just needs to hold that to be the King of the Mountains. Taaramäe now leading the chase as Zara are all-in for Conci. To the left of the picture is the ramp up to the finishing line which the riders will tackle in 33k.
Kinoshita leads the peloton over the top. The break, which is down to 11 riders ( Colleoni dropped), has about 1 minute. The peloton is down to 79 riders, not a good day for Minions as the only top 20 GC riders dropped are Brown (15th) and Kalaba (19th), meaning they have nobody in the front group.
20k banner in sight, the last 4 in the breakaway ( Piaskowy, Zordan, Petrovski, Gebrezgabihier) have just 24 seconds over the peloton which is down to 34 riders. Kinoshita has done a lot of work along with Lierse ( Aleotti) with a little help from Setiawa. Cedevita and Indosat really need this break shut down but don’t seem to have the horses. Rohendi is focused on protecting Dunbar and Setiawa is spent while Pavlic is the last Cedevita rider other than Pogacar and he is just clinging to the back. Borisavljevic (11th on GC) is the only additional top 20 GC rider to be dropped from this group. Cedevita have been strong all race but imploding a little today.
Kinoshita (18th) is dropped soon after, he appears to have been riding for Min, who is still in the front group. Pavlic (16th) also dropped and in this group with Kinoshita. The breakaway have taken out the time bonuses at the second sprint point.
11k to ride, 5k to the last sprint point, the chasers seem to have run out of domestiques and the lead is back to 49 seconds. The break will need a big gap if they are to survive up that final hill.
Novak decides he can’t wait for the hill and attacks with 10k to go. Masnada and Calmejane respond. Zordan has been dropped from the break, the question is how much time will he gain on Rodriguez who is in the group behind the main GC group.
Taaramäe closes down the attack just before the sprint point. The breakaway took the bonuses.
4.3k to go and Piaskowy attacks his companions. There lead over the peloton is 45 seconds. Aleotti working again.
3.4k to go and Guldhammer attacks with Novak following. Petrovski, is caught only Piaskowy and Gebrezgabihier left out front.
2.3k to go the two attackers have reached the last two breakaway riders. Masnada next on the road, 20 seconds down then Pogacar and Calmejane also have a gap on the main chase group where Reis is trying to respond.
Reis can’t get a gap, He, Dunbar, Min and Paulus take to the front of the Yellow Jersey group. Jensen (20th on GC) has been dropped from that group.
1k banner for Guldhammer and Novak, their lead is 28 seconds. Gebrezgabihier has been dropped and Piaskowy is struggling. Paulus has closed down the other attackers but Calmejane has attacked again.
The two leaders turn onto the steep final ramp. Only Pisakowy left between them and the Yellow Jersey group which is being led by Pogacar, 33 seconds behind. Dunbar has been dropped but Conci is holding with Taaramäe protecting him, the veteran is putting an outstanding performance as a super domestique. Brändle is also in trouble.
Novak cracks and Guldhammer begins to distance him. 300 meters for the Dane. Behind 16 riders left in the chase group but Senni and Kämna are in trouble and Taaramäe is dropping back in the group.
Calmejane takes up the chase as Novak is brought back. The Yellow Jersey well placed, he needs to watch Pogacar now, Guldhammer was only 33 second behind at the start of the day so he can't let that gap can’t get too big.
Guldhammer thinks he has it won; not sure how safe the no hands look is on these gradients.
Guldhammer is the stage winner. Conci closing in style, he limits the loss to 20 seconds and takes 2nd place bonus seconds. He wins the 2022 Vuelta al Pais Vasco and is also the Best Young Rider.
Calmejane a strong 3rd. An outstanding ride by Bonnamour for Bonduelle for 4th. Then Pogacar and another surprise in Blikra in 6th. Reis, Novak, Masnada and Oomen complete the top 10. Jura will regret yesterday’s debacle while Lierse can’t quite make their strength count today. Senni loses 1’56.
A great final day for Guldhammer moves him up to 2nd, he also wins the points jersey. Pogacar is unable to find that little bit extra and drop to third. Senni drops to 8th but Novak and Oomen move up to 4th and 5th both 1’20 behind the winner. Three in the top 10 isn’t a bad outcome and Lierse is the best team. The bad outcome is Dunbar’s, he loses 2 minutes and ends up in 9th on GC. His poor start to the season continues. Perhaps he is saving himself for the end of the year again.
Rodriguez saves enough time to be the KOM win based on GC position.
Vuelta al Pais Vasco 
