Stage
6:
194k from Arras to
Reims; flat.
2 cat-4 climbs on
the course. Nine traffic circles to navigate in the finale.
Cloudy at
start/mostly rainy later; 60 f; frequent rain.
 |
| Stage 6 profile |
DNS: Richeze (LAM)
 |
| Stage 6 on the map |
Today the race
commemorates 100 years since the start of World War I. Today's route covers
ground that saw a lot of military misery a hundred years ago. The peloton will
pass several landmarks, cemeteries and memorial sites on the way to Reims.
Yesterday more than
40 riders are reported to have crashed. Perhaps surprisingly, Froome was the
only abandon on stage 5. So, no one who crashed on the cobbles was forced to
abandon the race. And, as I said yesterday, most of the crashes happened on the
wet traffic circles. So I refute any argument that rain-soaked, slick cobbles
are too dangerous to be included in the French grand tour. The streets and the
roundabouts were much more perilous yesterday. Does anybody like those
roundabouts?
My girlfriend,
Emily pointed out that the images of the peloton riding through the roundabouts
has become sort of iconic in cycling broadcasting; so maybe they belong as much
to the cycling aesthetic as cobblestones. It's a point I had not considered. I
will put up a poll asking who thinks the cobblestones should be excluded from
the Tour De France...
Today's Break (4):
Jerome Pineau (IAM), Tom Leezer (BEL), Luis Mate
(COF), and
Arnaud
Gerard (BSE).
Second time Mate has
made the break (stage 4).
They build a lead of about 4:15.
John Degenkolb has
a torn gluteal muscle. He won't be much help in the Giant-Shimano lead-out
train for Kittel today.
km 80: With about
115k left to ride, the escapees have a lead of 2:53 over the peloton.
TO READ ON, JUST CLICK THE TINY WORDS "Read more" just below these words...
TO READ ON, JUST CLICK THE TINY WORDS "Read more" just below these words...
-100k: The lead is
still just under 3:00. Giant=Shimano have been doing the bulk of the work at
the front of the peloton. Kittel said he felt "confident" this
morning, and that his crash on the road yesterday shouldn't bother him in his
attempt to win a fourth sprint today.
The riders have
been getting rained upon, and the roads are wet. Those roundabouts near the finish
may claim more victims today.
 |
| The "Ladies Path" saw three "Battles of the Aisne" in World War I |
*km 107.5: 1st KOM:
Cat-4 Côte de Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique:
1. Mate (COF)
Inside 80k to go: Crashes in the peloton bring down
several riders in three different locations. A few look hurt.
A couple Cofidis
riders down in the middle of the road...
Demare is picking
himself up; Jack Bauer is one of a couple Garmin riders on the side of the
road.
A BMC rider is
down, a few others...
Thibaut Pinot shows some good bike handling, as
he stays upright when his rear tire skids out and back while braking hard to avoid
the pile-up before him.
A Katusha rider is
walking around sort of gingerly.
Zandio (SKY) has been sitting up, but is still on the ground after
several minutes.
The peloton still
has a lead of around 2:30
Cannondale move to
the front for the intermediate sprint ahead...
*km 119: INT:
1. Leezer 2. Gerard 3.
Pineau 4. Mate 5. Renshaw 6. Sagan 7.
Greipel 8. Petacchi 9. Marcato 10. Devenyns
11. Cheng 12. Timmer 13. De Kort 14. Gruzdev 15.
Kwiatkowski
*Igor Silin (KAT) and Xabier Zandio (SKY) have abandoned the race as
a result of those crashes.
-67k: A
Tinkoff-Saxo rider is down on the side of the road, and looks to be in pain.
Several others are
down as well.
The Saxo rider is
Jesus Hernandez.
-56k: Erviti (MOV)
is getting some mobile medical care as he rides alongside his Movistar team
car. His elbow is bloody.
-50k: The lead is
under a minute now.
 |
| The four escapees of stage 6 |
The rain is falling
hard here.
Hernandez (TCS) retires from the race due to injury.
The president of
France, Francois Hollande, gets into the red race referees car for some up
close action of the race on this WWI Memorial day.
Apparently Sagan
has been on the ground, too, though I did not see that one.
AST, TCS, and GIA
are in force, and OGE, LTB and BMC are also showing presence at the front of
the peloton.
*km 157, 2nd KOM:
cat-4 Cote de Roucy:
1. Mate
-30k: The leaders
are out of the rain now. They hold :59 over the peloton.
Daniel Navarro
(COF) has crashed a couple times.
-16k: The peloton is closing on the now 2 leaders, maybe :08 back, when Mate decides to accelerate and try for one last dig. He immediately gapped Pineau, who gives up the ghost, and is absorbed into the peloton.
*Mate, the last hold-out from the early
break, is finally picked up by the bunch with just under 12k to go.
Gruppo Compatto.
 |
| Another Team SKY road-victim: Xabier Zandio |
-7k: OPQ raises the
pace, and riders are being gapped at the back.
Kwiatkowski is in
front. He gestures for Tony Martin to come up and take over, but Martin shakes
him off. He'll save his big engine for a little longer.
Martin takes over
inside 5k to go. He drives for about
a km.
The sprinters'
teams are jockeying for front positions.
Renshaw still has
at least 3 teammates leading him toward the 3k to go banner.
Two Katusha riders
jump to the front (Porsev? and Kristoff).
Cannondale have a
couple guys for Peter Sagan. Trek is up there for Van Poppel...
Marcel Kittel's
Giant Shimano train is noticeably absent.
Kevin Reza (EUR) is
moving up for Coquard. I like how aggressive they have been this past week.
A couple
Lotto-Belisol riders are mixing it up to bring Andre Greipel up. He's still
looking for his first win in this Tour.
Samuel Dumoulin is
in about 10th or 12th wheel.
Approaching the 1k to go banner, Kwiatkowski explodes
off the front again! Whether he was trying to set up for Renshaw or not, he
gets a gap coming out of a left turn and is out of the saddle going for a
long-shot win!
His head is down as
he pumps the last ounces of strength into his pedals.
Inside 500m to go, the peloton is barreling
down behind Kwiatkowski. Kristoff still has his last lead-out man in front. A
few Giant jerseys appear near the front, but word is that Kittel has punctured.
 |
| Bjarne Riis picks up mountains domestique Jesus Hernandez |
Kevin Reza has
burst into the front of the peloton chasing down Kwiatkowski.
But Coquard is not
on Reza's wheel. He's lost him.
Kristoff uses
Reza's draft to pull up the middle, past a dying Kwiatkowski. Great effort by
the young Pole.
-200m, or so: Greipel and Sagan are going into their sprints on the
left side...
Renshaw comes
around suddenly from the right...
Greipel takes the
lead. He punches the last fifteen pedal strokes with authority...
...and Andre Greipel takes the win!
Kristoff took
second, and Dumoulin makes the podium, with a nice 3rd place finish.
Danny Van Poppel
had also punctured before the finale.
Greipel finally
gets a much-needed win for his Lotto team. It is the German's sixth career Tour
stage win.
He is ecstatic,
hugging each of his teammates after the finish.
"I'm so happy!"
he says to Lars Bak.
"You deserve
it!" Bak says.
 |
| The finish sprint |
The GC is basically
unchanged at the top of the standings. Rolland and Pinot coughed up another :59
each. I'd say Rolland is out of the equation for a podium spot in Paris, now
trailing Nibali by 6:17.
189 riders finished
on another rainy day today.
Nibali still leads
overall.
With 217 points,
Peter Sagan extends his lead in the points jersey competition to 80 points over
second-place Bryan Coquard (137 pts). Kittel is 3rd, trailing Coquard by 2
points.
[Kittel has three
stage wins. Coquard has none. Does anyone think the intermediate sprint points
were raised a little too high?]
 |
| Spaniard Luis Maté was the day's most aggressive...rider |
Luis Mate lasted the longest in the break, and he is selected as the most aggressive rider of the day. His teammate Cyril Lemoine still holds the KOM jersey.
Peter Sagan still leads the young rider competition by 6 seconds over Michal Kwiatkowski. Bardet is still 3rd at +1:27.
 |
| Greipel got his sixth career TDF stage win today |
Team Astana lead the team competition by 4:18 over second place Belkin. BMC is third, with Team Sky just behind them.
DNF: Hernandez (TCS), Silin (KAT), and Zandio (SKY).
STAGE
6 RESULTS:
Result
|
||
1
|
André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
|
4:11:39
|
2
|
Alexander
Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
|
|
3
|
Samuel
Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
4
|
Mark
Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
5
|
Peter
Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
|
|
6
|
Romain
Feillu (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
7
|
Tom
Veelers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
8
|
Bryan
Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
9
|
Sep
Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
10
|
Sylvain
Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
|
|
11
|
Daniel
Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
|
|
12
|
Cyril
Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
13
|
Greg Van
Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
|
|
14
|
Fabian Cancellara
(Swi) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
15
|
Jakob
Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
|
|
16
|
Tom
Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
17
|
Andrew
Talansky (USA) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
18
|
Vincenzo
Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
|
|
19
|
Jack
Bauer (NZl) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
20
|
Alberto
Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
21
|
Jean-Christophe
Péraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
22
|
Rui
Alberto Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida
|
|
23
|
Kévin
Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
24
|
Bauke
Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
25
|
Mathew
Hayman (Aus) Orica Greenedge
|
|
26
|
Tejay Van
Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
|
|
27
|
Peter
Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team
|
|
28
|
Jurgen
Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
|
|
29
|
Leopold
Konig (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
30
|
José
Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
31
|
Tony
Gallopin (Fra) Lotto-Belisol
|
|
32
|
Gatis
Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
|
|
33
|
Gregory
Rast (Swi) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
34
|
Michael
Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
35
|
Paul Voss
(Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
36
|
Michael
Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
37
|
Laurens
Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
38
|
Michal
Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
39
|
Frank
Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
40
|
Christopher
Horner (USA) Lampre - Merida
|
|
41
|
Michael
Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
|
|
42
|
Mathias
Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling
|
|
43
|
Heinrich
Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
|
|
44
|
Richie
Porte (Aus) Team Sky
|
|
45
|
Haimar
Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
46
|
Tiago
Machado (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
47
|
Maarten
Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
48
|
Yury
Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha
|
|
49
|
Jean Marc
Marino (Fra) Cannondale
|
|
50
|
Alejandro
Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
51
|
Zakkari
Dempster (Aus) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
52
|
Jurgen
Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
|
|
53
|
Brice
Feillu (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
54
|
Romain
Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
55
|
Alessandro
Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team
|
|
56
|
Geraint
Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
|
|
57
|
Koen De
Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
58
|
Andriy
Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
|
|
59
|
Jan
Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
60
|
Niki
Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
61
|
Michael
Albasini (Swi) Orica Greenedge
|
|
62
|
Elia
Viviani (Ita) Cannondale
|
|
63
|
Sébastien
Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
64
|
Lars Bak
(Den) Lotto-Belisol
|
|
65
|
Alexander
Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha
|
|
66
|
Florian
Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
67
|
Vasili
Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky
|
|
68
|
Kristijan
Koren (Slo) Cannondale
|
|
69
|
Michele
Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
|
|
70
|
Marcel
Sieberg (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
|
0:00:15
|
71
|
Bernhard
Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
|
|
72
|
Ramunas
Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
73
|
Maciej
Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale
|
0:00:18
|
74
|
Matteo
Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
0:00:24
|
75
|
Johan Van
Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Sharp
|
0:00:35
|
76
|
Fabio
Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale
|
|
77
|
Sebastian
Langeveld (Ned) Garmin - Sharp
|
0:00:41
|
78
|
Marco
Marcato (Ita) Cannondale
|
0:00:45
|
79
|
Adam
Hansen (Aus) Lotto-Belisol
|
|
80
|
Yohann
Gene (Fra) Team Europcar
|
0:00:47
|
81
|
Roy
Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
82
|
Daniele
Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
83
|
Dmitriy
Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
|
0:00:54
|
84
|
Marcel
Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
85
|
Yukiya
Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar
|
|
86
|
Thibaut
Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
0:00:59
|
87
|
Mikel
Nieve Iturralde (Spa) Team Sky
|
|
88
|
Pierre
Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
89
|
Stef
Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
90
|
Julien
Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
91
|
Steven
Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
92
|
Florian
Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
93
|
Jens
Keukeleire (Bel) Orica Greenedge
|
|
94
|
Jens
Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
95
|
Nelson
Oliveira (Por) Lampre - Merida
|
|
96
|
Peter
Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team
|
|
97
|
John
Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team
|
|
98
|
Martin
Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling
|
|
99
|
Michal
Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
100
|
Bram
Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
101
|
Tanel
Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
|
|
102
|
Simon
Yates (GBr) Orica Greenedge
|
|
103
|
Benjamin
King (USA) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
104
|
Sébastien
Reichenbach (Swi) IAM Cycling
|
|
105
|
Tom Jelte
Slagter (Ned) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
106
|
Cyril Gautier
(Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
107
|
Tony
Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
108
|
Anthony
Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
109
|
Simon
Gerrans (Aus) Orica Greenedge
|
|
110
|
Svein
Tuft (Can) Orica Greenedge
|
|
111
|
Markel
Irizar Arranburu (Spa) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
112
|
Alex
Howes (USA) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
113
|
Luke
Durbridge (Aus) Orica Greenedge
|
|
114
|
Benoit
Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
115
|
Jean-Marc
Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
116
|
Amaël
Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
|
|
117
|
Ben
Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
118
|
Bartosz
Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
119
|
Reto
Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
|
|
120
|
Matteo
Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
121
|
Kristijan
Durasek (Cro) Lampre - Merida
|
|
122
|
Arthur
Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
|
123
|
Simon
Clarke (Aus) Orica Greenedge
|
|
124
|
Alessandro
Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
|
|
125
|
José
Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
|
0:01:27
|
126
|
Nicolas
Roche (Irl) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
127
|
John
Gadret (Fra) Movistar Team
|
|
128
|
Matteo
Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
129
|
Rafal
Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
130
|
Andreas
Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
|
0:01:36
|
131
|
Albert
Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
|
0:01:53
|
132
|
Cedric
Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
0:02:29
|
133
|
Danny Van
Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
134
|
Luca
Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha
|
0:02:40
|
135
|
Roger
Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling
|
0:02:55
|
136
|
Danny
Pate (USA) Team Sky
|
0:03:01
|
137
|
Davide
Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - Merida
|
0:03:25
|
138
|
Matthieu
Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
0:04:13
|
139
|
Mickaël
Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
|
140
|
Jesus
Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
141
|
Janier
Alexis Acevedo Calle (Col) Garmin - Sharp
|
|
142
|
Simon
Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha
|
|
143
|
Blel
Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
144
|
Luis
Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
145
|
Jérémy
Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
0:04:51
|
146
|
Arnaud
Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
|
147
|
Sergio
Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
148
|
Arnold
Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
|
149
|
Christian
Meier (Can) Orica Greenedge
|
|
150
|
Jan Barta
(Cze) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
151
|
Ruben
Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
152
|
Giovanni
Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
|
|
153
|
Rafael
Valls (Spa) Lampre - Merida
|
|
154
|
Maxim
Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
|
|
155
|
Joaquim
Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha
|
|
156
|
Vladimir
Isaichev (Rus) Team Katusha
|
|
157
|
Nicolas
Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
158
|
Lieuwe
Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
|
|
159
|
Edward
King (USA) Cannondale
|
|
160
|
Matthew
Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
|
|
161
|
Thomas
Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
162
|
Lars Boom
(Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
|
|
163
|
Daniel
Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
164
|
Mikael
Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
|
165
|
Thomas
Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
166
|
Perrig
Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
167
|
Armindo
Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
168
|
Arnaud
Gerard (Fra) Bretagne - Seche Environnement
|
|
169
|
Alexandre
Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar
|
|
170
|
Rudy
Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
171
|
Adrien
Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
|
172
|
David De
La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Team Netapp-Endura
|
|
173
|
David
Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky
|
|
174
|
Imanol
Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
175
|
Benat
Intxausti (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
176
|
José
Serpa (Col) Lampre - Merida
|
|
177
|
Jon
Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
|
|
178
|
Marcel
Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling
|
|
179
|
John
Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
180
|
William
Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr
|
|
181
|
Dries
Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
|
|
182
|
Jérôme
Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
|
|
183
|
Alessandro
De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale
|
|
184
|
Marcus
Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
|
0:06:20
|
185
|
Cheng Ji
(Chn) Team Giant-Shimano
|
0:07:00
|
186
|
Bart De
Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
|
0:07:02
|
187
|
Rein
Taaramäe (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
0:08:06
|
188
|
Christophe
Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
|
0:09:23
|
189
|
Egoitz
Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
|
0:15:49
|
DNS
|
Ariel
Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Lampre - Merida
|
|
DNF
|
Jesus
Alberto Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo
|
|
DNF
|
Egor
Silin (Rus) Team Katusha
|
|
DNF
|
Xabier
Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Sky
|
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