Vuelta al Pais Vasco 2016 Stage 6

photo credits @ Tinkoff

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) claimed the final stage and overall victory in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco today, after winning the Individual Time Trial with the fattest time of 29:30 along the challenging 16.5 kilometer route.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) previously set the fastest time of 29:18, but the Colombian rider bumbled with a bike change earlier in the stage that cost him seconds and most of his momentum.

Stage Highlights 

Dario Cataldo (Astana) set an early benchmark of 31:03, which stood until Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo) eclipsed his time by almost 8 seconds.

However, Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) would later obliterated their times, with a new benchmark that was 41 seconds faster.

From there, the British rider’s time stood, until Quintana came in 48 seconds faster.

But, the Movistar rider’s time has ultimately felled by Contador, who was undaunted by the steep 20% gradients of the of today’s uphill race against the clock. 

Unfortunately, for the over-night race leader, Sergio Henao (Sky), despite  a strong come back along the descent, the Colombian rider struggled along most of the uphill climb in today’s ITT, subsequently losing valuable time both both Contador and Quintana. 

Stage six: Eibar to Eibar, 16.5km, ITT

1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff in 29-13
2. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at 5 secs
3. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky at 18s
4. Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreednEdge at 53 secs
5. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing at 1-04
6. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 1-09
7. Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida at 1-16
8. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha st
9. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana at 1-21
10. Pello Bilbao (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA at 1-26

Final general classification after stage six

1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff in 22-44-43
2. Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky at 12s
3. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar at 37 secs
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 1-13
5. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 1-22
6. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing at 1-29
7. Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida at 2:19
8. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 2:47
9. Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale at 2:52
10. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo at 3:14