photo credits @ Tour de Suisse
Pieter Weening (Roompot) won stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse today, after a successful attack during the last few kilometers that saw the Dutch rider claim a solo victory more than two and a half minutes ahead of his closest rival.
Meanwhile, Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo) moved into the overall race lead, after finishing in fifth place in today’s rain-soaked summit finish.
Race Highlights
Gregory Rast (Trek-Segafredo), Philipe Gilbert (BMC), Kristijan Koren (Cannondale), Pim Ligthart, Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Iljo Keisse, Maximiliano Richeze (Etixx-QuickStep), Kévin Reza (FDJ), Martin Elmiger (IAM), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar), Maciej Patkersi (CCC), Nico Brüngger (Roth), Pietr Weening, Antwan Tolhoek (Roompot) and Jordi Simon (Verva Active-Pro Jet), marked the day’s early breakaway group, subsequently building up an advantage of around two minutes over the peloton during the first 25 kilometers.
However, several members of the breakaway group got dropped during the challenging climb of the Klausenpass, only to come back together during the descent.
Once the group reached the flats again, Gorka Izaguirre (Movistar) decided to attack from within the peloton and bridge his way to the breakaway group – quickly linking up with his teammate, Sütterlin, who had been dropped from the lead group.
Back up front, things started to disintegrate for the breakaway group during the final climb, prompting Weening to attack with 7.5 kilometers to go.
Meanwhile, both Izaguire and Sütterlin failed to make contact with the lead group, leaving both riders in purgatory, while Pierre-Roger Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC) both got dropped from the chase group with 4 kilometers remaining.
Simon Spilak (Katusha) then decided to attack from within the chase group, but the Slovenian rider was unable to open up a gap, as Team Sky, along with Giant-Alpecin’s Warren Barguil, quickly pegged him back.
Up ahead, Izagirre was picking off remnants of the day’s breakaway group as he crested the final climb with 1.2 kilometers to go.
Geraint Thomas (Sky) was the next rider to be dropped from the chase group, while up ahead, Weening continued to build up an unassailable lead.
As the remnants of the breakaway group one-by-one crossed the finish, Andrew Tolansky (Cannondale) attacked the chase group during the final 100 meters, but a vigilant Kelderman was there to mark his move, while Barguil followed in tow.
Stage 6 Results NED 1 WEENING, Pieter (ROOMPOT – ORANJE PELOTON) 4:33:47 ARG 2 RICHEZE, Maximiliano Ariel (ETIXX – QUICK STEP) + 2:37 POL 3 PATERSKI, Maciej (CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE) + 3:57 SLO 4 KOREN, Kristijan (CANNONDALE) + 4:13 NED 5 KELDERMAN, Wilco (LOTTO NL – JUMBO) + 4:31 USA 6 TALANSKY, Andrew (CANNONDALE) FRA 7 BARGUIL, Warren (GIANT – ALPECIN) ESP 8 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, Jon (MOVISTAR) + 4:35 COL 9 LOPEZ MORENO, Miguel Angel (ASTANA) + 4:36 SLO 10 SPILAK, Simon (KATUSHA) + 4:39 USA 11 DOMBROWSKI, Joseph Lloyd (CANNONDALE) + 4:42 ESP 12 SIMON CASULLERAS, Jordi (VERVA ACTIVEJET PRO CYCLING TEAM) + 4:57 COL 13 PANTANO GOMEZ, Jarlinson (IAM CYCLING) + 5:00 ESP 14 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka (MOVISTAR) + 5:03 FRA 15 LATOUR, Pierre-Roger (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 5:22 GBR 16 THOMAS, Geraint (SKY) BEL 17 BENOOT, Tiesj (LOTTO SOUDAL) + 5:28 POR 18 FARIA DA COSTA, Rui Alberto (LAMPRE – MERIDA) + 5:30 RUS 19 CHERNETSKI, Sergei (KATUSHA) + 5:32 SUI 20 BRÜNGGER, Nico (TEAM ROTH) + 5:44 SLO 21 POLANC, Jan (LAMPRE – MERIDA) + 5:49 ESP 22 DE LA PARTE, Víctor (CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE) + 5:50 BEL 23 GILBERT, Philippe (BMC RACING) + 6:03 FRA 24 REZA, Kévin (FDJ) 25 CIESLIK Pawel (VERVA ACTIVEJET PRO CYCLING TEAM) 26 GROSSSCHARTNER Felix (CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE) + 6:17 COL 27 ATAPUMA HURTADO, Darwin (BMC RACING) + 6:22 USA 28 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) ERI 29 BERHANE, Natnael (DIMENSION DATA) BEL 30 ARMEE, Sander (LOTTO SOUDAL) + 6:30
General Classification after Stage 6 NED 1 KELDERMAN, Wilco (LOTTO NL – JUMBO) 22:43:12 FRA 2 BARGUIL, Warren (GIANT – ALPECIN) + 16 USA 3 TALANSKY, Andrew (CANNONDALE) + 19 ESP 4 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, Jon (MOVISTAR) + 34 COL 5 LOPEZ MORENO, Miguel Angel (ASTANA) + 39 FRA 6 LATOUR, Pierre-Roger (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 51 SLO 7 SPILAK, Simon (KATUSHA) + 52 GBR 8 THOMAS, Geraint (SKY) + 56 ESP 9 IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka (MOVISTAR) + 59 COL 10 PANTANO GOMEZ, Jarlinson (IAM CYCLING) + 1:03
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