|
|
RACE REPORTS: TOUR OF CALIFORNIA STAGE 6: SAGAN AGAIN
Road Bike Action
May 21, 2010
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
(Photo: Ken Conley)
Peter Sagan (Liguigas) won the sixth stage of the Tour of California after a brutal ride from Palmdale up to Big Bear Lake. Sagan won the sprint ahead of Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) and Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia), who maintained his overall lead.
The queen stage of the 2010 Tour of California started fast with aggressive riding from the start. With the first KOM climb at Mill Creek Summit coming only 16-kilometers into the stage, the riders were eager to make their mark. On the climb a break of eight riders including Jason McCartney (Radioshack), Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank), Carlos Barredo (Quick Step), Matthew Wilson (Garmin-Transitions), George Hincapie (BMC), Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda), Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1) and Stef Clement (Cycling Team) quickly gained 30-seconds.
Over the top of the climb it was Wilson taking the KOM points ahead of Rabou, Schleck and Fuglsang. Behind the leaders, Fly V Australia teammates Darren Lill and Benjamin Day gave chase but not could make the bridge to break, which was now being driven up the second KOM of the day by Schleck. The pace proved too much for Van Ulden who was tailed off the back. Collecting the points at the top was Rabou, followed by McCartney, Clement, Hincapie and Schleck.
As the break made their way to the third KOM of the day the gap was up to 4:00 and climbing. With a couple kilometers left to the summit of Cloudburst, Barredo sat up and was dropped from the break. The remaining seven riders continued on with Rabou again taking the points in front of Clement, Hincapie, Schleck and Fuglsang.
As the break approached the KOM at Dawson Saddle the gap was up to 5:40. Through the four KOM it was Rabou, ahead of Clement, Wilson, Hincapie and Fuglsang. At the stage’s halfway point the break had extended their lead to 6:15, and not long after as they neared the San Bernadino National Forest, Clement was dropped from the break. Behind the break the peloton was lead by the HTC-Columbia team with the Grupetto had already fallen to 13:00 behind the break.
On the day’s sixth KOM of the day it was Rabou taking the points ahead of McCartney, Hincapie, Fuglsang and Wilson. On the descent Hincapie made a move off the front, but was quickly reeled in once the road turned upwards. At the day’s final KOM it was Rabou followed by Wilson, Schleck, Hincapie and Fuglsang. Not long after, it was Schleck that began to suffer and was soon dropped from the break.
With only five riders left in the break the gap began to close. As the peloton pulled to within three minutes, McCartney, Hincapie and Wilson went on the attack as Rabou and Fuglsang were absorbed by peloton. As the three riders worked together up front the RadioShack team began attacking. First it was Janez Brajkovic, then Horner. To counter the attacks of RadioShack, Garmin-Transitions moved to the front a took control.
As the Garmin-Transitions lead peloton caught the break, Marc De Maar (UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) launched off the front and quickly gained 30-seconds. De Maar who started the day fifth overall caught the big teams off guard and on the run into Big Bear became the virtual leader on the road. The only rider able to match De Maar was Matt Wilson who clawed his way across the gap.
The two-riders worked together and with 10-kilometers to go had a gap of 35-seconds. With De Maar the virtual leader on the road, HTC-Columbia went to the front to defend the lead of Rogers. With 7-kilometers to go the gap was down to 20-seconds and with 3-kilometers left it had dropped to 10-seconds. The catch finally came right before the 1-kilometer to go banner, setting up a sprint finish amongst the top riders on the general classification. In the run for the line it was again Sagan who powered to the stage victory. Sutherland finished second ahead of Rogers, who extended his overall lead by four seconds.
Tour of California Stage 6: Palmdale – Big Bear 213.7km
1. Peter Sagan (Svk/Liquigas-Doimo) 6:07:08
2. Rory Sutherland (Aus/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) @ s.t.
3. Michael Rogers (Aus/Team HTC-Columbia)
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Team Radioshack)
5. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin-Transitions)
6. Phil Zajicek (USA/Fly V Australia)
7. Paul Martens (Ger/Rabobank)
8. David Zabriskie (USA/Garmin-Transitions)
9. Jens Voigt (Ger/Saxo Bank)
10. Thomas Danielson (USA/Garmin-Transitions)
General Classification After Stage 6
1. Michael Rogers (Aus/Team HTC-Columbia) 29:04:03
2. David Zabriskie (USA/Garmin-Transitions) @ .04
3. Peter Sagan (Svk/Liquigas-Doimo) @ .09
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA/Radioshack) @ .14
5. Rory Sutherland (Aus/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) @ .29
6. Marc De Maar (Ned/Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) @ .32
7. Ryder Hesjedal (Can/Garmin-Transitions) @ .35
8. Janez Brajkovic (Slo/Radioshack)
9. Christopher Horner (USA/Radioshack)
10. Thomas Danielson (USA/Garmin-Transitions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|