Tour de France 2016 – Stage 06 [LAST 3 KM]

July 05, 2016
Tour de France 2016 – Stage 6 [LAST 3 KM] – Arpajon-sur-Cère – Montauban – 190,5 km (Flat stage)

The 2016 Tour de France is the 103rd edition of the Tour de France cycle race and is currently taking place between 2 and 24 July 2016.

Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) won stage 6 of the Tour de France, beating Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) and Dan McLay (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) in a bunch sprint in Montauban. Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) finished safely in the main peloton to retain the yellow jersey.

Cavendish came off Kittel’s wheel in the finishing straight to claim his third stage win of this Tour and the 29th victory at the race in his career. McLay produced an impressive sprint to close in on Cavendish and Kittel in the final 100 metres, but the Englishman had to settle for third.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) placed fourth ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff).

The final stage before the Tour’s entry into the high mountains was a sedate affair for long stretches, animated only by a two-man break featuring Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) and Yukiya Arashiro (Lampre-Merida).

There was an increase in urgency in the final hour of racing, and the two escapees were duly swept up as the sprinters’ teams wound up the pace in the final 25 kilometres of racing, with Direct Energie particularly prominent.

Van Avermaet lies 5:11 clear of Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) ahead of Friday’s Pyrenean leg to Lac de Payolle, with Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) a further two seconds back in third.

Results :

1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 4:43:48
2 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx – Quick-Step
3 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
5 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
7 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
8 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
9 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
10 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18

General classification after Stage 6:

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 30:18:39
2 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:05:11
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:05:13
4 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 0:05:17
5 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
6 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
7 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale-Drapac
8 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick-Step
10 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team