The second mountain finish was on the program at the Tour de France on Thursday. After 191 kilometers, Alexey Lutsenko cheered on the 1560 meter high Mont Aigoual. Germany’s top climber Emanuel Buchmann lost no time this time and was able to easily keep up with the favorites.
Today it’s uphill again: the goal is at an altitude of 1560 meters.
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Vigilant, focused and without any signs of weakness, Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe) climbed the ramps in the Massif Central among the favorites. This time, the German hopefuls did not let themselves be left behind in the second – somewhat easier – mountain finish of the 107th Tour de France. Last year’s fourth reached the finish on Mont Aigoual alongside high-flyer Primoz Roglic and Co. on Thursday and showed an increase in form. However, the stars of the industry left the day’s victory of the sixth stage after 191 kilometers to Kazakhs Alexej Lutsenko (Astana). Alexander Vinokurov’s pupil reached the summit as a soloist after a long breakaway attempt by an eight-person group.
Buchmann sovereign – Schachmann is there
In contrast to the first climbing game on Tuesday, when he lost nine seconds up to Orcieres-Merlette, the German hopeful Buchmann also got help from his team. Ex-champion Maximilian Schachmann was there for the captain despite his broken collarbone, which gives hope for the Pyrenees stages at the weekend.
“We didn’t go full throttle, it was more controlled. But the feeling was good,” said Buchmann of a further increase in form. Schachmann is also feeling confident: “It was a positive day for me after my collarbone caused more problems than I had hoped. But things are looking up. That gives me motivation and self-confidence.”
There were no changes at the top of the overall standings, as the outliers – Jesus Herrada (Spain) and Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet (Belgium) took second and third place – shared the bonus seconds among themselves. The defiant reaction from Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) hoped for by the French did not materialize, so that the Briton Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) successfully defended the yellow jersey. The superstar attacked shortly before the goal, but that was more for the gallery. Yates had unexpectedly made it to the top the previous day due to a time penalty for Alaphilippe. Alaphilippe had received a drinking bottle outside the refreshment zone.
Alaphilippe: “The team made a mistake, and so did I.”
“The team made a mistake, and so did I. I have to accept the decision,” said Alaphilippe, who had no chance to attack from the group of favorites. Perhaps the final was not difficult enough to save decisive time. Because after the Col de la Lusette – a mountain of the first category – it went downhill a good 14 kilometers before the finish before another 8.3 kilometers with an average of four percent gradient had to be covered to the weather station.
Van Avermaet in the virtual yellow jersey
After the boring course of the race on Wednesday, a breakaway group with prominent names took command shortly after the start. In the meantime, Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet (CCC) also rode in the virtual yellow jersey. But the group was unable to maintain the lead of six and a half minutes. During the final climb, there were also some fans on the side of the road. Many with a mask, although it was not compulsory in this region.
Bennett again makes up points on Sagan
The Irish Sam Bennett, on the other hand, had already done his job halfway through the race. The Alaphilippe team-mate secured six points in the intermediate sprint and thus increased his lead over ex-team-mate Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) to twelve points in the battle for the green jersey. Bennett is only the second Irishman after Sean Kelly (1989) to wear green.
On Friday, the seventh stage is over flat terrain. On the way from Millau to Lavaur over 168 kilometers only two mountains of the third and one of the fourth category have to be conquered. So the sprinters around Caleb Ewan (Australia) and Sam Bennett (Ireland) could have a good chance of a mass finish.
6. Etappe Le Teil – Mont Aigoual (191 km):
1. Alexei Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) – Astana 4:32:34 hours; 2. Jesús Herrada Lopez (Spain) – Solutions Credits + 55 sec .; 3. Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium) – CCC Team + 2:15 min .; 4. Neilson Powless (USA) – EF Pro Cycling + 2:17; 5. Julian Alaphilippe (France) – Deceuninck-Quick-Step + 2:52; 6. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands) – Trek – Segafredo + 2:53; 7. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland) – Ineos Grenadiers; 8. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (Colombia) – Ineos Grenadiers; 9. Richard Carapaz Montenegro (Ecuador) – Ineos Grenadiers; 10. Adam Yates (Great Britain) – Mitchelton-Scott; … 17. Maximilian Schachmann (Berlin) – Bora-hansgrohe; 19. Emanuel Buchmann (Ravensburg) – Bora-hansgrohe; 66. Simon Geschke (Freiburg im Breisgau) – CCC Team + 10:53; 82. Lennard Kämna (Fischerhude) – Bora-hansgrohe + 18:45; 136. Nils Politt (Hürth) – Israel Start-Up Nation + 31:09; 139. Tony Martin (Kreuzlingen / Switzerland) – Team Jumbo; 148. André Greipel (Hürth) – Israel Start-Up Nation; 152. Jonas Koch (Schwäbisch Hall) – CCC Team; 160. Nikias Arndt (Cologne) – Team Sunweb; 161. Maximilian Walscheid (Heidelberg) – NTT Pro Cycling Team; 171. Roger Kluge (Berlin) – Lotto-Soudal
Overall ranking individual, status after the 6th stage
1. Adam Yates (Great Britain) – Mitchelton-Scott 27:03:57 hours; 2. Primoz Roglic (Slovenia) – Team Jumbo + 3 seconds; 3. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) – UAE Team Emirates + 7; 4. Guillaume Martin (France) – Solutions Credits + 9; 5. Egan Arley Bernal Gomez (Colombia) – Ineos Grenadiers + 13; 6. Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) – Team Jumbo; 7. Esteban Chaves (Colombia) – Mitchelton-Scott; 8. Nairo Quintana (Colombia) – Team Arkea-Samsic; 9. Romain Bardet (France) – AG2R La Mondiale; 10. Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Colombia) – Astana; … 17. Emanuel Buchmann (Ravensburg) – Bora-hansgrohe + 22; 37. Maximilian Schachmann (Berlin) – Bora-hansgrohe + 7:42 min .; 69. Simon Geschke (Freiburg im Breisgau) – CCC Team + 33:35; 71. Lennard Kämna (Fischerhude) – Bora-hansgrohe + 35:11; 112. Jonas Koch (Schwäbisch Hall) – CCC Team + 1:02:21 hours; 123. Tony Martin (Kreuzlingen / Switzerland) – Team Jumbo + 1:07:52; 128. Nils Politt (Hürth) – Israel Start-Up Nation + 1:09:45; 154. Maximilian Walscheid (Heidelberg) – NTT Pro Cycling Team + 1:19:05; 159. André Greipel (Hürth) – Israel Start-Up Nation + 1:20:41; 164. Nikias Arndt (Cologne) – Team Sunweb + 1:24:35; 165. Roger Kluge (Berlin) – Lotto-Soudal + 1:24:42
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