Startline Gallery: Tirreno-Adriatico stage 6

Despite several high profile withdrawals, a high class field assembled at the start of stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday morning as you will see from our exclusive gallery. News quickly filtered through that Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) and Matt Goss (GreenEdge) had pulled out of the race with two stages left to go, but spirits among the fans and the peloton have not been dampened.

Radio Shack-Nissan's Chris Horner (USA) in is possession of the overall lead in the GC, five seconds clear of Astana's Roman Kreuziger (Cze). Home fans had plenty of shout about yesterday though as local boy Vincenze Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) surged to victory on stage five in front of his adoring supporters.

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