Race leader Shpilevsky takes stage win

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Boris Shpilevsky emerged from a crash in the final sprint to take his second victory of the 2009 Tour of Hainan. In the process the Russian rider strengthened his hold on the leader's jersey with three stages to go.

Starting in Chengmai the 181.4 kilometre stage six to Danzhou was clouded in mist and light rain. After a three lap circuit of the start town, Chengmai, the stage was contested over undulating terrain.

The stage was marked by a three man break. Matthias Brandle (Elk Haus), Herz Serge (LeTua) and Peter van Agtmaal (Netherlands) gained up to three minutes advantage over the bunch.

Russia was doing much of the work to control the distance to the break. As the leaders were close to being caught, Serge went it alone while his fellow escapees slowed to rejoin the group. The lone LeTua rider was himself wrapped up with 20 kilometres to go.

With the peloton back together for the finale, a crowded sprint bore witness to a crash as a number of riders go down at high speed. Fortunately for the yellow jersey, Boris Shpilevsky (Russia) avoided the carnage, and took an easy win.

Shpilevsky now has a thirteen second buffer on second place rider Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro A-Style).