85th Volta a Catalunya 2005: Stage 6 Preview

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Who's hiding there? Why, it's Jan Ullrich! (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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The peloton en route to Pallejà during the sixth stage. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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The peloton round a hairpin bend. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Santiago Botero (Phonak) soldiers on to eighth on the stage, despite a nasty fall. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Bram de Groot (Rabobank) was also the victim of a crash, and ended up breaking his left forearm. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) is slowly but surely working his way back to top form. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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The peloton at speed. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Yeeeah! 25 year-old Frenchman Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) takes the first win of his professional career in superb fashion, winning the sixth stage in a solo breakaway. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Stage winner Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) makes a fist of it. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) is a very happy man. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

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Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) goes bananas with the bubbly. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

85th Volta a Catalunya - PT

Spain, May 16-22, 2005

Overall standings Previous Stage Next Stage

Chapeau Charteau!

After four years without success, 25 year-old Frenchman Anthony Charteau (Bouygues Telecom) has taken the first win of his professional career in superb fashion, winning the sixth stage of the Volta a Catalunya.

Part of a leading break of 10 riders from 10 different teams, Charteau attacked in the last kilometre of the 198,7 kilometre leg from Llívia to Pallejà to finish four seconds in front of Beat Zberg (Gerolsteiner) and José Luis Arrieta (Illes Balears). American Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon-Lotto) won the bunch sprint for 11th place.

While there was little to no change for the top riders on the overall classification, Christophe Moreau and Santiago Botero, who finished in the group with Zberg, both gained 21 seconds' advantage on their nearest rivals.

Discovery Channel's Yaroslav Popovych maintained his 20 second lead from yesterday's time trial over Italian Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval-Prodir), with David Moncoutie (Cofidis) still in third position overall. Barring disaster, the Ukrainian should go on to win the 85th edition of the race, which concludes in the Spanish capital of Barcelona tomorrow after a 113,1 kilometre road stage.