Paris-Nice stage 6 - live coverage

Stage 6 of Paris-Nice brings the peloton from Brignoles to Biot, following a rugged 202km route that takes in five classified climbs, including the category 1 Côte de Cabris and the category 2 Col du Ferrier. Although the last classified ascent comes with 50km to go, there are plenty of rolling roads on the run-in before the uphill final two kilometres into Biot. Roll out is at 10.55 CET.

The general classification before the start is as follows:

1          Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma    18:42:41

2          Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe       0:00:31

3          Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates        0:00:37

4          Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech       0:00:40

5          Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech          0:00:41

6          Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team      0:00:58

7          Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM           0:01:04

8          Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:01:08

9          Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech        0:01:11

10        Pierre Latour (Fra) Total Direct Energie        0:01:12

11        Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team     0:01:13

12        David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ    0:01:15

13        Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious 

14        Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Jumbo-Visma         0:01:20

15        Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis         0:01:31

16        Ben O'Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën Team    0:01:36

17        Simon Geschke (Ger) Cofidis 0:01:37

18        Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic   

19        Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers     0:01:43

20        Gino Mäder (Swi) Bahrain Victorious           0:01:44

The peloton is making its way through the neutralised zone in Brignoles. The temperature is 14°C and there is no rain forecast on the road to Biot today.

The news of the day comes from neither Paris-Nice nor from Tirreno-Adriatico. Richard Freeman, the former chief doctor of Team Sky and British Cycling, has been found guilty of ordering banned testosterone “knowing or believing” it was to be given to an unnamed rider to improve their athletic performance. The verdict was announced by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester this morning. We’ll have more on this breaking story and its implications throughout the day.

-202km

The peloton has reached kilometre zero and stage 6 of Paris-Nice is formally underway. There are four non-starters to report: Amund Jansen (BikeExchange), Louis Vervaeke (Alpexin-Fenix) and the Arkea-Samsic duo of Maxime Bouet and Anthony Delaplace.

The pace is brisk in the opening kilometres, but no break has formed as yet. The category 2 Côte des Tuilières (2.2km at 7.8%) is the first of the day’s classified climbs after 52km, followed shortly afterwards by the Côte de Mont Méaulx. The Côte de Cabris (7.6km at 5.8%) at the midpoint is the lone category 1 ascent, and it leads directly to the category 2 Col du Ferrier (4.3km at 6.8%). The category 3 Côte de Gourdon after 156km is the final classified ascent but the road rises and dips all through the run-in before that final, 2km-long kick towards the finish.

-189km

Rémy Cavagna (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) are the first attackers to establish a gap over the peloton. 

-184km

Cavagna and Trentin have a lead of 10 seconds over the peloton but they can get no further for the time being.

Medical Practitioners Tribunal chair Neil Dalton delivered the verdict against the former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman. “The tribunal had found that you, Dr Freeman placed the order, and obtained the Testogel, knowing or believing it was to be administered to an athlete to improve their athletic performance. The motive for your action was to conceal a conduct,” he said. Read more details here.

-178km

Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo) and Damien Touzé (Ag2R-Citroën) are attempting to bridge across to Trentin and Cavagna. Race leader Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) has suffered a puncture, meanwhile, and is chasing back on.

Roglic rejoins the peloton, while Trentin and Cavagna are - slowly - edging their lead out towards 20 seconds.

-175km

Cavagna and Trentin are being given little to no leeway here. After briefing hitting 20 seconds, their advantage is now being clawed back in again. 

-171km

Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) realises the effort is futile and sits up, leaving Rémi Cavagna (Deceuninck-QuickStep) alone in front with a lead of barely 10 seconds on the bunch.

-169km

Rémi Cavagna has also sat up, and the bunch is back together again.

The combination of high speeds and rolling roads often sees the selection come from the back of the bunch rather than the front, and that appears to be the case here. A sizeable group of riders has now been deposited out the back of the peloton.

-157km

The pace is still blisteringly quick in this opening hour of racing. An attack from Magnus Cort (EF Education-Nippo) went nowhere, but now Anthony Perez (Cofidis) opens a small gap and brings three riders with him. 

Anthony Perez (Cofidis) is joined by Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Casper Pedersen (DSM) and Ben Swift (Ineos) with a 10-second lead at the front of the race as they approach the Côte des Tuilières (2.2km at 7.8%). 

-152km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Casper Pedersen (DSM) and Ben Swift (Ineos)

Peloton at 0:10

Perez maintains his forcing on the climb in search of the king of the mountains points, and his three companions can't follow. Five more riders make it across, however: Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Perez led Elissonde and Lutsenko over the top of the Tuilieres, and the six escapees are pushing out their advantage over the other side. 

-144km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 1:15

After that frantic start, it appears as though the peloton is content to grant this sextet a little freedom. Kenny Elissonde is the highest placed rider on GC. He began the day 2:24 down in 31st place overall. 

For the second year running, coronavirus restrictions mean that Paris-Nice won’t make it all the way to Nice, though, unlike in 2020, the race will run its full complement of stages, albeit with modifications. Saturday’s stage has been shortened to 119km but the summit finish at La Colmiane has been maintained. Sunday’s concluding stage has been reduced to just 92km and will feature an uphill finish in Levens rather than the planned grand finale on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.

-141km

Perez, Elissonde, Lutsenko, El Fares, Hivert and Campenaerts continue to stretch out their advantage, which now stands at 2:40.

Miles Scotson (Groupama-FDJ), who crashed on the opening stage on Sunday, has abandoned Paris-Nice. 

-136km

The six leaders are on the category 3 Côte de Mont Méaulx (1.5km at 4.3%) with a buffer of 2:40 over the peloton.  

Perez was first to the top of the Meaulx ahead of Campenaerts and Elissonde. The peloton passes the same point 2:50 behind.

-125km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 2:50

The biggest portion of the day’s climbing is coming up in 15km or so in the form of a two-part ascent. The category 1 Côte de Cabris (7.6km at 5.8%) leads more or less directly onto the immediately by the category 2 Col du Ferrier (4.3km at 6.8%). Over the top of the Ferrier, the road continues to rise and dip along a ridge before the gradual descent towards the intermediate sprint in Cipières.

-116km

For now, Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos) continue to hold a lead of 2:45 over the peloton. It means Elissode is the virtual race leader, given he started the day 2:24 off Roglic's yellow jersey.

-108km

The six leaders are tackling the day's lone category 1 climb, the Côte de Cabris.

Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) has crashed in the peloton. The American began the day in third overall, 37 seconds behind Roglic. 

Brandon McNulty has been forced to abandon Paris-Nice after his crash. The race was an important step on his build-up towards the Giro d'Italia and he had impressed throughout the week to lie third overall after five stages.

-102km

Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange) has also abandoned the race. 

The six leaders, meanwhile, are on the upper slopes of the Côte de Cabris, still holding an advantage of 2:25 over the peloton.

-97km

Perez extends his lead in the king of the mountains competition by taking maximum points atop the Côte de Cabris ahead of Elissonde and Campenaerts. The six escapees have 2:40 in hand on the peloton as they make their way towards the Col du Ferrier. Despite the rugged terrain, the average speed is just shy of 45kph thus far today. 

Situation

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 2:40

Shane Sutton is the first figure associated with Team Sky and British Cycling to react publicly to the news that Dr Richard Freeman has been found guilty by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal of ordering testosterone "knowing or believing" it was for a rider. Sutton, of course, was implicated in the affair when Freeman claimed the Testogel he had ordered was intended to treat the Australian's erectile dysfunction. Sutton denied this and claimed Freeman was lying.

"I'm saddened by the whole affair," Sutton said in a statement, according to the Daily Mail. 

"I feel for the doctor; that he ever got into this situation, and I remain disappointed that I was used as a scapegoat. It has caused great pain to both me and my family. But it also saddens me that this episode has cast a huge shadow over the success we enjoyed, both at Team Sky and British Cycling. 

"I'd like to stress that neither I nor Sir Dave Brailsford knew about the testosterone order. But I think it's important to find out who the doctor ordered it for. Hopefully that will emerge from the investigation by UK Anti-Doping."

Former UCI president Brian Cookson was head of British Cycling at the time of the incident. He has now issued a statement saying that he is "tremendously disappointed and saddened at the verdict of the MPTS in the case against Dr Richard Freeman announced today (Friday 12 March 2021) and  the damage his actions have done to our sport." Cookson has pledged to "co-operate fully" with the UK Anti-Doping investigation into the case. "I also call upon any other person who has evidence on this matter to do the same," he added.

There has been no statement as yet from Ineos Grenadiers or their manager Dave Brailsford. While Brailsford has in recent months found his tongue for long enough to talk up his squad's new commitment to attacking racing, he has - for the past four years - been studied in his silence on the Freeman case. Freeman’s barrister Mary O’Rourke noted as much during the hearing: “Dave Brailsford is the spectre missing at these proceedings and would have been able to answer an awful lot of questions about what was going on at British Cycling and Team Sky,”

-90km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 3:45

An early update from UAE Team Emirates following the crash that brought an unfortunate end to Brandon McNulty's race.

Team BikeExchange, meanwhile, report that Kaden Groves abandoned as he was still suffering from the lingering effects of his crash at the UAE Tour last month.

-85km

Anthony Perez led the break over the Col du Ferrier with a lead of just over 4 minutes on the peloton. The escapees are now on the long and very false flat that follows the summit of the climb.

-81km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 3:25

-77km

The break is now on the gradual descent towards Gréolières. The road kicks up again ahead of the intermediate sprint at Cipières with 56km to go.

The long stretches of climbing in the third hour of racing has brought the average speed down accordingly. Letour.fr reports that the average speed to this point is still a brisk 40.8kph.

-68km

The intensity rises a couple of notches in the peloton and the break's lead begins to drop. 2:40 the gap.

-61km

Break:

Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Julien El Fares (EF Education-Nippo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 2:11

Team BikeExchange are the squad leading the peloton on behalf of Michael Matthews. The Australian would fancy his chances of surviving that drag to the line and outkicking all comers, but there is scope for late attackers to upset that plan on the run-in.

The road is climbing again towards the intermediate sprint in Cipières and a number of fast men are being dropped from the rear of the peloton, including Cees Bol (DSM). 

Out in front, Anthony Perez and Julien El Fares are losing contact with the break. 

-56.5km

Alexey Lutsenko leads Elissonde, Campenaerts and Hivert through the intermediate sprint. The bunch trails at 2:20.

Shane Sutton has reacted to the news that former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman has been  found guilty of ordering testosterone “knowing or believing” that it was for the benefit of a rider to enhance their performance. “I feel for the doctor; that he ever got into this situation, and I remain disappointed that I was used as a scapegoat. It has caused great pain to both me and my family. But it also saddens me that this episode has cast a huge shadow over the success we enjoyed, both at Team Sky and British Cycling." Read more here.

-51km

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos) are the four men left in front here. They have 2:28 in hand on the bunch as they make their way towards the day's final classified climb, the Côte de Gourdon.

This isn't the last of the day's climbing, of course. The road climbs stiffly towards the intermediate sprint at Roquefort-les-Pins with 17km to go, and there is, of course, that 2km rise to the finish line too.

Jumbo-Visma take up the reins in the peloton on the category 3 Côte de Gourdon (4km at 3.7%). They have cut the break's lead to 2:14, and so Elissonde is no longer the virtual race leader. The Dutch squad's forcing has lined out the peloton, with several riders being trailed off at the back.

-47km

Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) is among the riders dropped from the peloton on the climb. There is scope for these riders to get back on over the other side, but there is still plenty of unclassified climbing to follow in the finale.

-46km

Elissonde led the break over the final classified climb with a lead of 2:29 over the peloton. The Frenchman is - just - the virtual overall leader thanks to that advantage. 

-43km

Break:

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Peloton at 2:27

-40km

Jumbo-Visma continue to set the pace on the front of the peloton in pursuit of Elissonde and the leaders. Team BikeExchange, despite losing two riders today, are also grouped en masse towards the head of the peloton on behalf of Michael Matthews.

Victor Campenaerts drives the pace in the break on this sweeping descent. The Belgian is reinventing himself slightly this season after accepting that Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert will represent Belgium in the time trial at the Tokyo Olympics. It will be interesting to see how he fares on the cobbles in the weeks ahead. 

Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), second on GC, is chasing his way back up to the peloton through the team cars. It appears the German had a mechanical issue,  but he looks set to make it back on without great difficulty. The defending champion is 31 seconds behind Roglic, and he might fancy his chances of having a go on today's uphill finale.

-34km

Bahrain Victorious have joined Jumbo-Visma's pursuit at the head of the peloton. The break's lead is down to 1:55.

-32km

A puncture for Alexey Lutsenko on the descent. He gets a bike change and a push from manager Alexandre Vinokourov, but it won't be straightforward to get back up to a move being driven by Campenaerts. 

-31km

Lutsenko is 30 seconds down on Elissonde, Campenaerts and Hivert. The peloton, meanwhile, is 1:40 down on the leaders.

-29km

Break:

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Jonathan Hivert (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) and Victor Campenaerts (Qhubeka-Assos)

Chaser at 0:23

Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Premier Tech)

Peloton at 1:18

BikeExchange, Bahrain-Victorious and Cofidis swap turns at the head of the peloton. Roglic and his Jumbo-Visma team are well placed just behind them. Green jersey Sam Bennett has also made it back to the peloton after being among the riders to lose contact on the last climb.

-26km

Lutsenko hasn't given up the ghost, and he is 17 seconds down on the three leaders. The effort might be in vain, mind, given that Deceuninck-QuickStep have joined the pursuit in the peloton, which is just one minute behind the leaders.

-25km

Hivert, Elissonde and Campenaerts carry a lead of 15 seconds over Lutsenko and 50 over the peloton into the final 25km.

The road will start climbing again shortly towards the intermediate sprint at Roquefort-les-Pins. Lutsenko is almost back in touch with the three leaders, while the peloton is at 40 seconds.

-23km

Kenny Elissonde tries to breathe life into the breakaway, which is still still 6 seconds up on the lone chaser Lutsenko and 39 ahead of the peloton.

Cofidis and Deceuninck-QuickStep swap turns at the head of the peloton, while a delegation from Jumbo-Visma sits tucked in behind them.

-21km

And then there was one. Elissonde drops first Hivert and then Campenaerts as the road begins to climb. Lutsenko, meanwhile, has given up his pursuit and he has been brought back by the peloton.

-20km

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) is the lone leader on the drag towards the sprint at Roquefort-les-Pins, with a lead of 43 seconds on the peloton. A number of fast men have been dropped from the bunch, including Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe). 

Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) has been dropped by the peloton, and he surely won't make it back on to contest the finish this afternoon.

-19.5km

Pierre-Luc Perichon leads the bunch on this climb towards the day's second intermediate sprint, which comes with 17.5km to go. 

Nacer Bouhanni and Magnus Cort are at the rear of the peloton, trying desperately to hang on. The reduced bunch is 32 seconds behind the lone leader Elissonde.

-17.5km

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) picks up 3 bonus seconds at Roquefort-les-Pins. Lucas Hamilton (BikeExchange) wins the sprint in the peloton ahead of Pierre Latour (Total Direct Energie). Ion Izagirre (Astana) had led out the sprint but he was overtaken within sight of the line.

-16km

Kenny Elissonde holds a lead of 24 seconds over the peloton, where Jumbo-Visma are now setting the pace once again.

Sam Bennett showed his form by surviving the climbs, and the green jersey is prominent towards the head of the bunch. Other fast men still in contention are Alexander Kristoff and, of course, Michael Matthews. Whatever the result on the long drag to the line, it's an encouraging step towards Milan-San Remo for Bennett and Kristoff.

-13.5km

The peloton closes almost to within sight of Elissonde. Jonas Rutsch (EF-Nippo) attacks from the bunch and manages to bridge across to Elissonde. They have 10 seconds on the chasers.

-12km

Break:

Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) and Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-Nippo)

Peloton at 0:22

Rutsch does the bulk of the pace-making out in front, while Elissonde - understandably, after his long day in front - is at times visibly struggling to hold the German's wheel.

Deceuninck-QuicKStep's Mattia Cattaneo rides at the head of the peloton, with Tim Declercq on his wheel. Sam Bennett is posted near the front with Michael Morkov.

-10km

Rutsch and Elissonde carry a lead of 17 seconds into the final 10km, with the Frenchman again coming through to give turns to the EF Education-Nippo rider.

-9km

Cofidis take over at the head of the peloton after the front end separates to navigate a roundabout. Everybody is through safely.

Jonas Rutsch is getting exasperated with Elissonde's unwillingness to come through, though his annoyance is perhaps misplaced. Elissonde has been on the front for much of the day, after all. The onus was always going to be on the fresher Rutsch to perform the bulk of the work at this point.

-7km

Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana) punctures in the peloton and he gets a rapid bike change from his teammate Omar Fraile. Vlasov faces a frantic lone chase to get back on through the cars...

-6km

The gesticulating Rutsch leads Elissonde into the final 6km with a lead of 18 seconds on the chasing peloton. 

-4.5km

That rapid bike swap with Fraile has saved Vlasov's race. The Russian has latched back up to the peloton.

-4km

Rutsch continues to lead Elissonde as the road begins to climb once again. 6 seconds the gap to the peloton.

Elissonde comes through but this might be the last time. The Deceuninck-QuickStep-led bunch is almost upon them.

-3km

Philippe Gilbert is among the riders sitting up ahead of the final kick up to the line.

Out in front, Elissonde has also relented. Rutch is alone in front, but his cameo is almost at an end.

-2.5km

Rutsch desperately defends his lead on the last flat section of the course before the road rises steadily in the last two kilometres.

-1.5km

Rutsch rocks from side to side as the gradient bites. The bunch is drawing in. QuickStep lead, with Roglic also well positioned.

-1km

Rutsch is caught with a kilometre to go. Deceuninck-QuickStep lead as the gradient bites a little more.

Florian Senechal sits on front with Roglic on his wheel. The bunch is stringing out and Bouhanni and Kristoff are among the fast men dropped...

Sam Bennett is dropped... This is no finish for the pure fast men, but Michael Matthews and Bryan Coquard are still in there somewhere...

Guillaume Martin kicks with 400m to go. Primoz Roglic follows...

Roglic kicks inside the final 200m. Christophe Laporte is on his wheel...

Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) wins stage 6 of Paris-Nice.

Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) was second ahead of Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) and Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious). 

Roglic won that sprint with disarming ease to add another 10 seconds in time bonuses to his overall lead. His partner and infant son are the first people to greet the yellow jersey after he crosses the line. 

Result

1          Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma      4:40:22

2          Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis

3          Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange

4          Dylan Teuns (Bel) Bahrain Victorious

5          Aurelien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën

6          Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Team BikeExchange

7          Bryan Coquad (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM

8          Quetin Pacher (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM

9          Sergio Henao (Col) Team Qhubeka-Assos

10        Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Start-Up Nation

General classification

1          Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma    23:22:53

2          Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe       00:00:41

3          Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech       00:00:50

4          Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech          00:00:51

5          Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Movistar Team      00:01:08

6          Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Team DSM           00:01:14

7          Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Team BikeExchange 00:01:16

8          Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech        00:01:21

9          Pierre Latour (Fra) Total Direct Energie        00:01:21

10        Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team     00:01:23

Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) on his stage victory: “It’s just cool, eh, to win like this. It’s something new again and I’m super, super happy to do it. It was just the whole day really hard, really from the beginning, and that’s why I thought at the end, ‘We’re all tired, so why not?’ It was beautiful that I could do it.”

Roglic appears unconcerned by the changes to the route this weekend.  “I have to deal with it, what they give us. So I don’t really care about. I just expect full gas racing because they are quite short both of them. For sure, it will be very exciting for the people watching it.” The Slovenian downplays the idea that he will focus his attention on marking Schachmann in the final two days. “My focus is on myself. If I can stay focused with the whole team and we can do our job, then it’s fine. Normally the results will follow then.”

A full report, results and photos from today's stage are available here.