Cavendish wins stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico
Contador retains overall lead
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma Quick Step) finished off a consummate lead-out display from his team to win stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico, a 189-kilometre test from Bucchianico to Porto Sant'Elpidio.
The British sprinter crossed the line virtually uncontested after a crash took out several of his main rivals inside the final two kilometres as Alessandro Petacchi hung on for a distant second with Peter Sagan (Cannondale) in third.
Race leader Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo) came through the stage unscathed with his healthy 2:08 lead over Nairo Quintana (Movistar) intact.
The stage win marked Cavendish's second race win of the season and provides a welcome boost ahead of Milan-San Remo.
In truth, Omega Pharma Quick Step timed their move for the line to perfection, hitting the front inside the final kilometres after Cannondale had split the race early on. Sagan's men had put the field under pressure after Marcel Kittel (Giant Shimano) showed signs of weakness on the first climb of the day.
The move led to a frantic pace as the race entered the final 50 kilometres as the sprinters jostled for safety and a chance to take a win with tomorrow’s time trial left to come.
Up ahead and unaware of Kittel's problems were a four-man group of Peter Kennaugh (Sky), Steve Morabito (BMC), Jack Bauer (Garmin-Sharp) and Cesare Benedetti (NetApp-Endura). Having broken clear on the first climb of the day they quickly established a lead of over a minute. Vincent Jerome (Europcar) had briefly made it into the move but he was dispatched with on the climb itself but despite the loss the four leaders had 5:30 over the bunch after 45 kilometres.
The cracks in Kittel's armour were apart and Cannondale were keen to exploit the German's weak points. They increased the pace on the Sant'Elpidio climb, as the four leaders held a gap of 1:36 over the peloton.
Kittel quickly found himself a minute down but help was soon at hand with his entire team deployed to his aid as he looked to regain contact for a sprint that would have truly suited him.
Cannondale were intent on distancing the German and they were encouraged when Andre Greipel offered them up several of his workers in assistance. With Sam Bennett in his group, Kittel found some help via NetApp, and the lead gently began to shrink inside the final 20 kilometres.
Bauer, aware that the break was starting to slow, jumped clear and although Kennaugh and Morabito were able to latch on, Benedetti was quickly dropped.
Kennaugh slipped back soon after as the Lotto and Cannondale field had the break in its sights and as they crossed the finish for the penultimate lap Kittel's group is at 33 seconds.
It was as close as the German would come, however, with Omega Pharma Quick Step soon starting to dictate the pace as Lotto, FDJ and Movistar vied for control of the peloton.
There was a brief blast from Gilbert as he looked to test his form ahead of San Remo, but Omega Pharma Quick Step now looked at their best. Tony Martin handed over to previous race leader Michal Kwiatkowski and with one tricky right-hand corner to go, Cavendish looked on course.
The crash certainly helped him. Greipel, who was relatively far back to start with, lost several of his teammates and was left with an impossible task to get back on terms, as several other sprinters were forced to burn matches from too far back.
By the time Cavendish came around Petacchi's wheel, he already had a huge gap on the rest of the field. Petacchi even had time to sit up and celebrate before realising that second place could be his before Sagan crossed the line for third.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | 4:16:15 | Row 0 - Cell 3 |
2 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 1 - Cell 2 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale | Row 2 - Cell 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 3 - Cell 2 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 4 - Cell 2 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 5 - Cell 2 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 6 - Cell 2 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp - Endura | Row 7 - Cell 2 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 8 - Cell 2 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 9 - Cell 2 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | Row 10 - Cell 2 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky | 0:00:06 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica Greenedge | Row 12 - Cell 2 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | Row 13 - Cell 2 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF | Row 14 - Cell 2 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Benjamin King (USA) Garmin Sharp | Row 15 - Cell 2 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Trek Factory Racing | Row 16 - Cell 2 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 18 - Cell 2 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 19 - Cell 2 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Col) Trek Factory Racing | Row 20 - Cell 2 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | Row 21 - Cell 2 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 22 - Cell 2 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 23 - Cell 2 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 24 - Cell 2 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 25 - Cell 2 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 26 - Cell 2 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team | Row 27 - Cell 2 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 28 - Cell 2 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol | Row 29 - Cell 2 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 30 - Cell 2 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 33 - Cell 2 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 34 - Cell 2 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 35 - Cell 2 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Trek Factory Racing | Row 36 - Cell 2 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin Sharp | Row 37 - Cell 2 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin Sharp | Row 39 - Cell 2 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha | Row 40 - Cell 2 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Team Sky | Row 41 - Cell 2 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team | Row 45 - Cell 2 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 46 - Cell 2 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 47 - Cell 2 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 48 - Cell 2 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 49 - Cell 2 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) Trek Factory Racing | Row 50 - Cell 2 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | Row 51 - Cell 2 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 52 - Cell 2 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Shimano | Row 53 - Cell 2 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Marco Canola (Ita) Bardiani-CSF | Row 54 - Cell 2 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 55 - Cell 2 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani-CSF | Row 56 - Cell 2 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 57 - Cell 2 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 58 - Cell 2 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 59 - Cell 2 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
61 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing | Row 60 - Cell 2 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
62 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 61 - Cell 2 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
63 | Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Orica Greenedge | Row 62 - Cell 2 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
64 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
65 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 64 - Cell 2 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
66 | Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 65 - Cell 2 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
67 | Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani-CSF | Row 66 - Cell 2 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
68 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 67 - Cell 2 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
69 | Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 68 - Cell 2 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
70 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 69 - Cell 2 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
71 | Nick Nuyens (Bel) Garmin Sharp | Row 70 - Cell 2 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
72 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 71 - Cell 2 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
73 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 72 - Cell 2 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
74 | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 73 - Cell 2 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
75 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 74 - Cell 2 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
76 | Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 75 - Cell 2 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
77 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
78 | Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | Row 77 - Cell 2 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
79 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | Row 78 - Cell 2 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
80 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 79 - Cell 2 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
81 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Cannondale | Row 80 - Cell 2 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
82 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale | Row 81 - Cell 2 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
83 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 82 - Cell 2 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
84 | Marc Goos (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
85 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | Row 84 - Cell 2 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
86 | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale | Row 85 - Cell 2 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
87 | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 86 - Cell 2 | Row 86 - Cell 3 |
88 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team | Row 87 - Cell 2 | Row 87 - Cell 3 |
89 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 88 - Cell 2 | Row 88 - Cell 3 |
90 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 89 - Cell 2 | Row 89 - Cell 3 |
91 | Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | Row 90 - Cell 2 | Row 90 - Cell 3 |
92 | Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 91 - Cell 2 |