Tirreno-Adriatico 2016: Stage 6

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico.

To bring you right up to speed, we have 150km remaining in the stage and we have a break of 6 riders clear of the field with a gap of 3'50 over the peloton.

It's Orica GreenEdge who are currently setting the pace on the front of the peloton, having moved the gap down from close to five minutes.

 

The leaders at the head of the race are: Federico Zurlo (Lampre-Merida), Mirko Selvaggi (Androni Sidermec), Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Nikolay Mihaylov (CCC Sprandi), Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani CSF) and Ricardo Vilela (CajaRural RGA).

Early this morning Giacomo Nizzolo was the only rider not to start the stage, leaving us with 178 riders in the race.

The majority of the stage is flat, and with a finishing circuit that will be covered twice. There are several climbs but none of them are enough to really trouble the peloton.

The slightly up hill finish should see a rider, Sagan in fact, try and claim a time bonus on his rivals.

Here's how things stand on GC coming into the stage:

1 Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 15:56:32
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:00:09
3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:11
6 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step
7 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:14

There are a number of evenly balanced time trial riders in that top echelon of GC men. If Sagan can gain time today though that will boost his GC hopes ahead of tomorrow's final stage, a 10.km time trial.

The gap continues to come down and at the moment the leaders have 2'50 over the peloton. 128km to go.

The main talking point from the weekend was the news that Sunday's stage was cancelled due to snow that was expected atop Monte San Vicino.

There were mixed reactions from within the peloton after the news broke. Vincenzo Nibali and his Astana team certainly didn't back the plan to cancel the stage with the former Tour de France winner's team offering a veiled threat of pulling the rider from the Giro this year in order to ride the Tour de France instead.

Team Sky:

Sadly @LPNordhaug has crashed out of today's #Tirreno stage. We'll have a full update in our race report. Just over 120km to go

The peloton have eased their chase after that fall, allowing the six leaders to push a little further clear. The gap is back up to 3'10 but the bunch very much have this one under control.

Away from today's race, Oscar Freire is the latest member of the cycling community to put together his dream team. It's a rather eclectic selection with a few leftfield picks in there for good measure. Well worth a read though.

The race passes through the feedzone with the break still holding around three minutes on the peloton.

A reminder of the riders in the break:

Federico Zurlo (Lampre Merida), Mirko Selvaggi (Androni Sidermec), Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Nikolay Mihaylov (CCC Sprandi), Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani CSF) and Ricardo Vilela (CajaRural RGA).

Selvaggi is the clearest threat on GC, 38th at 2'17 on Stybar. He's the virtual leader on the road... for now.

Overcast and dry at the finish, by the way, as the lead drops to 2'24 with 100km to go.

To catch up with all of this weekend's action from around the world, take a look at our Weekend-wrap. It has all the results, reports, and videos from Paris-Nice and other races.

Stybar's Etixx-QuickStep team continues to lead the peloton, though they might well be content to let the escapees hoover up the bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint.

75km remaining from 210km

With 75 kilometres remaining, the escapees have stretched their lead out again to 2:48. Etixx-QuickStep and Orica-GreenEdge are on the head of the peloton.

Etixx have now moved to the front of the peloton and started to help with the pace setting. They've shaved another minute off the break's lead, as the six riders up front begin to struggle.

It's still dry and overcast at the finish as the riders continue along the coastline.

60km remaining from 210km

60km to go and the pack will swing inland soon. The gap between the break and the peloton is stuck at 2'30.

If you're only just joining us, we have a six-rider group up the road. They have 2'30 on the peloton with 56km to go. The riders up the road are: Federico Zurlo (Lampre Merida), Mirko Selvaggi (Androni Sidermec), Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Nikolay Mihaylov (CCC Sprandi), Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani CSF) and Ricardo Vilela (CajaRural RGA).

Orica GreenEdge an Etixx continue to do most of the work on the front of the peloton but Trek, BMC and Astana are also near the front too. Little in the way of breeze at the finish too.

40km remaining from 210km

Tinkoff have moved to the front and started to set the pace. They've pulled the leaders back to just 1'09 with 40km to go.

We're about to hit the finishing circuit and the riders will cover that twice.

50 seconds for the riders up the road with the peloton closing. Sagan is near the front and keeping out of trouble as the pace continues to increase.

Coming into the stage, here's how things stand on GC. The bonus seconds at today's finish could be crucial with just one more stage remaining after today:

1 Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 15:56:32
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:00:09
3 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
5 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:11
6 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step
7 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:14
8 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:00:18
9 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ
10 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team 0:00:20

25km remaining from 210km

25km to go and the break are caught with Tinkoff now all over the front of the bunch. Boasson Hagen, a favourite for today, is near the front with  teammate just ahead of him.

The bunch are about to cross the finish line for the first time. Two circuits remaining.

Sky are also near the front of the peloton as the road starts to kick up before the finishline. There's a very cute split created by BMC and around 8 men have gone clear. Stybar and Van Avermaet are there. Gatto too as they go for the intermediate sprint.

Sagan takes the bonus ahead of Van Avermaet. That puts him 11 seconds of the race lead.

Bennati has linked up with Sagan and Van Avermaet after the sprint and the Italian is going full gas. The trio have 15 seconds on the field as a few more riders make contact - Stybar, Kwiatkowski and Gaviria.

This very dangerous move, wih 20km to go could be crucial in the outcome of the race. Gatto is also there for Tinkoff. They have really improved their Classics unit over the winter.

It's Orica who set the pace now for the peloton but the gap is holding at 15 seconds with 19km to go. Is Van Avermaet sitting on? That could kill the move... but no he's coming through and working with Etixx and Tinkoff.

The riders in the break: Peter Sagan, Daniele Bennati and Oscar Gatto (Tinkoff Team), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team), Fernando Gaviria, Zdenek Stybar and Matteo Trentin (Etixx - Quick-Step),Kwiatkowski (Team Sky).

Dimension Data and Trek move to the front of the peloton but the gap is up to 26 seconds with 17km to go. Etixx are blocking at the front of the bunch and that gives them another few seconds.

The gap is now up to 35 seconds and it has prompted an attack from Nibali and Bakelants from the peloton. 14km to go.

Nibali and Bakelants have the Sagan group at 18 seconds but has he left it too late? The bunch are strung out too, with the entire race on the line.

13km remaining from 210km

BMC catch the pair of Nibali and Bakelants but will the pace now drop at the front of the peloton? The gap is at 20 seconds so it's starting to come down.

Astana punch their way to the front (not literally) and the gap comes down to 10 seconds with one lap to go.

Tinkoff are stlll pushing it at the front of the group as Ewan tries to bridge it on his own. The peloton is splitting up as we see Valverde accelerate.

10km remaining from 210km

The Sagan group have 6 seconds on the next group on the road so they still have a chance. The second group on the road contains Ewan but they're caught by the peloton. 10km to go and the gap is back to 15 seconds. That last turn from Bennati did all the damage.

Van Avermaet sits at the back of the lead group with 8.2km to go . The gap is still holding at 17 seconds seconds with Etiixx starting to take longer turns on the front.

Surely they'll use Gaviria to take the bonus seconds from Sagan  - a possibly the stage. Neither Tinkoff or Etixx can hold back though. 7km to go.

Movistar now leading the peloton but the group have 20 seconds. Van Avemaet still sitting on the back as Cancellara starts to set the pace for the bunch. 21 seconds for the leaders.

There's a crash in the peloton and several riders are down, including Scarponi who is holding his shoulder. Race over at the very least for the former Giro winner.

Clarke was also involved but he was quickly back on his bike.

4.4km to go and the gap is at 22 seconds. It looks all over for the peloton but Bennati looks drained as Stybar does a turn, followed by Peter Sagan.

Trek are trying to make the catch and they have the Sagan group at 15 seconds. With 3.5km to go they still have a chance as the leaders lose two riders. Three rider are trying to bridge up as Tony Martin leads the bunch. The gap is down to 12 seconds, 2.9km to go.

We're down to five up front. Sagan, Kwiatkowski, Stybar, Gatto, Van Avermaet. 2km to go and the gap is 11 seconds.

Stuyven, Mollema and Tretin are clear of the bunch and leading a chase group of three. Have they left it too late?

Trentin just sits on and that trio are going to be caught.

Into the last 1km and Movistar roll the dice one more time. Gatto is pulling the leaders towards the finish as Van Avermaet continues to just sit at the back of the group. Stybar looks twitchy.

They start the long drag up to the finish and it's the Sky rider to leads them.

Sagan goes around him. Van Avermaet on his wheel. Can he come over the top?

Van Avermaet takes the win over Sagan.

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 4:34:14
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:02
4 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:04
5 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:07
6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
7 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida
8 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
9 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF
10 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo

That finish means the GC battle will come down to the wire. That was always going to be the case but Sagan, despite missing out on the stage, has moved even closer to the race lead.

The new GC has Van Avermaet leading with Stybar second and Sagan third:
 

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 20:30:43
2 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:07
3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:08

General classification after stage 6

1 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 20:30:43
2 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:07
3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:08
4 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:21
5 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step
6 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:00:28
7 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJ
8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team 0:00:30
9 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:31
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:34

In some ways that was similar to the stage in the Tour in which Sagan and Van Avermaet went up against each other on a final up hill finish. This time Sagan went first, and Van Avermaet had enough to follow him and then take the World Champion on the line. Sagan's wait for a win in 2016 continues.

Van Avermaet carries a 7-second lead over Sybar into the final stage, with Sagan a further second back in third.

That top four from today though - Van Avermaet, Sagan, Stybar, and Kwiatkowski... four of the favourites for Milan-San Remo, right there.

Thanks for joining us today. You can find our report, results and photos, right here. We will be back tomorrow for the final stage from Tirreno-Adriatico.