It was heartbreak for the early breakaway on stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse, with three riders who spent more than 180km off the front being caught in the final kilometre by the sprint teams, with Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) powering to the victory in Neuhausen am Rheinfall.
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Harry Sweeny (EF Education-EasyPost) and Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) made up the break that almost made it, with the Swiss champion Schmid the last man standing after a valiant effort by the trio to try to stay ahead.
Yellow jersey Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) finished safely in the main peloton to maintain his overall lead on GC.
"It's hard to compare," to his Tour de France stage win on the Champs-Élysées, "but this is just my second win on the WorldTour level, so I'm super happy to take the win home today."
How it unfolded
With two mountain days in the legs at the Tour de Suisse, stage 6 offered another chance for the breakaway specialists and fast men, on the 186.7km road from Chur to Neuhausen am Rheinfall, near the German border.
Four riders got up the road in the opening 6km of racing: Harry Sweeny, Stefan Küng, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) and Mauro Schmid. They led the race through a brief journey into Liechtenstein.
They quickly had more than a minute advantage, but more attacks came from the likes of Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Tom Gloag (Visma-Lease a Bike).
None could bridge the gap, however, and at the 140km to go mark, the quartet in front had more than three minutes of an advantage over the chasing peloton.
The only two categorised climbs of the day followed soon after the break formation, with the first to Wildhaus (9km at 6.8%) seeing Arnaud De Lie dropped and several others dropped off the back. They soon returned, but with the climb to Hemberg (6.2km at 5.7%) still to come.
Mohorič took his chance to attack away again, joined this time by teammate Pello Bilbao and Ewan Costiou (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), but they made no real dent into the lead of the four men in front, with the catch match to them around 30km later.
With 80km to race, and the parcours in the second half of the stage being easier than the opening half, the sprint teams started to come to the fore, with Lotto, Picnic PostNL and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe working for De Lie, Pavel Bittner and Jordi Meeus, respectively.
The gap was reduced quickly to 1:18, but Grégoire then stabilised things and sacrificed himself on the front for Küng, to give his teammate and the other two survivors of the early break a chance at the win. With 43km to go, the gap extended back out to 1:28.
Into the final 30km of action, and the deficit for the peloton finally fell below one minute, with the trio in front more than capable of holding their own in a time trial, but starting to falter under the pressure applied by the sprint teams.
Alpecin-Deceuninck joined the chasing effort, alongside Lotto, Red Bull, Picnic, and Tudor, helping reduce the gap further on the approach to Neuhausen am Rheinfall.
The peloton had the trio in its sights with 15km to go, with the gap at 26 seconds, but the sprint teams had to commit a lot of firepower to try and wrestle back the final bit of the lead, with some hope yet for the early break.
Küng, Schmid and Sweeny continued to work well together, holding a 20-second lead into the final 10km, as the trains behind continued to lose riders, but they were struggling to hold the high pace after almost 180km out in front.
Crossing over the Rhine and into Schaffhausen allowed the trio to maintain their lead, but with 4km to go, it was only at 12 seconds, and it looked more and more like heartbreak was imminent for those in front.
The catch was finally made just before the final kilometre to Küng and Sweeny by Tudor, after XDS Astana put in a big pull to bring them back. Schmid then gave one final push to try and snatch it, but the sprinting peloton was in full flow and quickly had him back in too.
With the sprint now certain, Lotto tried to bring Belgian champion De Lie into the ideal position, which they did have momentarily, until Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe screamed up the left-hand side before the final bend to the line, washing out the Lotto sprinter and several others.
Meeus had the momentum from Van Poppel's top lead-out, holding his top speed all the way to the line ahead of Ballerini and Askey in Neuhausen am Rheinfall.
Results
Pos. | Rider (Team) | Time |
|---|---|---|
1 | Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) | 04:10:24 |
2 | Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Madis Mihkels (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Nicolo Buratti (Bahrain Victorious) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Danny Van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Marius Mayrhofer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Stefano Oldani (Cofidis) | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Fabio Van Den Bossche (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Fabio Christen (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Peter Joseph Blackmore (Israel - Premier Tech) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Ben Swift (INEOS Grenadiers) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Hugo Houle (Israel - Premier Tech) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Pieter Serry (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché - Wanty) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Antonio Tomas Morgado (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Lennard Kamna (Lidl-Trek) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Matthew Riccitello (Israel - Premier Tech) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Bob Jungels (INEOS Grenadiers) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Gianluca Brambilla (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Felix Grossschartner (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Ion Izaguirre Insausti (Cofidis) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | William Barta (Movistar Team) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Ben Alexander O'Connor (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché - Wanty) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Joao Pedro Goncalves Almeida (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Pablo Castrillo Zapater (Movistar Team) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Victor Langellotti (INEOS Grenadiers) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Edgar Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Julien Vermote (Team Visma - Lease a Bike) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Eduardo Sepulveda (Lotto) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | George Bennett (Israel - Premier Tech) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Lucas Wade Hamilton (INEOS Grenadiers) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Sam Maisonobe (Cofidis) | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Jasper De Buyst (Lotto) | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Clement Champoussin (XDS Astana Team) | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Tijmen Graat (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Anthon Charmig (XDS Astana Team) | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Jasha Sutterlin (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Sean Flynn (Team Picnic PostNL) | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Warren Barguil (Team Picnic PostNL) | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Nicola Conci (XDS Astana Team) | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Rui Costa (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Julius Johansen (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Xavier Finlay Xavier Pickering (Bahrain Victorious) | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ) | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Simone Petilli (Intermarché - Wanty) | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Sergio Samitier Samitier (Cofidis) | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education - EasyPost) | 00:17 |
60 | Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Mathijs Paasschens (Bahrain Victorious) | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Ewen Costiou (Arkea-B&B Hotels) | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Nans Peters (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Leo Bisiaux (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Brent Van Moer (Lotto) | 00:28 |
68 | Nelson F. Dos Santos Simoes Oliveira (Movistar Team) | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Fausto Masnada (XDS Astana Team) | 00:36 |
71 | Jan Maas (Cofidis) | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Antoine Huby (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Bart Lemmen (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers) | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Otto Vergaerde (Lidl-Trek) | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Matteo Badilatti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Albert Torres Barceló (Movistar Team) | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Sam Oomen (Lidl-Trek) | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek) | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Thomas Gloag (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Ayco Bastiaens (Soudal Quick-Step) | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Chris Froome (Israel - Premier Tech) | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Marco Haller (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Neilson Powless (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Tim Naberman (Team Picnic PostNL) | 00:49 |
92 | Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team) | 00:53 |
93 | Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Roger Adria Oliveras (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Callum Scotson (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Luc Wirtgen (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Lawrence Warbasse (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Felix Engelhardt (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Luke Durbridge (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Patrick Gamper (Team Jayco Alula) | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Rainer Kepplinger (Bahrain Victorious) | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek) | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Javier Romo Oliver (Movistar Team) | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Juan Pedro Lopez Perez (Lidl-Trek) | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) | 01:18 |
106 | Eddy Le Huitouze (Groupama-FDJ) | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Harrison William Sweeny (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Samuele Battistella (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | 01:40 |
110 | Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis) | 01:47 |
111 | Sjoerd Bax (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | 01:56 |
112 | Steven Kruijswijk (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Arjen Livyns (Lotto) | 02:07 |
114 | Alexander Kamp (Intermarché - Wanty) | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-B&B Hotels) | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | David Gonzalez Lopez (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | 02:33 |
117 | Mikkel Norsgaard Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates XRG) | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Gregaard Jonas Wilsly (Lotto) | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana Team) | 02:46 |
120 | Alexander Edmondson (Team Picnic PostNL) | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Simon James Clarke (Israel - Premier Tech) | 02:58 |
122 | Marcel Camprubi Pijuan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) | 03:04 |
123 | Frank Van Den Broek (Team Picnic PostNL) | 04:15 |
124 | Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | 04:21 |
125 | Tiesj Benoot (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Sebastien Grignard (Lotto) | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Henri Uhlig (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | 06:29 |
128 | Jonas Koch (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Jimmy Janssens (Alpecin-Deceuninck) | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Olivier Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ) | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Max Walker (EF Education - EasyPost) | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Martin Tjotta (Arkea-B&B Hotels) | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Bahrain Victorious) | 09:01 |
134 | Gerben Kuypers (Intermarché - Wanty) | 09:08 |
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