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Super-Besse
195.5 km
Thursday 10 July
Kim Kirchen is the new leader of the Tour de France. He is six seconds ahead of Cadel Evans and 16" ahead of the former race leader, Stefan Schumacher.
Riccardo Ricco has won his first stage of the Tour de France. The top 10 in the 195.5km stage to Super Besse is:
1. Riccardo Ricco (ITA) SDV
2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) GCE at 1"
3. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL at 1"
4. Frank Schleck (LUX) CSC at 4"
5. Kim Kirchen (LUX) COL at 4"
6. Roman Kreuziger (CZE) LIQ at 7"
7. Moises Duenas Nevado (ESP) BAR at 7"
8. Carlos Sastre (ESP) CSC at 7"
9. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB at 7"
10. Leonardo Piepoli (ITA) SDV at 7"
The television pictures reveal that Schumacher did in fact crash in the final kilometer. We wait to see who will wear the yellow jersey for stage seven.
Schumacher was held up just as Ricco hit the gas to go on a win the stage. It looked like Kirchen pulled his foot and this baulked the rider in the yellow jersey.
Ricco has outsprinted Valverde to win his first stage of the Tour de France.
There is also the blue of the Columbia team at the front of the pack now. It’s going to be an elite sprint. Take your pick... Sastre is also there.
There are two Caisse d’Epargne riders ahead of Ricco and Evans at the front of the stage. Who are you going to back: Valverde? Ricco? Evans?
Vande Velde and Piepoli have been caught by the peloton.
The peloton is closing in on the two leaders. There are about 30 in the yellow jersey’s pack and it appears that they will catch Piepoli and Vande Velde.
Now is the time for Piepoli to his the gas. He is one of the lightest riders in the pro peloton and a pure climber. The final 2km are all uphill although the final 300m are not quite as steep as what leads up to it.
Vande Velde and Piepoli are gaining time on the peloton. With 3km to go, they are 18" ahead.
Piepoli and Vande Velde are less than 4km from the finish. There’s a brief downhill now before the steepest part of the climb. They are 17" ahead of the peloton. Could this be the day that Garmin takes the yellow jersey? It’s a big ask considering the Caisse d’Epargne team are still driving the peloton and appear to have the strength of numbers.
Vande Velde is on a quest for the yellow jersey. He and Piepoli are 14" ahead of the peloton. The American began the stage 37" behind Schumacher...
Piepoli, Moncoutie, Vande Velde and Efimkin are now all together at the front of the stage.
With 5km to go, Vande Velde and Piepoli have attacked the peloton. In about one kilometer there’s a brief downhill section before the toughest part of the climb.
Moncoutie has caught Efimkin in Besse. The question is: will it be the same way at Super Besse? They have 5km to go in the stage.
Efimkin (ALM) leads Moncoutie (COF) by 10" and the peloton by 15" with 6km to go in the stage.
David Moncoutie has attacked the peloton. His now in pursuit of Efimkin who has six kilometers to go in the stage and an advantage of 14".
The other escapees have been caught and now Efimkin has a lead of 10" on the peloton that is led by the Caisse d’Epargne team.
There are now three riders in the lead: Le Mevel (C.A), Efimkin (ALM) and Moinard (COF). But that has changed before the flash could be sent: Efimkin has gone on ahead on his own.
If the final climb of a stage is rated category-two or higher, double points are awarded at the summit. That means that the allocation at the finish of stage six is: 20, 18, 16, 14, 12 and 10 for the first six riders.
With Chavanel and Voeckler equal with climbing points, it seems their team-mates have taken it on themselves to try and absorb the points on offer at the end of today’s stage. Moinard and Lefevere are the riders who are currently scampering ahead of the pack. Their advantage, with 8km to go, is 10".
Moinard and Lefevere are 10" ahead of the bunch with 10km to go in the stage.
The first attack of the final climb has come from Laurent Lefevere (BTL) and Amael Moinard (COF). The two Frenchman are about 100m ahead of the peloton.
At the base of the final climb Zabel and Vogondy have been caught up in a crash. Both bounced back up and are riding again.
Righto, let’s see who takes charge now? Mr Bichot is back in the bunch. The poor man didn’t even earn the most votes for the ’Combativite’ category, instead that prize has gone to the instigator of the escape today, Mr Chavanel.
The last climb of the day is 11km long at an averag gradient of 4.7 percent. Considering there is a descent wtih 4km to go, that drops the average, it’s worth noting that it’s a tough ascent that has a 1,000m section with a gradient of 11 percent.
Freddy Bichot is 18" ahead of the peloton while ’Bobo’ Botcharov has been reeled in by the bunch.
B&B are still ahead of the peloton but with 15km to go, it’s only a matter of time before the big guns start firing shots from the peloton.
Botcharov is 12" behind Bichot who is 20" ahead of the peloton. The rider who got into the lead of the stage at the 14km mark is racing for votes: surely he’ll be awarded the most aggressive rider of the stage.
Bichot is 8" ahead of Botcharov and 15" ahead of the peloton.
There has been another attack from Credit Agricole. This time it looks like Alexandre Botcharov... it’s akin to what we saw from Remi Pauriol. We await confirmation of who it is, but it looks like the rider from Siberia.
With 20km to go Bichot’s advantage is just 25" but he too appears prepared to sit up and wait for the peloton that continues to be controlled by the team of Alejandro Valverde.
Although Caisse d’Eparge is in complete control of the peloton, the yellow jersey can be seen just behind. This group has just caught Chavanel who sat up and waited for the bunch. Only Bichot remains ahead of the yellow jersey’s peloton. His advantage is 25".
Caisse d’Epargne is determined to reel in the escapees who are now just 25" ahead of the bunch that’s continues to be led by Valverde’s team.
The two escapees are sharing the workload fairly evenly. They are 30" ahead of the peloton with 23km from the finish and, in the last 10 minutes, Chavanel has been in the front for 52 percent of the time.
Chavanel and Bichot are less than 25km from the finish. They are 50" ahead of the peloton that continues to be led by the team of Valverde.
There are now just two riders ahead of the yellow jersey’s peloton. The difference between Chavanel/Bichot and the main pack is 50".
The peloton with Schumacher is 50" behind Chavanel and Bichot. It is being led by riders from the Caisse d’Epargne team.
There are three riders now attempting to bridge the gap to the two leaders Chavanel and Bichot. The chasers are Verdugo, Voeckler and Casar who are 40" behind.
The green jersey has reached the summit 3’30" behind Chavanel.
By collecting 16 points so far today, Sylvain Chavanel has increased his tally in the climbing classifcation to 27. He is now equal with Voeckler in the race for the polka-dot jersey.
At the top of the third climb the points were won by:
1. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 10pts
2. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 9pts
3. Thomas Voeckler (BTL) 8pts - at 56"
4. Sandy Casar (FDJ) 7pts
5. Gorka Verdugo (EUS) 6pts
6. Luis Sanchez (GCE) 5pts
With the summit in sight Bichot did a brief turn of pace in the lead but he has been passed by Chavanel who is going to collect the 10 points for first place.
The Caisse d’Epargne team is leading the peloton. Tucked in behind Valverde’s squad is the yellow jersey, Schumacher.
The peloton has just caught Pauriol and dropped Hushovd. It is 1’55" behind Chavanel and Bichot who are 1,500m from the top.
Pauriol has caught and passed the former escapee, Vaugrenard. The Caisse d’Epargne team is now in charge of the peloton which has also caught Vaugrenard.
There are numerous riders being dropped on the col de la Croix-Morand, including the former yellow jersey Roman Feillu.
Chavanel and Bichot are 1’40" ahead of the peloton which has reeled in the escape by Astarloza et al. They are now being chased down by Remi Pauriol.
Chavanel has been leading Bichot all the way up the climb. These two are 1’00" ahead of Vaugrenard with 3km to climb.
There are numerous riders now riding off the front of the peloton. The latest to surge is Mikel Astarloza of the Euskaltel team.
Cardenas is the latest rider to attack the peloton which is 1’55" behind Chavanel.
He is being chased down by David de la Fuente.
Pauriol has passed the 5km to climb sign 1’35" behind Chavanel and Bichot.
The first to drop from the lead group is Vaugrenard. The FDJ rider looks like he’s got lead in his wheels...! He is now waiting for the peloton.
After the sharp left turn that led to the start of the climb, Remi Pauriol of the Credit Agricole team attacked the peloton.
The peloton is 2’05" behind the leading trio as they pass the 10km to go sign for the climb that’s eight kilometers long at an average gradient of 5.2 percent.
In the past 10 minutes Chavanel has spent 42 percent of the time in the lead of the escape group. He has already added six points to his collection in the climbing classification, meaning that he’s now just two points behind Voeckler in the race for the polka-dot jersey.
With the peloton 1’55" behind Chavanel’s group there has been a change of colors at the head of the peloton. Although there are still a few Gerolsteiner shirts to be seen, the Quickstep, Agritubel and Liquigas teams are moving forward.
Chavanel is no longer the virtual leader of the Tour. His trio is now 2’00" ahead of the peloton as they begin to climb the col de la Croix-Morand.
At the sprint line in La Bourboule (144km), the peloton was 2’25" behind the leading trio.
The peloton is 2’20" behind Vaugrenard, Chavanel and Bichot who are about to contest the sprint in la Bourboule. The trio are not giving up easily and it seems they have increased their tempo recently.
The points for the third sprint of the sixth stage were won by:
1. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 6pts
2. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 4pts
3. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 2pts
The Tour has visited the col de la Croix-Morand five times before today. The last time was in 1996 when Richard Virenque claimed first place at the summit. Before that it was in 1992 when Stephen Roche was first at the top of the 1,401m category-two ascent.
In 1959 Andre Le Dissez crested ahead of the peloton while, in 1952 it was the great Gino Bartali who went over this climb in the Massif Central first.
Vaugrenard, Chavanel and Bichot are less than 5km from the 3rd sprint. Their advantage is down to 2’30" and it seems likely that their escape will be doomed unless the peloton eases off but don’t hold your breath for that to happen... the real race in stage six is just about to be begin as the sprint just precedes the col de la Croix-Morand.
The third climb of the sixth stage is the Col de la Croix-Morand. It is eight kilometers long and has an average gradient of 5.2 percent. The top is at the 158km mark. The points awarded at the top are 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 for the first six across the line.
The escapees are 3’15" ahead of the peloton and are now 10km from the site of the third intermediate sprint. This comes near the base of the col de la Croix-Morand, the first category-two ascent of the 2008 Tour.
After his crash in the feedzone, Brard (COF) had to wait quite some time to get a new bike as he destroyed his rear derailleur. He spent a long day in the lead of the stage yesterday and is now still being paced back to the peloton by his Cofidis team car.
Vaugrenard continues to spend more time in the wind that the other riders in the lead. This trio is now 3’30" ahead of the peloton and we can report that the recent showers have ceased. The roads are still wet but the cloud appears to be lifting.
The peloton is in Briffons at the 123.5km mark. It is 3’20" behind the three escapees. Gerolsteiner continues to set the pace and the Silence-Lotto squad is making its way forward again after waiting for Cadel Evans following his puncture.
Although the forecast suggested clear skies for the whole stage, rain is still falling on the peloton as it approaches the first category-two climb of the 2008 edition. The roads are wet but conditions are still warm with the temperature up around 25 degree Celsius mark.
Cadel Evans has quickly rejoined the bunch after his puncture but not before having a few words with some in the convoy who he thought made things a little more dangerous than it needed to be...
Evans is now being supported by five team-mates as he returns to the peloton after a puncture. Rain is falling on the peloton at the moment and making things a little slippery.
The average speed for the third hour of stage six is 36.7km/h. The average for the first three hours combined is 39.8km/h.
Evans has a new wheel but is calling for the mechanic to come and fix something on his bike... or so it seems.
The Silence-Lotto team had been at the head of the peloton behind Gerolsteiner but they have recently retreated to wait for their team leader Cadel Evans who has just punctured.
The last time a stage of the Tour de France concluded at Super Besse, a ski station in the Massif Central, was in 1996. It came after the Alps and before the Pyrenees in stage 13. The top 10 of that 177km stage from Le Puy-en-Velay was:
1. Rolf Sorensen
2. Orlando Rodrigues
3. Richard Virenque
4. Luc Leblanc at 2"
5. Paolo Savoldelli at 11"
6. Miguel Indurain at 23"
7. Chris Boardman
8. Laurent Brochard
9. Laurent Dufaux
10. Abraham Olano
Brard is going to have a long chase on his hands. His rear derailleur was destroyed in the crash. He appears to be okay, although rather annoyed as he waits for a new bike from his team car.
Danger: feedzone approaching! The second rider to crash while trying to catch a feed bag is Florent Brard of the Cofidis squad.
David Lopez Garcia has crashed in the feedzone. He almost bounced up off the road and is already back on his bike.
At the 111km mark, the peloton’s deficit to Chavanel’s trio is 3’20".
Two of the teams in the Tour de France received new title sponsors in the weeks leading up to the race. What was known at Team Slipstream-Chipotle in the first six months of the year was renamed Garmin-Chipotle as of 1 July. And what was Team High Road became Team Columbia on the same day.
The codes for these two US-registered formations were TSL and THR, respectively for the early phase of the Tour. As of tomorrow, the abbreviations will become: GAR and COL, respectively.
The escapees are now 4’00" ahead of the peloton and about to pass through the feedzone at the 111km mark.
The peloton is at the 102.5km mark, 4’15" behind Chavanel’s trio. Clearly the Gerolsteiner squad has decided that it’s time to pick up the pace. The maximum gain of the escape group was 5’15" at the 95km mark.
“Something like 15km were left to the feeding zone," said Alejandro Valverde after the fifth stage. "At that time we were riding very fast, at about 55km/h, when I rode upon one of those bumps that are sometimes in the middle of the road. That threw me off balance and I fell on my right side. After I saw the race doctor I came back in the bunch after I chased for about 10km, but without any problem.
"My right collarbone, knee and calf hit the ground, but as for now it is not hurting. The only thing is that my right side is completely scratched and it looks like if I had been fighting with a lion!”
In the last 10 minutes France Television has calculated that, of the three riders in the lead, Benoit Vaugrenard has spent 39 per cent of the time in the lead of the escape; Chavanel 32 per cent and Bichot 29 per cent.
The advantage of the escapees continues to grow. With the peloton - led by Gerolsteiner riders who are being shadowed by Silence-Lotto - at the 95km mark it was 5’15" behind Chavanel, Bichot and Vaugrenard.
The escapees are 5’05" ahead with 98km to go in the stage. This is the maximum gain so far today.
At the top of the cote de Crocq the peloton was 4’15" behind Chavanel’s trio.
Chavanel rolled to the front of the escape at the top of the second climb and added another three points to his tally in the mountains classification. The order at the top of the Cote de Crocq was:
1. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 3pts
2. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 2pts
3. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 1pt
The leading trio have an advantage of 4’10" as they begin the second ascent of the stage. The Cote de Crocq is 1.6km long at an average gradient of six percent.
“It’d be nice if Fabian could stay as close as possible to his current position,” said the directeur sportif of the CSC team, Scott Sunderland when contacted by LeTour.fr. “It’s good to have him up there in the top 10 and although it’s a climb at the finish today, he’s strong enough to be able to hold his own.
“It is definitely the sort of stage that will suit both Frank and Andy [Schleck] and they’ll be attentive as always. We’ve just asked that they stay up front of the peloton on the approach to the finish to stay out of trouble and they’ll keep an eye on what’s happening. If an opportunity presents itself, they’ll surely seize it.
“Otherwise, I’m pretty sure that Jensie won’t be able to resist the temptation to try something. That’s his style and we won’t hold him back...”
The average speed for the 2nd hour was 37.6km/h. The average for the first two hours combined is 41.1km/h.
Chavanel, Bichot and Vaugrenard have just reached the 81.5km mark of the 195.5km stage. Their advantage on the peloton reached a maximum of 5’10" and, at the last check, they were 4’50" ahead.
LeTour.fr contacted Eusebio Unzue, the directeur sportif of Caisse d’Epargne at the start of the stage to get an update on the team’s leader Alejandro Valverde. “At the moment, our goal is to see how Alejandro copes,” said the Spaniard. “We’ll see how he’s recovering. The level of the injuries isn’t severe so it should be no problem but he does have grazes on his arms and wasn’t able to rest too well last night. He’s in pain but that is typical in the days following a fall. It’s a normal situation after a crash and hopefully it’s not too serious. Within the next two or three days, when the race arrives in the Pyrenees, we hope he has fully recovered.
“Today we will try not to waste energy and if he progresses, then we can consider our plans for the coming stages.”
As the peloton passes through Bellegarde-en-Marche at the 71.5km mark, it is 4’40" behind Vaugrenard, Bichot and Chavanel.
At the top of the first categorized climb of stage six (at the 70km mark), the peloton is 4’55" behind Vaugrenard, Bichot and Chavanel.
The peloton is 5’00" at the 69km mark. It has one kilometer to climb on the 2.3km long Cote de L’Armelle.
At the top of the first climb of the stage, the points were won by:
1. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 3pts
2. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 2pts
3. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 1pt.
With the birthday announcements over, it’s time to remind you of the current situation in the sixth stage. Sylvain Chavanel is the virtual leader after having attacked at the six kilometer mark. He was chased down by Benoit Vaugrenard and Freddy Bichot and caught at 14km.
The trio have been at the head of affairs since. Their current advantage on the Gerolsteiner-led peloton is 5’05".
The only Colombian rider to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, Victor Hugo Pena, celebrates his 34th birthday today. He was part of the US Postal team in 2003 when the squad won the team time trial. The next day he led the general classification but demonstrated his commitment to his team leader Lance Armstrong when he collected bidons and filled his yellow jersey with replenishments in stage seven.
One of the US riders to win a bronze medal in the team time trial at the 1984 Olympic Games, Davis Phinney, turns 49 today. He contested the Tour during his time with the 7-Eleven team and won two stages: his first in stage three of the 1986 edition, his second in stage 12 of 1987. The next year he was second to Eddy Plankaert in the points classification.
Phinney’s son, Taylor is expected to make his Olympic debut later this year in the pursuit. He is still officially a junior (having turned 18 on 27 June) but has already won a World Cup in the 4,000m race earlier this year.
The former rider who twice finished in the top 10 at the Tour de France (6th in 1986 and 7th in 1988) and is now a consultant for France Television, Ronan Pensec, turns 45 today.
He wore the yellow jersey in the 1990 Tour and now also hosts cycling-specific holidays in France.
The directeur sportif of the Quickstep team, Wilfried Peeters celebrates his 44th birthday today. He was a professional rider from 1986 to 2001 and one of his most memorable results was when he finished third in Paris-Roubaix in 1998 behind two team-mates, Franco Ballerini and Andrea Tafi.
Francis Van Londersele, a directeur sportif for the Cofidis team was contacted by LeTour.fr earlier today to get his thoughts on the sixth stage. He said he thought it could be a day that will favor Sylvain Chavanel who has hopes of taking the polka-dot jersey. “For the moment we’ve had a good Tour. Everyday we’ve had a rider in a breakaway and on to top off the effort of the riders we’ve also celebrated the victory in stage four for Samuel Dumoulin.
“There is a lot of consistency in the team. We have a good group of friends who are all interested in achieving a similar objective which is a great situation for a directeur sportif to find himself in.
“In the coming two stages there are good chances for Cofidis riders like Moncoutie, Chavanel and Moinard. These attacking riders will surely want to animate the racing. Today there will be a good battle for the polka-dot jersey. Voeckler wants to keep it but according to the scenario of the race, it can also be a goal for Sylvain today.
“At the finish it will be difficult for one of our riders to surprise the best but it may be possible in an escape group forms. In any case, all the main team leaders – Valverde and Ricco, for example – are capable of winning. I do not really believe a guy like Andy Schleck has the necessary acceleration but on the other hand I could imaging seeing Cunego have a go.”
As the bunch passes the line for the 2nd intermediate sprint, it was 4’20" behind the three escapees.
The escapees covered 44.5km in the first hour of racing in stage six.
The points for the sprint in Cressat at the 44.5km mark were won by:
1. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 6pts
2. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 4pts
3. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 2pts
The leading trio are about to claim the points for the sprint in Cressat. The latest check has them 4’00" ahead of the peloton that is now being led by the Gerolsteiner team.
The peloton is now 3’50" behind the escapees. Chavanel is the best placed of the three who joined forces at the 14km mark. He began the day ranked 29th, 2’10" behind Schumacher. This means that he’s now the virtual leader of the Tour de France.
The climb at the end of stage six is expected to prompt a reshuffle of the top order of the general classification. Stefan Schumacher said yesterday that he wouldn’t surrender the yellow jersey without a fight today. On LeTour.fr today we are asking for your opinion on the matter. Be sure to fill in the brief poll which asks: "Stefan Schumacher will still be in the yellow jersey after the stage to Super Besse... Yes or No?"
Chavanel, Bichot and Vaugrenard have pushed their advantage on the peloton up to 3’40".
The director of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme has the honourable Prince Albert of Monaco as a guest in the lead car today.
Once again we’ll see Thomas Voeckler in the polka-dot top. He must fight to retain his lead in the climbing classification today after two stages without any climbs. His advantage was eight points from Sylvain Chavanel who is currently on the attack and hoping to make up the difference in the stage that boasts four climbs, two category-two and two category-four.
With the toilet stop accounted for, the yellow jersey is rolling again. He’s nestled in amongst the peloton which is now at the 28km mark and 2’10" behind the three escapees.
The yellow jersey has decided it’s time to stop and answer the call of nature. Hark, can you hear it? It seems that plenty of others in the peloton can. They too are taking this chance to do likewise.
This is the time for the leaders to push on and increase their lead which, at the last check, was 1’00" at the 26km mark.
The peloton is now 1’00" behind Chavanel, Bichot and Vaugrenard at the 26km mark. Pate has been reeled in by the bunch.
“Of course, our goal is always to win the stage,” explained Thor Hushovd after the fifth stage. “That didn’t work out but the plan was also to take the green jersey.” He did just that. The winner of the points classification in 2005 and the winner of stage two has overtaken Kim Kirchen’s tally and now leads the sprinters’ category with 88 points. Next in line is Oscar Freire (RAB) with 85 points followed by the former green jersey wearer Kim Kirchen (THR) with 81 points.
Currently there is one rider between the three French escapees and the peloton. Danny Pate of the Garmin team is 50" behind Chavanel’s trio.
Of three riders in the lead of stage six, the best placed in the general classification is Sylvain Chavanel. He began the stage ranked 29th, 2’10" behind Schumacher.
At the site of the first intermediate sprint, the peloton was 1’05" behind Vaugrenard, Bichot and Chavanel.
“We will see how things go on the climb to Super Besse,” said the winner of the stage four time trial and race leader, Stefan Schumacher after the stage to Chateauroux yesterday. “I’ll have a few days in the lead and I also have a stage win. Everything now is a bonus but I will certainly not give up tomorrow. I’ll fight to keep the jersey. I know it will be very difficult with the mountain stage coming up but we’ll hit it hard and do everything possible.”
The Gerolsteiner team captain leads the general classification by 12 seconds. Ranked second after five days of the 95th Tour is Team Columbia’s Kim Kirchen while David Millar (TSL) is the same distance behind the German yellow jersey wearer but classified third because of his position in the early stages.
Cadel Evans (SIL) and Fabian Cancellara (CSC) round out the top five of the race for overall honor, 21 and 33 seconds behind Schumacher.
1. Sylvain Chavanel (COF) 6pts
2. Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ) 4pts
3. Freddy Bichot (AGR) 2pts
The leading trio are at the 23km mark. They are about to contest the intermediate sprint in Chatelus-Malvaleix.
The peloton has caught by Augustyn and Goubert. There are now just three riders ahead of the bunch which has just eased off the gas a little. The latest time check has Chavanel, Bichot and Vaugrenard 1’00" ahead.
There is another rider attempting to catch the leading trio. John-Lee Augustyn of the Barloworld team is trying his luck but doesn’t appear to be able to get clear of the bunch.
Stephane Goubert (ALM) is trying to bridge the gap to the three leaders. He is 35" behind the leading trio and five seconds ahead of the peloton.
The peloton is being led by riders from the Credit Agricole team. It is 42" behind the three escapees - Vaugrenard, Bichot and Chavanel - at the 18km mark.
The pace is fast early today and the winner of stage one, Alejandro Valverde (GCE) is riding at the back of the peloton. He’s covered in bandages after being caught up in a crash at the 85km mark of stage five.
Vaugrenard and Bichot have caught Chavanel. The three esapees are 45" ahead of the peloton at the 14km mark.
At the 10km mark, Sylvain Chavanel has a lead of 15" on two counter-attackers - Freddy Bichot (AGR) and Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ). The peloton is 55" behind the rider who escaped at the six kilometer mark.
There have been a number of early escape attempts but none have been able to gain a large advantage. One of the riders to try his luck is Sylvain Chavanel, the perpetually aggressive Cofidis recruit. His attempt began at the six kilometer mark but we don’t have confirmation of it succeeding.
So far four men have quit the 95th Tour de France. The team that’s been most affected is Saunier Duval-Scott which has lost both Angel Gomez and Aurelien Passeron, who were victims of crashes in the first days of the 2008 race.
The peloton is strung out early in the sixth stage thanks to the rapid pace being set early today. The sun is shining in Aigurande and only a few high clouds litter the skies. There is no threat of rain today and temperatures are already above the maximum forecast of 26 degrees. In the car of Radio Tour which hovers right behind the peloton, the thermometer shows that it’s 26.5 degrees Celsius.
The official start of the sixth stage was at 12.25pm. There are 176 riders still in the race. The overnight retiree is Aurilien Passeron of the Saunier Duval team who crashed in the fifth stage.
The peloton is currently making its way to the start of the sixth stage.
The journey from Aigurande to Super Besse includes four categorized climbs: two category-four ascents (the Cote de L’Armelle at 70km and the Cote de Crocq at 89km) and the first category-two rises in the 95th edition (the Col de la Croix-Morand at 158km and the climb to the finish).
Although it is regarded as a mountain stage there are still three intermediate sprints in Chatelus-Malvaleix (23.5km), Cressat (44.5km) and La Bourboule (144km).
The sun is shining on the Tour de France as the itinerary takes the peloton in a southerly direction to the Massif Central. The 195.5km sixth stage from Aigurande to Super Besse in the Puy-de-Dome department is scheduled to begin at 12.20pm. Conditions are ideal, with a maximum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius expected and only a light breeze blowing from the west.
There is a 3.3km neutral zone before the official start of the stage that boasts the first two category-two ascents of the 95th Tour de France.
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