Bozic blazes home in Xativa
Monday 7 September 2009 10:32, UK
Slovenian rider Borut Bozic won the sixth stage of the Tour of Spain in Xativa, as Andre Greipel retained the overall lead.
Slovenian takes seventh stage in eastern Spain, but German still leads
Slovenian rider Borut Bozic won the sixth stage of the Tour of Spain, while Andre Greipel retained his overall lead. Vacansoleil rider Bozic came home in front at the end of the 176.8km stage, which started and finished in the eastern Spanish town of Xativa. American Tyler Farrar of Garmin was second, with Italy's Daniele Bennati taking third for Liquigas. Overall leader Greipel, who won the previous two stages, remained in the gold jersey with 10th place on the day. Bozic stopped the clock on four hours, 40 minutes and 50 seconds to go one better than his second place on Monday after launching his attack early in the final sprint.Breakaway
Earlier in the day, a four-man group went clear early on and led the way for a large part of the stage - enjoying advantages of almost seven minutes in sweltering conditions. Team Columbia, determined to keep their rider Greipel in the gold jersey, set the pace at the head of the peloton to ensure the leading quartet did not get too far ahead - and gradually the gap between the two groups started to disappear. The difference was down to less than two minutes by the 146km mark - and not long after that two of the leading pair, Matheus Pronk and Aitor Arrieta, were caught by the main group having lost touch with the pacesetters. That left just Jose Antonio Lopez Gil and Bingen Bustinza from the original breakaway, and their time at the front of the race came to an end soon afterwards as the Columbia and Quick Step teams overhauled them. With more than 20km left, there was still time for a couple more attempted breakaways. But in the end it again came down to the sprinters, where Bozic proved unstoppable. Saturday's seventh stage will be a 30km time trial around the city of Valencia, with the start and finish being on the harbourside Formula One track. Stage six results:1 Borut Bozic (Slovenia/Vacansoleil) 4 hrs 40 mins 50 secs
2 Tyler Farrar (US/Garmin) "
3 Daniele Bennati (Italy/Liquigas) "
4 Davide Vigano (Italy/Fuji) "
5 Tom Boonen (Belgium/Quick-Step) "
6 Leonardo Duque (Colombia/Cofidis) "
7 Sebastien Chavanel (France/Francaise des Jeux) "
8 Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence - Lotto) "
9 Marcel Sieberg (Germany/Columbia) "
10 Andre Greipel (Germany/Columbia) all same time Overall standings:
1 Andre Greipel (Germany/Columbia) 24 hrs 21 mins 13 secs
2 Tom Boonen (Belgium/Quick-Step) +6 secs
3 Daniele Bennati (Italy/Liquigas) +9"
4 Tyler Farrar (US/Garmin) same time
5 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland/Saxo Bank) +18"