Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Stage 6- Bakelants beats Westra in 2-up sprint

Jan Bakelants beats Lieuwe Westra into Poisy today after the 2 had proved the strongest of the day's breakaway. Race leader Chris Froome went down in a crash and had cuts on his arm and shoulder but it appears to be nothing serious. (Slideshow route/profile)

Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Results 6th stage

1. Jan Bakelants (bel)
2. Lieuwe Westra (Nld) s.t.
3. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) + 0.24
4. Pim Ligthart (Nld) s.t.
5. Jens Keukeleire (bel) s.t.
6. Jens Voigt (Ger) s.t
7. Maciej Bodnar (pol) s.t.
8. Bram Tankink (Nld) s.t.
9. Valerio Conti (ita) s.t.
10. Julien Simon (fra) s.t.

GC after 6th stage
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.12
3. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) s.t.
4. Andrew Talansky (USA) + 0.33
5. Jurgen vanden Broek (bel) + 0.35
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 0.50
7. Haimar Zubeldia (spa) + 1.22
8. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
9. Adam Yates (gbr) +1.24
10. Tanel Kangert (est) + 1.35

Race report
The pace was high when leaving Grenoble and it’s only after 29 kilometres that Lieuwe Westra and Jan Bakelants initiate a succesful breakaway. It was 16 men in total in the break. Taking part in the fun were Simon (Cofidis), Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge), Erviti (Movistar), Westra (Astana), Paulinho (Tinkoff-Saxo), Péraud (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Ligthart (Lotto Belisol), Saramtins (IAM Cycling), Bodnar (Cannondale), Voigt (Trek Factory Racing), Bakelants, Stybar (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Damuseau (Giant-Shimano), Conti (Lampre-Merida), Tankink (Belkin) and Benedetti (NetApp-Endura).

At the closing climb Ligthart had to drop back while trying to stay with Westra and Bakelants up front. On the finishing straight, Westra messed up his sprint despite looking the stronger rider and Bakelants came up the barriers to take the win.

No change on GC despite Froome’s crash.