Critérium du Dauphiné 2016 Stage 6: Pinot wins Queen Stage, Froome cements overall lead

The Queen Stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné features five climbs. The infamous Col de la Madeleine is one of them and it's there Contador puts pressure on leader Froome, but to no avail. Romain Bardet's attack just under the top bears more fruit, yet early escapee Pinot outsprints his compatriot at the end of the closig climb. Froome limits his losses and not only holds on to the leader's jersey, he puts time into both Porte and Contador. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Thibaut Pinot (fra)
2. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
3. Daniel Martin (irl) + 1.04
4. Chris Froome (gbr) + 1.07
5. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 1.15
6. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
7. Diego Rosa (ita) + 1.17
8. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.
9. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 1.21
10. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.

GC after 6th stage
1. Chris Froome (gbr)
2. Richie Porte (aus) + 0.21
3. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
4. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.30
5. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.35
6. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.56
7. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.02
8. Diego Rosa (ita) + 1.18
9. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 1.35
10. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 2.12

Race report
From the gun attacks are all over the place, but it’s only when Robert Kiserlovski leaves the party really start going. He is accompanied by 26 riders and, interestingly enough, one of them goes by the name of Thibaut Pinot.

Teklehaimanot is the first to crest both Champ-Laurent and Grand Cucheron, thus cementing his KOM lead, but in the descent op the Madeleine he is dropped.

At the lower slopes of the Madeleine Contador, Aru and ‘Purito’ Rodríguez go on the attack with Jesper Hansen, Dayer Quintana and Bjorn Thurau. In a steady pace Sky not only diminishes the peolton, they also brings back Contador et al.

Aru doesn’t surrender and 1 km under the top he goes on the attack again. Contador gives it another go also, but to no avail, yet Romain Bardet does manage to force a gap.

At the top of the Madeleine the front group is down to 17 riders. After a short stint in the descent by Vervaeke, Chérel and Pauwels, Aru and Bardet join the front of the race at Montee des Frasses. Bardets men set the pace and Aru gets dropped. He is not the only one. Just 10 riders left when they hit the top: Bakelants, Van den Broeck, Vervaecke, Hermans, De Plus, Kiserlovski, Kreuziger, Pinot, Bardet and Chérel. The group Froome/Porte/Contador is 3 minutes down.

At the closing climb Bardet shatters the front group with 10 kms to go. After a 1.3 kms chase Pinot re-joins him, while on the lower slopes Sky is chasing. After teamwork by Poels, Landa and Henao it’s up the Froome himself in the last kms. The overall leader is the only rider to counter a Dan Martin attack, not only securing his yellow jersey, but putting time into Porte and Contador as well.

At the steep finish line Pinot outsprints Bardet, who can take comfort in the fact he now sits in third in the overall, behind Porte and Froome.