Critérium du Dauphiné 2017: Photo finish victory Fuglsang, Porte new leader

The 6th stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné takes in tough climbing. On the steep Mont du Chat - 8.7 kilometres at 10.3% - Aru takes the lead before Froome, Porte and Fuglsang re-join him in the drop. The Dane rider outsprints the Tasmanian by the width of a tire, who can take comfort in the overal lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage 2017 Critérium du Dauphiné

1. Jakob Fuglsang (den)
2. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
3. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
4. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
5. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 0.50
6. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
7. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
8. Oliver Naesen (bel) + 1.06
9. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
10. Emmanuel Buchmann (ger) + 1.14

16. Simon Yates (gbr) + 2.17
17. Esteban Chaves (col) + 2.19
33. Warren Barguil (fra) + 5.59
47. Thomas De Gendt (bel) + 8.36

GC after 6th stage
1. Richie Porte (aus)
2. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.39
3. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.15
4. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 1.20
5. Fabio Aru (ita) + 1.24
6. Alberto Contador (spa) + 1.47
7. Daniel Martin (irl) + 2.14
8. Emmanuel Buchmann (ger) + 2.30
9. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.49
10. Rafael Valls (spa) + 3.16

11. Pierre Latour (fra) + 3.20
12. Simon Yates (gbr) + 3.26
13. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 3.31
14. Andrew Talansky (usa) + 3.35
17. Esteban Chaves (col) + 4.39

Race report
A lot of movement in the early kms, but it takes 9 kms for the break to form. Oliver Naesen, Serge Pauwels, Anthony Turgis, Nils Politt, Alberto Bettiol and Thierry Hupond race to a maximum gap of more than 8 minutes.

Pauwels is first to crest Côte de Corlier and Côte de Jongieux.

On the Mont du Chat the gain of the front group drops to less than 2 minutes, while Politt, Hupond, Turgis and Pauwels can’t follow the pace. The same goes for leader De Gendt in the main group.

Valverde attacks with 22 kms to go and Aru, Chaves and Valls cross over, but they are reeled in. Meintjes is the next attacker and Aru counters with a lot of conviction. He re-joins his team-mate Fuglsang, who attacked earlier. Together they race to the front of the race.

Meanwhile, the main group is shattered. Porte and Froome are the first chasers. When they come too close Aru heads out on his own and the Sardinian is first to crest, 14 seconds ahead of Froome, Porte and Fuglsang. A group with Daniel Martin follows at 25 seconds, while Contador, Valverde and Bardet are more than 1 minute in arrears.

Froome leads the drop and they chase Aru down. The Briton pushes on alone and Fuglsang jumps to his wheel. In the valley they come together and the race comes down to a sprint of four with Fuglsang
winning by the width of a tire because Froome closes the door to Porte along the barriers.