Tour de France 2019: Teuns wins at La Planche des Belles Filles, Ciccone new GC leader

While attacker Dylan Teuns outsprints Giulio Ciccione for the stage honours, the GC battle ignites on La Planche des Belle Filles. Title defender Geraint Thomas is the first GC rider at the top and Ciccone is the new leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage Tour de France 2019

1. Dylan Teuns (bel)
2. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 0.11
3. Xandro Meurisse (bel) + 1.05
4. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.44
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 1.46
6. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
7. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.51
8. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.
9. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.53
10. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.

11. Richie Porte (aus) + 1.53
12. Egan Bernal (col) + s.t.
13. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.58
14. Daniel Martin (irl) + s.t.
15. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 2.02
16. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
18. Enric Mas (spa) + 2.17
19. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 2.19
20. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) s.t.
22. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 2.35
27. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.53
39. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 8.00
84. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 18.34
98. Tiesj Benoot (bel) + 20.02

GC after stage 6
1. Giulio Ciccone (ita)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.06
3. Dylan Teuns (bel) + 0.32
4. George Bennett (nzl) + 0.47
5. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.49
6. Egan Bernal (col) + 0.53
7. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.58
8. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 1.04
9. Michael Woods (can) + 1.13
10. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.15

11. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.19
12. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 1.22
13. Enric Mas (spa) + 1.23
14. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.24
16. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.41
17. Mikel Landa (spa) + 1.43
18. Daniel Martin (irl) + 1.46
20. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.56
21. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
22. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 2.22
26. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.57
33. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 7.13
53. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 17.45
63. Tiesj Benoot (bel) + 19.41

Stage report
A group with KOM leader Wellens, De Gendt, Teuns, Berhane, Greipel, Meurisse, Pauwels, Ciccone, Cosnefroy, Bernard, Arndt, Grellier, Politt and Pasqualon breaks clear in the first kilometres. They crest the first climb, Le Markstein, with a lead of 7 minutes. Wellens cements his KOM lead ahead of Ciccone en Meurisse, while De Gendt ousprints the Italian at the summit of Grand Ballon.

At the Col du Hundsruck Berhane pips Wellens for the KOM points before the gap widens to 8 minutes on the Ballon d’Alsace. With 10 points available, Wellens does a clean sweep at the top.

De Gendt goes solo on the Col des Croix. He reaches the crest 10 seconds ahead of the chasers to widen the gap to 30 seconds on the Col des Chevrères. The attacker is brought back by Ciccone, Teuns, Wellens and Meurisse, who crest the summit in that order with the peloton 4 minutes behind.

Movistar sets the pace ahead of the final climb and continues to do so on the lower slopes. Ciccone and Teuns drop Wellens and Meurisse with 4.4 kilometres remaining, while Barguil strikes in the GC group. Landa goes after him to leave him behind. The Basque can’t hold the pace, though.

Teuns opens the steep uphill sprint and pushes on long enough for Ciccone to crack. The Flemish puncher takes the win ahead of Ciccone, who can take comfort in the fact that he moves into the yellow jersey.

Title defender Thomas is the best GC rider of the day, finishing 2 seconds ahead of Pinot with Quintana and Buchmann another 5 seconds further back.

Another interesting read: route 6th stage 2019 Tour de France.