Tour of Britain 2018 Stage 6: Stage win Poels, Alaphilippe new leader

At 168.3 kilometres, the Tour of Britain's 6th stage is an energy-sapping hilly race. Wout Poels climbs to victory on the Whinlatter Pass, the 3 kilometres final climb at 7%. Julian Alaphilippe finishes in second to move into the GC lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage 2018 Tour of Britain

1. Wout Poels (nld)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.02
3. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 0.12
4. Jhonathan Hivert (fra) + 0.21
5. Patrick Bevin (nzl) s.t.
6. Thomas Pidcock (gbr) s.t.
7. Xandro Meurisse (bel) s.t.
8. Dion Smith (nzl) s.t.
9. Maximilian Stedman (gbr) s.t.
10. Jasha Sütterlin (ger) s.t.

GC after the 6th stage
1. Julian Alaphilippe (fra)
2. Wout Poels (nld) + 0.17
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.33
4. Patrick Bevin (nzl) + 0.46
5. Bob Jungels (lux) + 0.51
6. Jasha Sütterlin (ger) + 0.58
7. Neilson Powless (usa) + 1.10
8. Dmitry Strakhov (rus) + 1.24
9. Chris Hamilton (aus) + 1.28
10. Pascal Eenkhoorn (nld) + 1.35

Race report
Following a fast and windy start with an occasional echelon, the group is still bunched at km 16. A little later Alaphilippe and Jungels take 3 and 2 bonus seconds respectively at the first intermediate sprint, thus reducing the gap to Roglic.

Tony Martin, James Shaw, Connor Swift and Vasil Kiryienka jump clear at km 21. They put 3 minutes into the peloton, while the front group is gobbled up on the lower slopes of the final climb.

Jungels sets the pace with Alaphilippe on his wheel. Poels is right behind, but he can’t follow the pace. The Quick-Step riders open up a gap before Sütterlin and Roglic track them down. Alaphilippe strikes and Roglic goes with him. Carthy also hooks on before the Frenchman launches another attack. Roglic cracks, while Poels makes it back to Carthy and Alaphilippe.

With a few hundred metres out the Dutchman distances the other two and he powers to the win. Alaphilippe finishes in second to take the leader’s jersey, 17 seconds ahead of Poels.