Norwegian Thor Hushovd took advantage of a short climb just before the finish line to power his way to victory in Barcelona. Hushovd now sits just one point behind double-stage winner Mark Cavendish in the green jersey classification for best sprinter.
Garmin-Slipstream’s David Millar entered Barcelona in the lead on a solo breakaway, at one point laying claim to the virtual race leader on the course. With less than five kilometers to go, Millar led the peloton by over 30 seconds. But the time trial specialist did not have the legs to maintain his lead as the final few kilometers began to go uphill, and he was caught by the group. Millar was later awarded the stage’s Most Aggressive Rider jersey.
Though there were several crashes on the wet, sometimes-rainy course, the top of the general classification remained unchanged. Tomorrow’s stage heads into the Pyrenees and features the 2009 Tour’s first mountaintop finish.
Competitors ride on the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina in Barcelona during Stage 6.
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
Stage 6 Results
- Thor Hushovd – Cervelo TestTeam – 4:21:33
- Oscar Freire – Rabobank +00:00
- Jose Joaquin Rojas – Caisse d’Epargne +00:00
- Gerald Ciolek – Team Milram +00:00
- Franco Pellizotti - Liquigas +00:00
- Filippo Pozzato – Team Katusha +00:00
- Alessandro Ballan – Lampre-NGC +00:00
- Rinaldo Nocentini – Ag2r-La Mondiale +00:00
- Cadel Evans – Silence-Lotto +00:00
- Fabian Cancellara – Team Saxo Bank +00:00
Other U.S. Riders
18. George Hincapie – Team Columbia-HTC +00:00
20. Levi Leipheimer – Astana +00:00
27. Lance Armstrong – Astana +00:00
36. Christian Vande Velde – Garmin-Slipstream +00:00
104. David Zabriskie – Garmin-Slipstream +01:37
170. Danny Pate – Garmin-Slipstream +08:14
172. Tyler Farrar – Garmin-Slipstream +10:14
Overall Classification
- Fabian Cancellara – Team Saxo Bank – 19:29:22
- Lance Armstrong – Astana +00:00
- Alberto Contador – Astana +00:19
- Andréas Klöden – Astana +00:23
- Levi Leipheimer – Astana +00:31
Click Here for More Overall Standings and Jersey Leaders
181.5K (112.8 miles)
• Girona is a first-time Tour town
• Barcelona, the capital of the Catalonia region of Spain, is a two-time host
• Sprint Points at: Lloret de Mar, Sant Pol de Mar, Cardedeu
• Mountain Passes: Cote de Sant Feliu de Guixols located at 32 kilometers - 2km climb to 5.4 percent grade - Category 4; Cote de Tossa de Mar at 55km - 3.8km climb to 4.2 percent - Cat. 4; Cote de Sant Vicenc de Montalt at 98km - 3.3km climb to 5.2 percent - Cat. 3; Collsacreu at 110km - 4.1km climb to 5.2 percent - Cat. 3; Cote de la Conreria at 159km - 4.7km climb to 4.5 percent - Cat. 4
Image courtesy of www.letour.com
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