2012 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 10#Stage 6

(44,4 km / h)

The sixth stage of the Tour de France 2012 took place on July 6, 2012. She was 207.5 km long, leading from Epernay to Metz. There were still 194 of 198 riders at the start.

Route

The route led predominantly to the east by the department of Marne, Meuse, Meurthe -et -Moselle and Moselle. Although the profile was generally slightly undulating, steep climbs, however, largely missing. The intermediate sprint was held in Saint- Mihiel, shortly followed by the only climb of the day ( 4th category ).

Race course

Still 194 of the original 198 riders started on this flat stage. After five kilometers of the American David Zabriskie ripped off, to which a little later the Italians Davide Malacarne, the Belgian Romain Zingle and the Dutchman Karsten Kroon joined. The quartet built up his lead to 28 kilometers from 4:05 minutes. After 35 kilometers, fell several drivers, so that reduced the pace of the field. The outliers were able to extend their lead to almost seven minutes before this again gradually decreased.

The intermediate sprint at Saint -Mihiel Kroon decided for themselves; 2:50 minutes later, Matthew Goss, the first in the field, which passed this point. The only climb of the day won Zabriskie. As a result, the field intensified the pace considerably, with particular Goss ' Team Orica Green Edge made the chase. 26 km from the finish, a massive crash in the over one hundred riders were involved occurred. These included, among others, Fränk Schleck, Ryder Hesjedal, Jean -Christophe Peraud, Pierre Rolland, Robert Gesink, Alejandro Valverde, Thomas Voeckler and Mark Cavendish.

Because of the fall of the field, divided into several large groups. While the foremost group continued to make hunting the outliers, tried a second group to keep the gap as small as possible. 2.5 km from the finish Mala Carne, Zingle and Kroon has been obtained, one kilometer later Zabriskie. In the sprint for the victory, Peter Sagan won against André Greipel. The second part of the field met with a gap of 2:09 minutes in goal, two other groups lost six or ten minutes. Ryder Hesjedal, overall winner of the Giro d' Italia in 2012, lost in the last group over 13 minutes on the winner.

Mountains classification

Côte de Buxières, Category 4 ( 145 kilometers; 393 m; 2.7 km at 3.8 %)

Points ratings

Intermediate sprint at Saint -Mihiel ( km 135.5, 223 m)

Goal in Metz ( 207.5 km, 168 m)

Tasks

032 - Spain Mikel Astarloza ( Euskaltel -Euskadi ): task during the stage after a fall.
049 - Italy Davide Viganò ( Lampre- ISD): task during the stage after a fall.
062 - United States Tom Danielson (Garmin- Sharp): task during the stage after a fall.
126 - Wout Poels Netherlands ( Vacansoleil -DCM ): task during the stage after a fall.

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