May 21, 2010 (Big Bear Lake, CA) – As David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions predicted this morning, this stage was going to be a day of heavy attrition. With almost no humidity, 14km of vertical gain, 217km, and six hours of racing, there were no kind words for this stage from any rider. Big Bear delivered a big bear hug on their lungs and legs.

The most brutal stage in the Tour of Cailfornia’s history, was won by young Super Slav, Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo), who won back-to-back stages winning Stage 5 yesterday, this time taking the queen stage atop the summit in Big Bear, CA – his 5th stage win this season.

Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) had another great day in the saddle placing 5th on the stage. Now 7th overall he’ll continue to support David Z while trying to advance.

With an epic alpine up hill finish, this stage was predicted to be won by a GC contender to distance himself, but a strong head-wind pushed their hopes back while a Neo-pro sprinter surged past the golden jersey, Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia, who gained a few seconds on his top rivals Dave Z and Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack.

History was made by the young Slav who snatched glory from Rogers by two bike lengths – and from Mark Cavendish (Gbr) HTC-Columbia – as he’s now won two stages at the Tour and came in second in another. Not bad for a twenty year old Neo-pro who is being groomed by the Italian Team Liquigas for bigger gigs like the Giro down the road.

Highlights of the day…

– Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank attacked hard in the 8-rider break, pushing himself into a tree of pain only to let up after the final climb and get absorbed by the chasing peloton in the mountains.

– What happened today may very well come to haunt 4th placed Leipheimer tomorrow in the Time Trial as he’s now 14 seconds behind Rogers and 10 seconds behind Z who is in second overall.

– Mick Rogers, having his best year to date, showed wear but was in good spirits after the stage: “The climbs today weren’t that steep, 4-5 per cent, but I’ll remember it tomorrow when the legs are a bit tired. Everyone had to expend a lot of energy today to stay in it.”
How tough was it? Rogers admitted: “When you don’t see a lot of attacks at the end, the guys are gassed out.

– Rogers stayed close enough to Sagan to pickup time bonuses and create a more comfortable gap between him and his rivals, Z and Leipheimer, precious seconds that could see him keep the bolden jersey and the ToC win on Sunday.

– For Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step his Tour came to an end. “I may not finish this race this year, but I really love coming to California with the crowds and the stages are getting harder each year. This year, despite all the crashes and my leg which is banged up, I will return, maybe even win a stage (laughing).”

– So far, this is the tightest ToC contest on record with only four seconds being the largest gap between the leader and the next rival.

– When asked why there weren’t more attacks when the wind was high, George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team cautioned: “Most of the time the winds hit us so early in the race that it would have been tough to stay out in front for so long.” In other words, no one wanted to deal with that sort of pain for that long.

– When asked if this showed how well the top GC contenders will do, Rogers said, “You can’t base a time trial off a mountain stage… I know my legs are going to remember today’s stage, tomorrow, but I’m ready for the duel.”

Results

1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 6:07:08
2. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
3. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
5. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
6. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
7. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
8. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
9. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
10. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
11. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
12. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
13. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
14. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
15. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team
16. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
17. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
18. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
19. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1
20. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
21. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
22. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:32
23. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:34
24. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia 1:23
25. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
26. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack 2:07
27. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions
28. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:14:30
29. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
30. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:18:47
31. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 0:22:54
32. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:28:01
33. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team
34. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell
35. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
36. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
37. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
38. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia
39. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
40. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions
41. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
42. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell
43. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
44. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack
45. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
46. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
47. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
48. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
49. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
50. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
51. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
52. Simon Zahner (Sui) BMC Racing Team 0:30:10
53. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
54. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 0:31:13
55. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
56. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
57. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
58. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
59. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia
60. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
61. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
62. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1
63. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
64. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
65. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
66. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
67. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
68. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
69. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell
70. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
71. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell
72. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1
73. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank
74. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
75. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team
76. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
77. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team Saxo Bank
78. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team
79. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia
80. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
81. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team
82. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Cervelo Test Team
83. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia
84. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team
85. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
86. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
HD Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Team HTC-Columbia
HD Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia
HD Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step
HD Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
HD Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
HD Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
HD Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
HD Cody O’reilly (USA) Bissell
HD Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia
HD Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
HD Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
DNF Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
DNF Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
DNF Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
DNF Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
DNF Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
DNF Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
DNF David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia
DNF Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
DNF Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
DNF Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
DNF Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
DNS Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies

GC after Stage 6

1. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 29:04:03
2. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions 0:04
3. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:09
4. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:14
5. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:29
6. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:32
7. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions 0:35
8. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
9. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
10. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
11. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
12. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
13. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
14. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team
15. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 1:52
16. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
17. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 2:05
18. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 3:14
19. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:15
20. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 4:44
21. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 6:10
22. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:12:31
23. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:17:52
24. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions 0:18:31
25. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia 0:28:36
26. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell 0:29:53
27. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:31:20
28. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:33:06
29. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:33:38
30. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo 0:35:27
31. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell 0:35:54
32. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 0:36:18
33. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions 0:36:57
34. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 0:37:14
35. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia 0:37:56
36. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack 0:39:47
37. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:41:02
38. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:41:46
39. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 0:43:13
40. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:44:42
41. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 0:45:46
42. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:46:13
43. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step 0:48:14
44. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:50:42
45. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia 0:52:19
46. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 0:56:58
47. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack 0:59:22
48. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:59:37
49. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 1:00:52
50. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team 1:01:04
51. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:03:30
52. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions 1:04:13
53. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 1:04:58
54. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 1:05:52
55. Simon Zahner (Sui) BMC Racing Team 1:08:17
56. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 1:09:37
57. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 1:11:00
58. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 1:12:52
59. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:13:30
60. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:16:58
61. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell 1:17:08
62. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:17:17
63. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 1:17:31
64. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1 1:18:16
65. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 1:20:34
66. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step 1:21:05
67. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell 1:22:51
68. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:24:11
69. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 1:26:01
70. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 1:26:03
71. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step 1:27:19
72. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions 1:27:21
73. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team 1:29:08
74. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 1:29:32
75. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team 1:30:25
76. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 1:30:42
77. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 1:31:16
78. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 1:31:46
79. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step 1:32:49
80. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
81. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia 1:33:08
82. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:33:09
83. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team Saxo Bank 1:33:25
84. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:34:09
85. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Cervelo Test Team 1:34:18
86. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 1:35:40