February 14, 2008 – Jose Perez Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli won the 183km Stage 6 from Bandar Penawar to Kuala Rompin today. Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r-La Mondiale finished second and Johnnie Walker (Aus) South Australia.com-AIS rolled into third spot. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom continues to lead the GC by one second.

Results

1. Jose Perez Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 4.26.43
2. Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r – La Mondiale
3. Johnnie Walker (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
4. Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
5. Enrico Rossi (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
6. Marco Corsini (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
7. Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
8. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Crédit Agricole
9. Chris. Meschenmoser (Ger) Team Ista
10. Dennis van Niekerk (RSA) South African National Team
11. David George (RSA) South African National Team
12. Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
13. Hyeon Gu Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling
14. Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
15. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
16. Sea Loh Keong (Mas) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team at 0.07
17. Nolan Hoffman (RSA) South African National Team 4.28
18. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
19. Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
20. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
21. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
22. Ho Seon Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
23. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole
24. Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Karpin Galicia
25. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
26. Hariff Mohd Salleh (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
27. Baek Sung Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
28. Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia National Team
29. Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
30. Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
31. C̩dric Pineau (Fra) AG2r РLa Mondiale
32. Jasmin Mohd Ruslan (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
33. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2r – La Mondiale
34. Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
35. Matt Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1
36. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
37. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
38. Anuar Manan (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
39. Haidar Ahmad Anuawar (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
40. M. Daud Firdaus (Mas) Malaysia National Team
41. Jacobus Venter (RSA) South African National Team
42. David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia
43. Juan Mouron (Spa) Karpin Galicia
44. Yip Wang Tang (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
45. Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Crédit Agricole
46. Jeremy Yates (NZl) New Zealand National Team
47. Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
48. Mohd Saleh (Mas) Malaysia National Team
49. Mohd Misbah Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team
50. Rolf Hofbauer (Ger) Team Ista
51. Nikolai Schwarz (Ger) Team Ista
52. Hing Chun Chan (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
53. Kuei Peng (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
54. Mohd Sayuti Zahit (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
55. Alejandro Paleo (Spa) Karpin Galicia
56. Ramon Troncoso (Spa) Karpin Galicia
57. Jorg Lehmann (Ger) Team Ista
58. Ian McCleod (RSA) South African National Team
59. Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
60. Nico Keinath (Ger) Team Ista
61. Mohd Razak Abd (Mas) Malaysia National Team
62. Rizza Abdullah Pahlavi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
63. Yauhen Sobal (Blr) Tinkoff Credit Systems
64. Ryan Arihan (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
65. Walter Pedraza (Col) Tinkoff Credit Systems
66. Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team
67. Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
68. Paul Odlin (NZl) New Zealand National Team
69. Tanel Kangert (Est) AG2r – La Mondiale
70. Moises Aldape (Mex) Team Type 1
71. Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team
72. Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
73. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1
74. Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
75. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
76. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
77. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole
78. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Karpin Galicia
79. Tonton Susanto (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
80. Budi Santoso (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
81. Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
82. Vladimir Lopez (Col) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
83. Wai Siu Ko (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
84. Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom
85. Amir Zargari (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
86. Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
87. San Kin Wu (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
88. Glen Chadwick (NZl) Team Type 1
89. Diego Nosotti (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
90. Kovij Fahridi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
91. Benjamin King (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
92. Farshad Salehian (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
93. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole
94. Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
95. Fuyu Li (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
96. Mizan Maleki (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
97. Yan Xing Dong (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
98. Denis Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
99. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Crédit Agricole
100. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
101. Li Yong Ng (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
102. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Letua Cycling Team
103. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
104. Ben Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1
105. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
106. Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare
107. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
108. Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
109. Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
110. Tanha Saeidi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
111. M. Fauzan Ahmed Lutti (Mas) Malaysia National Team
112. Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
113. Zamani M. Mustarudin (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
114. Joseph Chapman (NZl) New Zealand National Team
115. Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
116. Waylon Woolcock (RSA) South African National Team
117. Vyacheslav Dyadichkin (Kaz) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
118. Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
119. Ashley Whitehead (NZl) New Zealand National Team
120. Mustafa Amir Rusli (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
121. Suk Hyo Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling
122. Scott Lyttle (NZl) New Zealand National Team
123. Saiful Mohd Aziz (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
124. Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
125. HongKi Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling
126. Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 4.51
127. Ken Onodera (Jpn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
128. Gene Bates (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
129. Justin Kerr (NZl) New Zealand National Team
130. Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
131. Kuan Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
132. Stefan Trafelet (Swi) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
133. Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
134. William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
135. Jae Won Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling
136. Massimiliano Maisto (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 5.10
137. Alberto Loddo (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 6.34
138. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale 8.04
DNF Stefan Loffler (Ger) Giant Asia Racing Team
DNF Ian MacGregor (USA) Team Type 1
DNF Robert Williams (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program

GC after Stage 6

1. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 23.43.16
2. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program at 0.01
3. Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Karpin Galicia 0.03
4. Diego Nosotti (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 0.04
5. Matt Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 0.06
6. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Letua Cycling Team
7. Baek Sung Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling 0.07
8. Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
9. Jeremy Yates (NZl) New Zealand National Team
10. Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 0.08
11. Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.11
12. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS 0.12
13. Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 0.13
14. Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
15. Yauhen Sobal (Blr) Tinkoff Credit Systems
16. Ian McCleod (RSA) South African National Team
17. Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team
18. Glen Chadwick (NZl) Team Type 1
19. Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
20. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Crédit Agricole 18.37
21. Jose Perez Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 18.43
22. Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r – La Mondiale 18.44
23. Chris. Meschenmoser (Ger) Team Ista 18.45
24. Marco Corsini (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 18.49
25. Johnnie Walker (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
26. David George (RSA) South African National Team
27. Enrico Rossi (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 18.51
28. Dennis van Niekerk (RSA) South African National Team 18.53
29. Hyeon Gu Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling
30. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
31. Simon Clarke (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
32. Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
33. Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 19.07
34. Sea Loh Keong (Mas) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 19.33
35. Anuar Manan (Mas) Letua Cycling Team 21.50
36. Mohd Misbah Nur (Mas) Malaysia National Team 21.58
37. Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 22.11
38. M. Fauzan Ahmed Lutti (Mas) Malaysia National Team 22.13
39. Rony Martias (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 22.24
40. Jae Won Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling 22.25
41. Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom 22.57
42. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli 23.02
43. Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 23.09
44. Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare
45. Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 23.12
46. Hariff Mohd Salleh (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team 23.13
47. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
48. Hing Chun Chan (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
49. Haidar Ahmad Anuawar (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
50. Mohd Razak Abd (Mas) Malaysia National Team
51. Ho Seon Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling
52. Yip Wang Tang (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
53. Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
54. Kuei Peng (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
55. Mohd Sayuti Zahit (Mas) Letua Cycling Team
56. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1
57. Zamani M. Mustarudin (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
58. Denis Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
59. Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
60. Moises Aldape (Mex) Team Type 1 23.15
61. Farshad Salehian (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
62. Tanha Saeidi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
63. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 23.17
64. Walter Pedraza (Col) Tinkoff Credit Systems 23.18
65. Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
66. Nolan Hoffman (RSA) South African National Team 23.21
67. Mohd Saleh (Mas) Malaysia National Team
68. Juan Mouron (Spa) Karpin Galicia
69. M. Daud Firdaus (Mas) Malaysia National Team
70. Alejandro Paleo (Spa) Karpin Galicia
71. Wai Siu Ko (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
72. Mizan Maleki (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
73. Vladimir Lopez (Col) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
74. Ben Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1
75. San Kin Wu (Hkg) Hongkong National Team
76. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) AG2r – La Mondiale
77. Herwin Jaya (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
78. Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team
79. Jorg Lehmann (Ger) Team Ista
80. David Garcia (Spa) Karpin Galicia
81. Joseph Chapman (NZl) New Zealand National Team
82. Jacobus Venter (RSA) South African National Team
83. Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
84. Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Karpin Galicia
85. Jasmin Mohd Ruslan (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
86. Ramon Troncoso (Spa) Karpin Galicia
87. Budi Santoso (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
88. C̩dric Pineau (Fra) AG2r РLa Mondiale
89. Suk Hyo Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling
90. Rolf Hofbauer (Ger) Team Ista
91. Li Yong Ng (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR
92. HongKi Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling
93. Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano
94. Nikolai Schwarz (Ger) Team Ista
95. Tanel Kangert (Est) AG2r – La Mondiale
96. Scott Lyttle (NZl) New Zealand National Team
97. Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale
98. Carlos José Ochoa (Ven) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli
99. Fuyu Li (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
100. Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
101. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Crédit Agricole
102. Benjamin King (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
103. Paul Odlin (NZl) New Zealand National Team
104. Waylon Woolcock (RSA) South African National Team
105. Amir Zargari (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
106. Mustafa Amir Rusli (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
107. Saiful Mohd Aziz (Mas) MNCF Cycling Team
108. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS
109. Ashley Whitehead (NZl) New Zealand National Team
110. Vyacheslav Dyadichkin (Kaz) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
111. Kovij Fahridi (IRI) Islamic Azad Univercity Cycling Team
112. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program
113. Tonton Susanto (Ina) Letua Cycling Team
114. Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
115. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole 23.38
116. Suhardi Hassan (Mas) Malaysia National Team 23.40
117. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 23.41
118. Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 23.43
119. Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 23.44
120. Stefan Trafelet (Swi) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte
121. Rizza Abdullah Pahlavi (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Team
122. Kuan Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
123. Justin Kerr (NZl) New Zealand National Team
124. Ken Onodera (Jpn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
125. Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team
126. Massimiliano Maisto (Ita) NGC Medical – OTC Industria Porte 24.03
127. Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 24.07
128. Ryan Arihan (Ina) Letua Cycling Team 24.24
129. Gene Bates (Aus) Drapac Porsche Developement Program 24.53
130. Alberto Loddo (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 25.09
131. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole 26.25
132. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) AG2r – La Mondiale 26.57
133. Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 27.22
134. Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom 27.58
135. William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com – AIS 29.00
136. Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo – GDR 31.11
137. Yan Xing Dong (Chn) Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team 39.22
138. Nico Keinath (Ger) Team Ista 43.55

February 8, 2006 – Following the brutal stage 5 climb to the Genting Highlands Resort, the Tour of Langkawi continued with the next two stages being the longest of the Tour. After a 90 minute transfer from the heights of Genting back to the KL satellite city of Shah Alam, today’s stage featured 179 km of racing, following a 9 km neutral start, giving the riders nearly 190km on the bike.

The first attack came immediately as the front riders crossed the official race start banner, and the first 20 km were a series of one break away after another. With Credit Agricole, Navigators, Ag2r, and Japan represented in nearly every attempt, David George’s South Africa Team forced the pace, and kept all escapes in check, until an 8 man group went clear at about 20 km. Ireland’s David McCann of Giant Asia was one of the strong men, along with Ag2r’s Laurent Mangel. Bernard Van Ulden represented Navigators Insurance, and the leaders worked well to build a 1 ½ minute lead going into the day’s first KOM at 39km. The 3 km climb would be innocent enough on another day, but with the top five riders on GC still battling, the pace in the field was torrid. South Africa was hammered by an aggressive assault by CA, and three of their riders fell off the pace. At the top of the climb, the Gap was down to just over 1 minute, and McCann had gone on solo, leaving his breakaway companions behind. The field continued the high-speed chase, with many riders dropped and in small groups behind”¦and then came the 2nd KOM!

Nine Kilometers of steady, twisting ascent led to the day’s second and final KOM at 55 km. The pace seemed to increase all the way up the serpentine road, and by the summit, the field was in four distinct groups. Panaria’s Ruben Bongiorno was one of the last riders to drop from the yellow jersey group, but he battled hard, and with the aid of his teammates who dropped back to keep their sprinter in the fold, managed to work his way back to the main field. With all of the other sprinters already dropped, Panaria now had a vested interest in working for a field sprint, and this would be a major reprieve for the now plundered South African team.

Eight riders had escaped, including two GC threats”¦Relax’s Jose Elias Galinda, 7th at 4’40″, and Massimo Ianetti, 17th, but over 10 minutes back. Galinda was a genuine threat having been very active in every stage, and seemingly very capable of creating opportunities to pick off valuable seconds, and even minutes. The yellow jersey group contained 49 riders, with 40 more in the third group on the road. With the climbs behind them, and the potential for another sprinting stage victory, Panaria put the team to the front along with Cox and Lill from South Africa. The leaders were just over a minute ahead, with 100 km to go, but they were rolling well, and the controlled chase behind them was giving up seconds at every km mark. When the gap rolled out to almost 3 minutes, Galinda had theoretically moved into 2nd place on the road, and it was starting to look like Panaria might not have the suds to close the deal.

Meanwhile, the third group had not lost its incentive, and with about 50 km to go, they caught the Yellow Jersey group, bringing George a few more of his teammates. This also brought the points leader, Steffen Radochla, and his Wiesenhof Akud team, almost all of whom were in the chasing group, back into the race. George’s lads went straight to the front, but they were already pretty well stuffed, and although they put in a game effort, the gap was clearly not going to come back. With just over 20 km to go, and the gap at 2’40″, The Navigators put into the chase, immediately taking the pace up. A very strong Selle Italia team quickly joined them, and the field went straight to the gutter. With 10 km to go, the gap was under 2 minutes, and the speed was intense. Riders were again getting dropped, and it looked like the sprinters might have their day after all. With 5 km to go, the gap was 40 seconds, and Wiesenhof was positioned directly behind the chase. But neither Selle Italia nor Navigators had a sprinter in the mix, both teams had spent a lot of energy, and the gap was now comfortable enough, so the pace eased up just a bit. Wiesenhof was in perfect position to jump in and finish the deal, but they chose to wait, happy to play for a 9th place sprint. Finally the Green jerseys of the German team hit the front with just less than 2 km to go.

In the front group, McCann gave it a go with just over 1 km, but Japan’s Shinichi Fukushima bridged the gap with the cagey Mangel in tow. The Frenchman countered with just 500km to go, and held on to finish in front of LPR’s Gene Bates, and Le Boulanger of Bouyges Telecom. The field sped in 11 seconds later, keeping GC relatively intact.

Stage 6: Shah Alam to Tampin, 188 km

1 Laurent Mangel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 4:16:53
2 Gene Bates (Aus) LPR
3 Yohann Le Boulanger (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
4 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
5 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Japan all s.t.
6 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Esp) Relax-Gam at 0:04
7 David McCann (Irl) Giant-Asia 0:05
8 Massimo Iannetti (Ita) LPR 0:08
9 Ruben Bongiorno (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0:11
10 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Wiesenhof Akud
—-
16 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance both s.t.
GC

1 David George (RSA) South Africa 20:27:42
2 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni at 1:57
3 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Credit Agricole 2:19
4 Walter Pedraza (Col) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni s.t.
5 Cesar Grajales (Col) Navigators Insurance 2:20
6 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recyling.Co.Uk 4:20
7 Jose Miguel Elias Galindo (Esp) Relax-Gam 4:23
8 Jose Serpa (Col) Selle Italia Diquigiovanni 4:44
9 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 4:54
10 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 5:42
—
13 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance 8:46

February 2, 2005 – It was Panaria again today in the sixth stage of Asia’s premier cycling race, as the Italian squad again went one, two in a fast bunch gallop to the line. Another flat stage, with only some mild rollers to alter the topography, was tailor made for the sprinters, but as it has been all week, the Panaria lads left only crumbs for the rest of the speedsters to fight over.

The stage began with a long (8 km) neutral zone, and unlike the previous stages, it took almost 500 meters from the actual start before the first attack was launched. From that point however, it was non stop action for the first hour, and the unbridled aggression led to a blistering fast, plus 48 km average over the preliminary 60 minutes. With so much intensity, nothing could escape, and at the 50 km mark, the peloton decided that it was time to attend to the call of nature, and the action stopped. When the group resumed, a three man break eventually formed including Action’s Kraft, Great Britain’s White, and Habeaux from Landbouwkredit Colnago. The three gained a three-minute advantage while race leader Fukushima’s team controlled the pace, but as the race approached the 100km mark Panaria decided it was time to step things up a bit. The leaders were back in the fold by the 115km point, and the field sprint was setting up.

Navigators Insurance team was counting on a sprint and liked the technical finish, sensing a good opportunity for Walters and Grishkine to outmaneuver the Panaria train, but as the saying goes; the best laid plans off times go astray. Grishkine flatted with 3km to the finish, and had to settle for a same time finish, unable to contest the sprint, and Panaria’s Bongiorno grabbed his second win, and evened the score with his team-mate Brown, who finished second. Barloworld’s Salomone was third.

Stage 6:
1. Guillermo Bongiorno (Panaria)
2. Graeme Brown (Panaria)
3. Antonio Salomone (Barloworld)

GC (Unofficial):
1. Koji Fukushima (Bridgestone-Anchor)
2. Nathan O’Neill (Navigators Insurance) @ 1:20
3. Ryan Cox (Barloworld) @ 1:22