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Stage stats: Stage 6

Stage 6, Semur-en-Auxois to Bourg-en-Bresse, 199.5km

Published: Jul. 13, 2007

Weather: Sunny, warmer, highs in mid 80s, moderate head-crosswinds.

Stage winner: Tom Boonen (QuickStep-Innergetic) ended a two-year Tour dry spell dating back to stage three of the 2005 Tour to win his fifth career stage in a wild sprint. With a brisk headwind and a slow average speed (37.291kph), everyone thought they had a chance. Boonen had to restart his sprint with about 150m to go and held off Oscar Freire (Rabobank), second for the second day in a row.

Race leader: Fabian Cancellara (CSC) enjoyed his sixth day and what will likely be his final day in the race leader’s jersey. The Swiss time trial specialist enjoyed an easy day in the saddle after Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) went on a no-hope solo breakaway that was gobbled up with about 8km to go to set up the sprint.

Green jersey: Boonen recaptured the lead from Erik Zabel (Milram) to roll into the Alps nursing a slender but significant 11-point lead. Zabel started the day with a four-point lead, but Boonen claimed second in the first intermediate sprint to take back four points and then finished second again in the day’s second sprint ahead of the chasing Zabel to move into the lead by two points. He then took an additional 30 points at the line ahead of Zabel’s 26 points in third place. Boonen now leads 141 to Zabel’s 130 with Freire in third at 114.

King of the Mountains: Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) retained the climber’s jersey as the escaping Wiggins took leading points at the day’s two Cat. 4 climbs. Spanish climber Juan Manuel Garate (Lampre) showed his intentions by taking one point at the first climb and two points at the second to move into 16th in the KoM hunt.

Best Young Rider: Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel) retained his six-second lead to Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) to keep the white jersey for a sixth day. Gusev crashed at 8km into the stage but was able to finish with the main bunch without incident. Best team: Team CSC retained its three-second lead ahead of Discovery Channel.

Most aggressive rider: Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) won the day’s prize for going on a no-hope 190km solo breakaway, with the eight-man panel lauding him because “with the wind in his face, Wiggins pursued the road and only ceded to the peloton with 7km to go after 190km off the front.”

Lanterne Rouge: Enrico Degano (Barloworld) crashed in the day’s feed zone and fell into last place at 25:19 back.

Top American: An improving Fred Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto) sprinted to 18th after setting up team captain Robbie McEwen George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) remained best-placed in GC, sixth overall at 43 seconds back.

The peloton: Geoffroy Lequatre (Cofidis), who crashed hard in Thursday’s stage, didn’t start. The peloton is now 183 riders.

Medical report:Gusev (Discovery Channel), knee pain, crash without consequence at 8km Florencio (Bouygues), left knee pain; Barredo (QuickStep), left shoulder painDegano (Barloworld), contusion to left chest area, several cuts to right elbow after crash in feed zoneSalmon (Agritubel), insect biteRighi (Lampre), digestive troubles.

Jury decisions:Wiggins (Cofidis), Rosseler (QuickStep), Tankink (Rabobank) – all fined 100 CHF for missing sign-inZabel (Milram) – fined 100 CHF “comportement incorrect”Gusev (Discovery) – fined 50 CHF for irregular feed outside of feed zonesDiscovery Channel sport director Johan Bruyneel fined 200 CHF for illegal feed to Gusev.

Announcements:Reminder to sport directors to ask permission to the race direction before allowing TV cameras inside team cars during the race (ed – following the Noval crash Thursday when he smashed into Bougyues team car distracted by TV cameras on the descent off final climb)Reminder that bikes will be weighed for minimum weight ahead of Saturday’s climbing stage at the sign-in podium while reserving the right to weigh them at finish. The UCI has established a minimum weight of 6.8kg.

Forecast: Warm weather continues with forecasts for sunny skies and highs in the upper 80s and a little cooler at the arrival in Le Grand-Bornand with 10kph southerly winds and swirling winds on the summits.