2017 Vuelta a Espana: Stage 6 Results

Tomasz Marczynski won Thursday’s sixth stage of La Vuelta a Espana, between Vila-Real and Sagunt, besting Pawel Poljanski in a finish line sprint of breakaway companions. Team Sky’s Chris Froome Froome matched Alberto Contador’s attacks on the last climb of the stage and came into the finish at Sagunt with the other GC contenders. Froome gained a little advantage in the G.C. after former second place holder Tejay Van Garderen crashed on the descent into Estivella.

Four Category 3 climbs and one Category 2 climb had to be overcome on the day, as well as searing temperatures.

After lots of attempts at the start of the stage, 37 riders finally established the day’s breakaway, with among others Tomasz Marczynski and Maxime Monfort. The front group’s tempo was really high in the first part of the race, and the group was consequently reduced to twenty-eight riders.

With less than hundred kilometres to go, Monfort and Jungels attacked but the duo was reeled in thirty kilometres later. Marczynski and Mas dropped the rest of the breakaway on the Puerto del Garbí, the last climb of the day with top at 36 kilometres from the end, and Marczynski crossed the top first. They were later joined by Poljanski and their advantage quickly reached thirty-six seconds. The three riders collaborated perfectly to stay up front despite the intense fight between the GC riders in the chasing group.

Marczynski put his experience to good use in the last kilometre and he found himself in an ideal position to launch his sprint. The Pole crossed the line in first place and took a fantastic stage win for the team.

Tomasz Marczynski: “I am incredibly happy with this victory! I have won a few national titles in the past, but a stage victory in a Grand Tour is a big achievement. It is extra special for me because I have been living in Spain for a few years now, so I consider this to be a home race.”

“After about forty kilometres of racing I accelerated uphill and I rode alone in front for about five kilometres. Once I saw that a group of about fifteen riders had been formed behind me, I decided to wait. Yesterday we had missed the opportunity and today we really had to have a rider in the break, now we had two with Maxime and me.”

“After Maxime had been reeled in, the group started falling apart. On the last climb the GC riders picked up the pace, but I was motivated to survive. I also had a back-up plan: If we would have been caught, I still would have sprinted at the end. But it’s easier to beat two riders than a larger group, so I was determined not to get caught. When we were left with three the cooperation ran smoothly. In the last kilometre I didn’t pull anymore, I got in position for the sprint. I was really focussed and I believed I could finish it off.”

“I really want to thank Lotto Soudal for giving me the opportunity to let me be part of one of the best teams in the world and to keep confidence in me after last season where health issues kept me from setting good results. I really appreciate this and I am very happy I could give the team such a wonderful victory.”

“I hope this is the beginning of an even more successful Vuelta for me and the team. There are several more opportunities for breakaways and I will definitely try again. I have specifically marked the stage to the Sierra Nevada, close to where I live. When coming to the Vuelta, I felt the condition was good after a three-week altitude training camp and Tour de Pologne where I got some race rhythm. After Poland I trained again on altitude. I was confident that I could win a stage here and now I did. I hope more beautiful moments will come for our team this Vuelta.”

Poljanski Happy To Get Legs Back

After fighting several days against a virus, BORA-hansgrohe’s Pawel Poljanski was happy to be back in the mix.

“It feels so good to be up there again with the best, after suffering four days like hell with this stomach problems,” said Poljanski. “CeCe (Benedetti) helped me a lot, it was easier with two of us in the big break, to control the situation. I felt strong on the last climb and decided to give it a go. In the last 20k we had to give it everything, as our gap was just 30 seconds. But maybe I pulled a little too much, I don’t know, anyway I am not really fast in sprints. I knew Marcynski was the one to watch, but I couldn’t pass him after he launched the sprint. It’s a great result, but we are here to get a win, so we will keep on trying.”

Froome: “Hardest Day So Far”

Froome matched Alberto Contador’s attacks on the last climb of the stage to come into Sagunt with the other GC contenders shortly behind stage winner Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto-Soudal).

Some tremendous teamwork ensured the majority of the break came to heel before the final categorised climb where Contador struck, but his attacks were marked by Wout Poels and then Froome himself as their other rivals were dropped on the gradient which surpassed 20% in some places.

Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) crashed on the descent into Estivella to drop from second overall which further reduced Froome’s group and allowed the other GC contenders to bridge the gap before the finish, but they were unable to catch Marczynsk.

And Froome felt that the relentless nature of the stage meant that every Team Sky rider had a crucial role to play.

“That’s the hardest day of the Vuelta so far.” he exclaimed.

“It didn’t stop all day, the attacks and for us having Sanchez infront we had to pull really hard and keep the break really close.

“The team was fantastic today and I want to thank my teammates that I’m still in red today.

“I think it was a tough stage and a lot of people spent a lot of energy.”

Stage 6 Brief Results:

1. Tomasz Marczynski (Poland / Lotto-Soudal) 4:47:02″
2. Pawel Poljanski (Poland / BORA-hansgrohe) ST
3. Enric Mas (Spain / Quick-Step Floors)
4. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain / Astana Pro Team) +8″
5. Jan Polanc (Slovenia / UAE Team Emirates)
6. Warren Barguil (France / Team Sunweb) +26″
7. Giovanni Visconti (Italy / Bahrain-Merida)
8. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky)
9. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team)
10. Jack Haig (Australia / Orica-Scott)

General Classification After Stage 6:

1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 22:54:38″
2. Esteban Chaves (Colombia / Orica-Scott) +11″
3. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / BMC Racing Team) +13″
4. Tejay van Garderen (U.S. / BMC Racing Team) +30″
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Bahrain-Merida) +36″
6. David De La Cruz (Spain / Quick-Step Floors) +40″
7. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) +49″
8. Adam Yates (Britain / Orica-Scott) +50″
9. Michael Woods (Canada / Cannondale-Drapac) +1:13″
10. Simon Yates (Britain / Orica-Scott) +1:26″