VALLS, Spain, March 23, 2013 (AFP) – Australian Simon Gerrans won the sixth
stage of the Tour of Catalonia on Saturday as Ireland’s Daniel Martin retained
his lead at the top of the overall standings.
Gerrans, who rides for Orica-GreenEDGE, prevailed in a sprint finish to the
penultimate day’s 178.7km run from Almacelles to Valls, beating Belgian Gianni
Meersman, already a double stage winner of the race, and Daniele Ratto of
Italy.
Race leader Martin extended his advantage over Joaquim Rodriguez by three
seconds to 17sec with a 45sec gap back to Nairo Quintana.
The sixth stage was punctuated by an eight-man breakaway, eventually caught
by the peloton four kilometers from the end.
Sunday’s seventh and final stage is a 122.2km ride from El Vendrell to
Barcelona, with the finish up the slopes of Montjuic where Rodriguez will be
aiming to attack Martin.
Results after Saturday sixth stage of
the Tour of Catalonia, a 178.7km ride from 156 km ride from Almacellas to
Valls:
1. Simon Gerrans (AUS/ORI) 3h 55min 46sec, 2. Gianni Meersman (BEL/OPQ) at
s.t., 3. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/ALM) s.t., 4. Daniele Ratto (ITA/CAN) s.t., 5.
Danilo Wyss (SUI/BMC) s.t., 6. Julien Simon (FRA/SOJ) s.t., 7. Daniel Moreno
(ESP/KAT) s.t., 8. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) s.t., 9. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang
(DEN/AST) s.t., 10. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) s.t., 11. Danail Petrov (BUL/CJR)
s.t., 12. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) s.t., 13. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM)
s.t., 14. Nicki Sorensen (DEN/SAX) s.t., 15. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) s.t.
Overall
1. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 26h 16min 22sec, 2. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT)
at 17sec, 3. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 45, 4. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 54, 5.
Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 55, 6. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) 1:07, 7. Przemyslaw
Niemiec (POL/LAM) 1:18, 8. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 1:26, 9. Jurgen Van den
Broeck (BEL/LTB) 1:28, 10. Peter Stetina (USA/GRM) 1:30