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Simon Dehairs of Alpecin-Premier Tech has abandoned the race, becomming the 32nd to do so since the start of the race last weekend.
The breakaway riders have begun tackling the 4.1% slopes of the 2.5km Côte de Bonnieux.
Pinarello Q36.5’s Fabio Christen has become the latest rider to abandon the race.
Josh Tarling is clearly the most powerful man on the flat in this break, as one of the world’s best time trialists. He might struggle more in relation to superior climbers Arrieta and Cras, now that the terrain is changing.
The peloton, being pulled along by Cofidis.
The route is about to get harder and hillier, starting with the category three Côte de Bonnieux, which they are currently riding up an unclassified hill to the foot of.
Jonas Vingegaard in the peloton, who received great praise from his teammate Victor Campanaerts for the way he rode for victor yesterday.
Cofidis are still the team leading the peloton. That’s a big statement from a team you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be among the favourites for today.
The four riders leading the race.
Now the break has formed, it’s a good time to reflect on one of the fall-outs from yesterday. Following criticism earlier in the season from UAE Team Emirates – XRG’s João Almeida that accused Visma-Lease a Bike riders of being too quick to pull out of races, stage winner Jonas Vingegaard made some barbed comments pointing out Almeida’s absence from this race. There’s often tension between these two teams, and it seems another feud is brewing.
The four escapees earlier, as they were first establishing their lead.
We can probably start referring to these four leaders as the day’s break now. They’re lead has grown to 1:30, and things appear to have calmed down in the peloton.
They won’t be taking on any of them today, but the riders can see mountains on the horizon, that awaits them come the final weekend of stages.
Now it’s Cofidis who are pacing at the front of the peloton. Like NSN, they also have a sprinter who could potentially survive the climbs, in Bryan Coquard. Is there a feeling among teams in the peloton that this stage could be decided by a reduced bunch sprint?
Ewen Costiou had been trying to bridge over to the leaders by himself, but that was a tall order, and he’s been swallowed up by the peloton.
There were nine riders between the peloton and the four leaders but they’ve now been brought back.
The four riders leading the race.
Oscar Onley is today’s biggest addition to the list of abandons. Here’s moe on his departure.
More riders have attacked out of the peloton in pursuit of the four leaders.
NSN have taken control of the chase at the front of the peloton. That’s interesting – do they believe that their leader Biniam Girmay could be in contention for the stage win today, if they can control the break?
A group of four is the latest to try their luck, with Josh Tarling, Igor Arrieta, Arthur Kluckers and Steff Cras present.
Niklas Märkl of Picnic PostNL has abandoned the race.
140KM TO GO
The attacks continue to come, but still no break has formed. The road will be pretty much flat for the upcoming 50km too, so there’s no obvious point for a selection to be made.
It’s another action-packed day of cycling, with stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico also taking place. Be sure to follow along with our Live coverage of that race too.
Ewen Costiou was the first to the top of the Côte de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, from Will Barta and Quentin Pacher. None of these riders are in contention for the polka-dot jersey.
The climb has put pad to Bissegger and Gringnard’s hopes – they’ve both been caught.
The riders are on the first climb of the day, the Côte de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
More riders are trying to join them.
Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Sébastien Grignard (Lotto Intermarché) are the latest couple of riders to get a small lead.
That sextet has been brought back.
The peloton at the start a little earlier.
Six attackers have come together and got a small gap over the peloton.
Actually, it turns out that Onley has abandoned due to an illness, rather than lingering injuries from that crash. The Scot can’t catch a break right now.
Four riders who finished yesterday have not made it to the start today – Oscar Onley, Iván Romeo, Julien Bernard and Rick Pluimers.
Onley had been looking so good until his crash on stage three, and even yesterday had the legs to help his teammate Kévin Vauquelin on the final climb, but that crash must be taking too much of a toll.
Given the increased likelihood of a break surviving today, and remembering how long it raged for yesterday, we can anticipate another intense, drawn-out battle as riders try to get into the day’s break.
Race leader Jonas Vingegaard waiting at the unofficial start.
It’s a warm, dry day here in France, and spirits appeared to be high among the Uno-X Mobility riders, pictured here messing around with a anana this morning.
The riders are on the move and making their way to kilometre 0.
For a reminder of how Jonas Vingegaard and Visma-Lease a Bike triumphed yesterday, have a read of our report from yesterday.
All this means that Jonas Vingegaard might not be eyeing up a third stage win in a row. Yesterday his Visma-Leasea Bike did a lot of work throughout the day to ensure the break was controlled and that Vingegaard was set up for the stage win, which he duly delivered.
Though there is a tough climb averaging 5% for 4km at the end of the stage, it’s followed by a short descent to the finish in Apt, which might take the edge off some of its impact.
Once again, punchy hills are on the agenda, with four official climbs to be tackled in total, all of them rated either category two or category three. But the total elevation gain is down from yesterday’s 3,020m to a more modest 2,100m.
Hello and welcome to stage six of Paris-Nice!
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