Yates wins stage as Henao warns Alaphilippe
March 10 th 2017 - 16:48
Lively start
163 riders left Aubagne in the sun without Slovakia's Erik Baska (Bora-Hansgrohe). Four men shot to the the lead at kilometer 4: Ben King (Dimension Data), Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis), Winner Anacona (Movistar) and Delio Fernandez (Delko-Marseille). They were reeled in five kilometers further down the road. Cyril Gautier (Ag2R) tried his luck in turn one kilometer from the top of Col de l'Espigoulier (km 13) but was chased down before the summit. The ten points at the top went to France's Arnold Jeannesson (Fortuneo), ahead of Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie). The sprint in Plan d'Aups (Km 24) was won by stage 3 winner Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe) ahead of Michael Matthews (Sunweb).
Eight in the break
In the plain, Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott), Gautier, Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), King and Calmejane tried to move again but were quickly chased down. The decisive break took shape on the junction at kilometer 44 and it included eight riders: Alessandro De Marchi (BMC), Axel Domont (Ag2R), Winner Anacona and Jose Herdada (Movistar), Michael Valgren (Astana) Ben Swift(UAE), Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) and Eduardo Sepulveda (Fortuneo). Their lead topped at five minutes after 80 kilometers. Domont, already in the longest break of stage 5, was first at the top of Cote des Tuilieres (km 116, 2nd cat). The Frenchman collected four more points on Cote de Mont Meaulx (km 131.5).
Contador attempt
In Seillans, the adopted home of Belgian legend Fred de Bruyne, Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo), Sergio Henao (Sky) and Dan Martin (Quick Step) briefly tried to shake the peloton at the foot of Col de Bourigaille (1st category). The reaction of the pack was merciless on the front group, who quickly lost Chavanel while Sepulveda and De Marchi were left on their own in the lead. The Argentine was first at the top of the climb and picked 10 points ahead of the Italian. The two fought bravely in spite of a chase led by Sergio Henao's Team Sky team-mates but they finally laid down the arms with 21 km to go.
Yates attacks
Shortly before the summit of the second ascent of Bourigaille, Simon Yates (Orica-Scott) attacked and reached the top in the front, with a 10 seconds lead over the chasing group, which only comprised 14 riders but all the leading favorites - Alaphilippe and Dan Martin, Henao and Mikel Nieve, Contador, Richie Porte (BMC), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Warren Barguil (Sunweb)… At the bottom of the final climb, Yates led his chasers by nearly 50 seconds and had secured his stage win. Richie Porte attacked twice to try and take his rivals off guard but the most impressive move came from Sergio Henao, who raised the tempo under the red flame to finish 17 seconds behind Yates ahead of Porte and Alaphilippe.
Saturday's 177-km penultimate stage to Col de la Couillole looks more decisive than ever.