Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) won her twentieth career stage of the Tour de l’Aude, taking stage 6 in Castelnaudary. Once again the German über-sprinter won as part of a breakaway, outsprinting her three fellow fugitives at the end of the 100km stage. Former Russian champion Julia Martisova (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu) was second, with Annemiek Van Vleuten (Nederland Bloeit) third.
Once again the wind was strong in the south east of France; on the riders’ tails this time though which meant a very fast start to the stage, causing the peloton to split into a number of pieces. The first break occurred on 19km when three Dutch women got away, as Martine Bras (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu), former yellow jersey Adrie Visser (HTC-Columbia) Dutch champion Marianne Vos (Nederland Bloeit) escaped the peloton together. Emma Johansson (RedSun) spotted the move and managed to join them, but the Cervélo TestTeam had no intention of allowing these riders to get away and they were soon pulled back.
Their capture led almost immediately to an attack by four more riders, with Teutenberg, Martisova, Van Vleuten and Regina Bruins (Cervélo TestTeam). Van Vleuten was particularly aggressive after missing out on a stage win yesterday, and with three of the big teams represented the peloton allowed them to build a lead.
Angela Hennig (Noris Cycling) and Brooke Miller (Tibco) tried to bridge across to the lead group but were unable and drifted back to the peloton. The breakaway’s lead meanwhile, with Van Vleuten and Bruins both eying the overall podium, rose to 2’30” by the time they reached Montreal d’Aude after 62km. The lead dropped to 1’23” by the time the leaders reached the top of the Côte de Fangeaux with 27.5km to go, but it rose again on the descent.
After a brief solo bid by Teutenberg on the Côte Puy de Faucher, the gap was up to 2’10” again with 17km to go.
The four riders rode in to Castelnaudary together but none of the other three stood any chance against the German champion, and she extended her own personal Aude stage record. Martisova, who had stopped working in the break in the last 10km, took second and Van Vleuten beat non-sprinter Bruins for third. Marianne Vos won the bunch sprint for fifth 1’28” behind them.
Both Van Vleuten and Bruins made big time gains and move up to second and third overall behind Bruins’ teammate Emma Pooley.
Tomorrow’s 105km stage from Limoux to Roquefeuil will take in yet more climbing, including the hors category Col de Dent with 26km to go. Ordinarily none of the terrain should trouble race leader Pooley, but it’s already been a long race and so anything could happen.
Result stage 6
1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss-RDZ-Ormu
3. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit
4. Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam
5. Marianne Vos (Ned) Nederland Bloeit @ 1’28”
6. Brooke Miller (USA) Team Tibco
7. Emma Johansson (Swe) RedSun Cycling Team
8. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Noris Cycling Team
9. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Vienne-Futuroscope
10. Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Team Tibco
Standings after stage 6
1. Emma Pooley (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam
2. Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Nederland Bloeit @ 2’03”
3. Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam @ 2’43”
4. Katheryn Mattis (USA) United States National Team @ 2’49”
5. Emma Johansson (Swe) RedSun Cycling Team @ 3’13”