The Australian Tour debutant remains in the top three but the race’s two heavyweights,Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar,moved ahead of him on Thursday.
Australia’s Jai Hindley approaches the finish line to complete the sixth stage of the Tour de France on Thursday.AP
Danish defending champion Vingegaard will be in yellow for the seventh stage but Slovenian two-time winner Pogacar won the sixth stage on Thursday,a 144.9-kilometre mountain trek from Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque.
The pair broke away for the final few kilometres and Vingegaard appeared to be in command,but with 2.7km to go on the steep finish,Pogacar launched an attack to which his rival had no answer.
He won the stage by 24 seconds and is now 25 seconds behind Vingegaard,with former Giro d’Italia winner Hindley third at one minute and 34 seconds off the lead.
Vingegaard took on the stage with a clear plan to take the jersey from Hindley and also to again put pressure on Pogacar,who looked vulnerable on the climb of the Marie Blanque on Wednesday.
Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard leads Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar during the sixth stage of the Tour de France race.AP
The Dane attacked close to the top of the Tourmalet,with still more than 50km of the stage to go,quickly distancing the Australian but with Pogacar still glued to his wheel.
The Slovenian,usually so expressive on the bike,kept his poker face on as he appeared to just be clinging on,but as the gradients ramped up on the final climb he rode away for a statement win.
“I would not say it’s revenge but it feels sweet to win and to take some time back,” Pogacar said. “I feel a little bit relieved,I feel much better now.
“The display Jonas showed yesterday was incredible and I was thinking when they started to pull on the Tourmalet,I thought,‘s---,if it’s going to happen like yesterday we can pack our bags and go home’,but luckily I had good legs today and I could follow on the Tourmalet.
“I felt quite comfortable and when I felt it was the right moment in the end I attacked and it was a big relief...I would say now it’s almost the perfect gap and it’s going to be a big battle until the last stage I think.”
AAP,with agencies
Sports news,results and expert commentary..