The peloton, before it began earnestly chasing the trio.

Photo gallery: 2017 Tour de France, Stage 6

July 6, 2017
1 minute read

Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) took his second stage victory of the 2017 Tour de France Thursday on a hot day in Troyes.

The big German sprinter came from behind to best Frenchman Arnaud Démare (FDJ) and compatriot André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) who took second and third, respectively. Kittel didn’t make his final move until 75 meters out, the headwind final making a sprint from behind advantageous.

Perrig Quemeneur (Direct Energie) was the first aggressor after the neutral flag dropped. Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Emirates) were in tow, and the trio quickly distanced themselves from the field. Their gap rose to over four minutes by kilometer 30, as behind, the main field took lunch and conversation.

With 20 kilometers remaining, the gap was under one minute. The pace in the peloton picked up, and a crosswind began to force diligent positioning for the riders in tow.

At eight kilometers out, the gap was under 30 seconds and the catch was inevitable. Quemeneur, Backaert, and Stake Laengen were finally caught at under three kilometers to the finish. Quick-Step Floors moved up as a unit with Kittel at the back of their blue train and dropped him off into the last kilometer in perfect positioning. It looked to be Greipel’s race at 100 meters out, but Kittel, from behind, sling-shotted out of the draft and overtook Greipel and Dèmare for the win.

: Cyclingtips’ own Shane Stokes has a word with Taylor Phinney of Cannondale-Drapac before Stage 6.

: The disc-brake equipped Specialized steed that ultimately carried Marcel Kittel to an 11th Tour de France stage win.

: Dreams at work.

: A little motivator for when it gets tough. A Wanty Groupe-Gobert rider had a family portrait taped upon his top tube.

: The breakaway, led by Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) was only able to gain four minutes on the main field before the chase began.

: The 216 kilometer long Stage 6 wound itself through the French wheat fields from Vesoul to Troyes.

: Representatives from the sprinters’ teams lead the peloton with Team Sky in tow.

: The peloton rolled past the monument to French president Charles de Gaulle at Colombey-les-deux-églises.

: Frederik Backaert on his collective breakaway attempt to Troyes.

: Phillipe Gilbert led his Quick-Step Floors teammates up the side of the field.

: The day’s breakaway, led by Perrig Quemeneur (Direct Energie) was only able to grow their margin to four minutes before they were ultimately reeled in by the eager sprinter’s teams behind.

: The peloton, before it began earnestly chasing the trio.

: The trio crested a riser as Perrig Quemeneur spoke to his director sportif.

: Stage 6 saw some moderately strong crosswinds. There wasn’t much stress in the peloton, however, with no echelons formed in response to the changing wind conditions.

: Riding a bit more casually than the breakaway, Chris Froome (Sky) and British champion Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) had a mid-race chat.

: It looked to be André Greipel’s (Lotto Soudal) race at 100 meters out, but Kittel, from behind, sling-shotted out of the draft and overtook Greipel and Dèmare for the win.