Tour of the Basque Country 2018, Mas wins stage 6 – Roglic gets the GC

Enric Mas Nicolau (Quick Step Floors) won the 2018 Tour of the Basque Country stage 6, probably the most demanding one included in the Spanish stage race route. The twenty-three years old took the success solo on the top of the traditional and prestigious climb of Arrate Sanctuary at the end of 122 kilometers of racing. Despite the tiny mileage eight climbs characterized today’s stage and, together with the rain, the course contributed to harden the race.

Quick Step Floors’ climber went clear with 30 kilometers from the start and joined the breakaway that formed just before. Mas made the right move with over 6 kilometers remaining, when he attacked from the break and opened a significant advantage over his former mates in the lead. With regards to the competition for the GC, on the last climb at first Nairo Quintana with 5 kilometers to go and secondly Mikel Landa went clear: the Colombian headed the Basque in order to help the latter to jump across the gap to Roglic in the GC. The Slovenian crashed in the very first stages of racing and spent a lot of time (and of course a lot of energy) reeling in the wheels of the group and wasn’t part of the group of five in the chase to the break.

Landa crossed the finish line eighteen seconds after the stage winner but only 48″ ahead of Primoz Roglic: in this way Lotto Nl – Jumbo rider gets the general classification of the 2018 Tour of the Basque Country with 1’09” over Landa and 1’42” over Ion Izagirre (Bahrain – Merida).

Tour of the Basque Country 2018 Stage 6 Results

1 MAS, Enric QST   3H 17′ 22″
2 LANDA, Mikel MOV + 0′ 18″
3 IZAGIRRE, Ion TBM + 0′ 35″
4 TEUNS, Dylan BMC + 0′ 39″
5 QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV + 0′ 42″
6 DE GENDT, Thomas LTS + 0′ 51″
7 BUCHMANN, Emanuel BOH + 0′ 59″
8 MÜHLBERGER, Gregor BOH + 1′ 06″
9 ROGLIC, Primoz TLJ + 1′ 06″
10 KONRAD, Patrick BOH + 1′ 06″

Tour of the Basque Country General Classification

1 ROGLIC, Primoz TLJ   20H 53′ 47″
2 LANDA, Mikel MOV + 1′ 9″
3 IZAGIRRE, Ion TBM + 1′ 42″
4 BUCHMANN, Emanuel BOH + 3′ 14″
5 QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV + 3′ 17″
6 MAS, Enric QST + 3′ 29″
7 MOLLEMA, Bauke TFS + 3′ 50″
8 BILBAO, Pello AST + 4′ 14″
9 DE LA CRUZ, David SKY + 4′ 15″
10 KONRAD, Patrick BOH + 5′ 30″