Tour de Suisse: Weening wins stage 6 in Amden

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Pieter Weening (Roompot) claimed the victory from a successful breakaway on a miserable, rainy stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse.

The Dutch rider soloed away from a large breakaway on the first-category ascent to the finish in Amden, with Maximiliano Richeze (Etixx-Quickstep) the next best rider in second 2:37 behind. Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) and Kristijan Koren (Cannondale) were the only other riders to remain ahead of the drama unfolding behind in the overall classification.

Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) attempted to stage a coup with an unexpected attack in the valley between the Klausenpass and the final climb with 25km to go. Starting the day 27 seconds down on race leader Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale), Izagirre bridged across to his teammate Jasha Sütterlin, who dropped back from the day's breakaway, and then was towed away from the bunch to gain over two minutes on the yellow jersey.

His lead disintegrated on the final kilometres and Cannondale closed the gap at the 1km to go mark, but Latour struggled on the climb and dropped out of the lead.

Wilco Kelderman (LottoNl-Jumbo) surged to the line to take over the yellow jersey by 16 seconds ahead of Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin), with Andrew Talansky (Cannondale) third at 19 seconds. 

Latour lost 53 seconds and dropped to sixth overall, while two pre-race favourites, Geraint Thomas (Sky) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC) also lost time. 

How it unfolded

The peloton was greeted by dark grey skies and a steady, soaking rain when they set off from Weesen, facing 162.8km of misery with temperatures plunging into the single digits at the top of the passes. 

The day's breakaway hit out on the first unclassified ascent, and built up a couple minutes on the peloton 25km into the stage. Gregory Rast (Trek-Segafredo), Philipe Gilbert (BMC), Kristijan Koren (Cannondale), Pim Ligthart, Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Iljo Keisse, Maximiliano Richeze (Etixx-QuickStep), Kévin Reza (FDJ), Martin Elmiger (IAM), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar), Maciej Patkersi (CCC), Nico Brüngger (Roth), Pietr Weening and Antwan Tolhoek (Roompot), and Jordi Simon (Verva Active-Pro Jet) made up the move.

Tolhoek was looking for points to secure the overall mountains classification, while Simon was the top placed rider in there, 6:25 down on Latour at the start. He nearly became virtual leader as the escape gained 5:45, but the Klausenpass got in the way and the gap began to dwindle.

A few riders were dropped from the breakaway on the climb, but it largely came back together on the descent. Once they reached the valley floor, Gorka Izagirre made his assault on the yellow jersey, and Sütterlin dropped back to assist. As the final climb began, the breakaway disintegrated.

Weening attacked with 7.5km to go solo, while Izagirre's gap began to fall as he left Sütterlin a few kilometres later. Latour was dropped from the group of favourites, but fought hard to stay in contact with a chasing group. Tejay van Garderen (BMC) was also dropped from the chase with 4km to go as defending Tour de Suisse champion Simon Spilak (Katusha) attacked out of that group.

Spilak was not able to open up much of a gap as Team Sky reeled him back and Giant-Alpecin's Barguil put the final nail in. The surges put a dent in Izagirre's lead, bringing it to a minute with 3km to go. Spilak attacked again as the top of the climb drew nearer, but Joe Dombrowski (Cannondale) closed the gap down for his teammate Talansky. 

Up ahead, Izagirre was picking off remnants of the earlier breakaway as he crested the KOM sprint with 1.2km to go. Geraint Thomas (Sky) was the next to be shot out the back of the favourites group, losing ground as Weening celebrated his victory at the finish line some 1.5km ahead. 

As the remnants of the breakaway came through, those chasing the overall race lead began to eye each other. It wasn't until 100m to go that Talansky made a move, but Kelderman was right on him and came past to take fifth on the stage with Barguil in tow. Izagirre's rout did not pay off, but he gave up only four seconds, and moved into fourth overall at 34 seconds.

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