Spaniard Luis Angel Mate (Androni-Giocattoli) won the 150 kilometer sixth stage of Tour de San Luis from Quine to Merlo. Jose Serpa (Colavita-Sutter Home /Androni-Giocattoli) finished in second place with Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Doimo) rounding out the podium in third, which should be enough to secure his lead in the overall after tomorrow’s final stage.
The day centered around a six man breakaway whose lead grew to just over eight minutes before eventually being caught on the ascent of the 1,450 meter El Mirador del Sol to the finish. The first category climb is 10.3 kilometers with an average gradient of 8.7 percent.
Mate was the strongest up the final climb with the Androni-Giocattoli team putting in a strong showing taking second (Serpa), fourth (Rodriguez), and sixth (Ochoa) places on the day.
Stage 6 results:
1. LUIS ANGEL MATE MARDONES (ESP / Androni-Giocattoli) – 4:1:34.
2. Jose Rodolfo Serpa (COL / Androni-Giocattoli) – st
3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA / LIQ-Doimo) – st
4. Jackson Rodriguez (VEN /Androni-Giocattoli) at 0:03.
5. Rafael Valls Ferri (Spain / Footon-Mobile Team) at 0:06.
6. JOSE CARLOS OCHOA (VEN /Androni-Giocattoli) at 0:10.
7. Michael Rasmussen (DEN / Miche-Silver Cross) at 0:13.
8. Moritz Milatz (GER / Team Germany) at 0:14.
9. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO / Liquigas-Doimo) at 0:15.
10. Andres Ignacio Pereyra (ARG / Argentina National Team) at 0:23.
Overall Classification after stage 6:
1. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA / LIQ-Doimo) – 22:0:01.
2. Jose Rodolfo Serpa (COL /Androni-Giocattoli) at 0:28.
3. Rafael Valls Ferri (Spain / Footon-Mobile Team) at 1:19.
4. Andres Ignacio Pereyra (ARG / Argentina National Team) at 1:37.
5. Santiago Botero (COL / Colavita-Sutter Home) to 2:15.
6. Jackson Rodriguez (VEN /Androni-Giocattoli) – st
7. Giacinti Jorge (ARG / Scott) – st
8. Michael Rasmussen (DEN / Miche-Silver Cross) – st
9. Arnold Alcolea (CUB / Team Cuba) 2:37.
10. Carlos José Ochoa (VEN /Androni-Giocattoli) at 3:45.