stage6

Results from the 194km stage from Arras to Reims

The mountains jersey was a fine reward for the hard-working German

Velo photo director Brad Kaminski follows the USA Pro Challenge on Flagstaff Mountain

One pivotal attack and the USA Pro Challenge will go down to the wire in Denver

Colorado boy Casey B. Gibson was on hand for the fury on Flagstaff

The defending champ lights up the race with just one stage remaining

Tech editor Nick Legan snaps the team buses at the start of the USAPC's Flagstaff Mountain stage in Golden

The Pro Challenge's only sustained uphill finish is 3.5 miles long with 1,200 feet of climbing, on a road teeming with insane fans

Rodriguez beats rival Froome to the line in stage 6 as both put time on Contador

Canadian Giro champ unhappy about abandoning, but knows it's the right thing to do

A reduced peloton began riding into the mountains during stage 7 of the 2012 Tour de France

Christian Vande Velde on his USAPCC

Leipheimer on his USAPCC win

USAPCC stage 6 finish-line analysis

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

Casey B. Gibson catches all the action in the spirited finale to the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

1. Daniel OSS, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 2. Elia VIVIANI, Liquigas-Cannondale, at s.t. 3. Fred RODRIGUEZ, Team Exergy, at s.t. 4. Daniel SUMMERHILL, Team Garmin-Cervelo, at s.t. 5. Frank PIPP, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 00:02 6. Levi Leipheimer, Team RadioShack, at 00:02 7. Sergio HENAO MONTOYA, Gobernacion De Antioquia-Indeportes Antiquia, at 00:02 8. Rory SUTHERLAND, Unitedhealthcare Presented By Maxxis, at 00:02 9. Daniel LLOYD, Team Garmin-Cervelo, at 00:02 10. George Hincapie, BMC Racing Team

I always demand a lot of myself and I’m sure I expect more out of myself during this Vuelta than my team does. While the main goal is the same as when I started, to help our team leaders and make it to the finish line in Madrid, I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t like to try to do something special one of these days.

Taylor Phinney (BMC) was close to riding into the day's main breakaway in Thursday's scorcher across Andalucîa when he pulled clear in the opening kilometers of the 193.4km stage.

Graham Watson shoots stage 6 of the 2011 Vuelta a España.

Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Sky) pulled out of his final grand tour due to injuries from a high-speed collision with a young boy in Wednesday's fifth stage.

Stage 6

• 1. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Cannondale, 4:38:22
• 2. Pablo Lastras, Movistar, same time
• 3. Valerio Agnoli, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
• 4. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
• 5. Eros Capecchi, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:03

GC

• 1. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step, 22:41:13
• 2. Daniel Moreno, Team Katusha, at 0:15
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:16
• 4. Joaquin Rodriguez, Team Katusha, at 0:23
• 5. Jakob Fuglsang, Leopard-Trek, at 0:25

Peter Sagan won stage 6 of the 2011 Vuelta a España on Thursday out of what was basically a Liquigas-Cannondale team time trial.

LISIEUX, France (AFP) — French champion Sylvain Chavanel admitted he came close to abandoning the Tour de France on Thursday due to the pain of injuries suffered in the fifth stage.

A 12-year-old German spectator suffered a broken nose after failing to catch the once-in-a-lifetime souvenir tossed to her by Saxo Bank-Sungard leader Alberto Contador during Wednesday’s stage 5. The rider — eager to improve his image amongst increasingly hostile roadside fans — decided to up the ante on the traditional water bottle toss, hurling a $10,000 S-Works Tarmac at the girl as he awaited his team car following the first of two unexpected crashes. The frustrated Spaniard refused questions at the finish, muttering only that “she catches like a little girl.”

U.S. veterans ride to recovery at the Tour

Ben Delaney chats with Christian Vande Velde soon after the end of Thursday's stage.

Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen won stage 6 of the 2011 Tour de France on Thursday, a 226.5km race from Dinan to Lisieux along the coast of Normandy.

Ben Delaney and Andrew Hood check in after stage 6

LISIEUX, France (VN) — With the real battle of the Tour de France still looming, Leopard-Trek sport director Kim Andersen says the Schleck brothers are trying to stay as quiet as possible in the first hectic week of the race.

LISIEUX, France (VN) — It sounds simple enough. Just stay at the front, and stay out of trouble. Problem is, there are 194 guys all simultaneously trying to be in the front five percent of the field. In this high-speed game of musical chairs, somebody is bound to lose out.

LISIEUX, France (AFP) - British cycling chief Dave Brailsford hailed the unselfishness of Welshman Geraint Thomas as Team Sky finally made history by scoring their first win on the Tour de France.

LISIEUX, France (VN) — Sean Yates was celebrating on two fronts Thursday. On one side, Team Sky won its first-ever Tour de France stage victory with Edvald Boasson Hagen in Thursday's rainy sixth stage. And on the GC front, Bradley Wiggins is picking his way through the first treacherous week of racing in very good position.

Sylvain Chavanel's Eddy Merckx EMX-5. Why the French champion has a stealth paint job

RadioShack's veteran says Contador still looks strong, but his team may not be

Ben Delaney checks in with HTC's Bernhard Eisel before stage 6.

• 1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)
• 2. Matthew Goss (HTC-Highroad)
• 3. Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo)

July 7 Stage 6: Dinan to Lisieux, 226.5km (140.7 miles)