2023 Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 6 Results & Recap
Stage 6 of the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Zimmermann wins Stage 6
Georg Zimmermann (ICW) took stage 6 of the Criterium du Dauphine after a late challenge from new KOM leader Mathieu Burgaudeau (TEN) in the closing metres of the 170.2 km stage. Zimmerman attacked out of a three man break on the final climb with just a few kilometres left, but faded enough to let Burgaudeau bridge across. From there, it was a two-up uphill sprint that saw the German gain a second wind and post up one second ahead of Burgaudeau.
"To be honest, I can’t believe it," Zimmermann said. "It’s been a while since I won my last race, in the Tour de l’Ain in the summer of 2021. Winning a bike race is a feeling I can’t really describe. I’m overwhelmed. A rider like me doesn’t experience this so often so I enjoy it as much as possible. Yesterday I already felt strong and today I tried again. I knew the parcours really well because we finished here in the Tour de l’Avenir in 2018. The finale was a little bit different, in the final kilometre, but I looked it up previously so I wasn’t surprised. I think this climb is a little bit too steep for me. 4, 5 or 6%, that’s ideal for me. When it’s really steep, I’m a bit heavy. But I made it up with good power!"
Jonas Vingegaard (TJV) remains the leader in the Dauphine holding the same time, one minute and 10 seconds, ahead of Ben O'Connor. The GC group came in about a minute behind the stage winner, with Vingegaard bringing them home.
"I made a move because someone else started already," he said. "Tobias Halland Johannessen made things really hard and I decided to counter attack but in the end the climb was not long and hard enough to make the difference. I think my team did super well today. I had teammates for the finale so I think I can be really happy with how everyone today, and also yesterday. I think the last stages will be very hard so hopefully I will feel good. I’m looking at everyone in the top 10, you can’t give any room to anyone."
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