Tour de France: Kazakhstan's Lutsenko wins stage six

Briton Adam Yates retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after staying tucked in the main peloton, which crossed the line with a deficit of 2:53.

Stage winner Astana Pro Team rider Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan celebrates on the podium.

Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko claimed his maiden victory on the Tour de France when he won the sixth stage, a 191-km trek from Le Teil on Thursday.

The Astana rider prevailed from an eight-man breakaway at the top of the Mont Aigoual.

 

Spain's Jesus Herrada took second place, 55 seconds behind with Belgian Greg van Avermaet finishing third, 2:15 off the pace.

Briton Adam Yates retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after staying tucked in the main peloton, which crossed the line with a deficit of 2:53.

“We talked about it in the team bus this morning and we agreed that it was a stage that suited me,” said Lutsenko, who broke clear in the punishing ascent to the Col de la Lusette, a 11.7km climb at an average gradient of 7.3%.

Friday's seventh stage is a 168-km ride from Millau to Lavaur.