In the approach to the final climb, Bennett was well surrounded by his teammates, after which he rode to the finish line in an impressive manner. The group with classification riders was separated, but the leader of Team-Jumbo Visma stood his ground on Mount Baldy and rode to his first podium place of this season.

Bennett looked back at the stage with mixed feelings. “I am very happy with how the team rode today. The riders with whom I was in the lead were both ahead of me in the GC, so I had to try and lose them. This took a lot of forces, which made me fall short in the end.”

Lennard Hofstede made the race. Just like in stage five, the 24-year-old rider was part of the leading group. Only in the last eight kilometres, at the foot of the final climb, Hofstede was caught.

Sports director Grischa Niermann had seen a strong team. “Lennard was in the leading group again and the other guys surrounded George well in the peloton. In the end, George took the initiative because he had to make up time on his fellow riders in front. Unfortunately, he did not succeed, which means that he is now fourth in the rankings. We will see what is possible in the last stage.”

Danny van Poppel abandoned the race.