The renaissance of Colombian cycling continued in fine style on stage six of the 2013 Tour of Poland with victory for Darwin Atapuma (Team Colombia).
The 25-year-old, riding for the national team, one registered at Pro Continental level, but which has performed strongly in all of its many wildcard invitations to WorldTour races, took the team’s first victory of 2013 in Bukowina Tatrzanska.
Atapuma, who had complained about being forced out of the breakaway that dominated much of the previous stage, today took no chances, positioning himself in the first of the day’s breakaways and attacking on the final climb.
“When we were at 500 metres to the line, I turned behind and saw no one was coming, and that was the moment I realized I was going to make it,” Atapuma said.
“I know this win has a huge importance, not only for me but for the whole team and our project, and makes me even more proud after what happened yesterday.”
His breakaway partner on the final run to the summit was the in-form Christophe Riblon, winner of the ‘double d’Huez’ eighteenth stage of the Tour de France.
But the diminutive Colombian would not be denied, and after 192km of racing over 10 laps of a course that each contained a first category climb, held off Riblon to win by two seconds.
The Frenchman had the considerable consolation of gaining the overall lead of the race and the yellow jersey, putting 19 seconds into previous incumbent, Jon Izaguirre, and 20 seconds into Rafal Majka, who led the race through its first four stages.
Team Sky’s Sergio Henao is now fourth overall, 24 seconds behind Riblon, with only the seventh stage time trial remaining.
Tour of Poland 2013: stage six – result
1) Darwin Atapuma (COL) – Team Colombia – 5.19.36
2) Christophe Riblon (FRA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +2″
3) Leopold Konig (CZE) – NetApp-Endura +22″
4) Diego Ulissi (ITA) – Lampre-Merida
5) Rafal Majka (POL) – Saxo-Tinkoff
6) Pieter Weening (NED) – Orica-GreenEDGE
7) Jon Izaguirre (ESP) – Euskaltel-Euskadi
8) Sergio Henao (COL) – Team Sky
9) Ivan Santamorita (ITA) – BMC
10) Jose Rodolfo (COL) – Lampre-Merida
General classification
1) Christophe Riblon (FRA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale 31.09.20
2) Jon Izaguirre (ESP) – Euskaltel-Euskadi +19″
3) Rafal Majka (POL) – Saxo-Tinkoff +20″
4) Sergio Henao (COL) – Team Sky +24″
5) Pieter Weening (NED) – Orica-GreenEDGE +27″
6) Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +33″
7) Eros Capecchi (ITA) – Movistar – ST
8) Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) – Radioshack-Leopard +36″
9) Ivan Basso (ITA) – Cannondale +40″
10) Chris Anker Sorenson (DEN) – Saxo-Tinkoff +41″
