Dismal Dauphiné d-day

Yesterday's queen-stage in the Critérium du Dauphiné was an altogether unsuccessful one for Euskaltel. None of the riders managed to finish inside the top 50 on the 167km road from Saint-Alban-Leysse to Morzine.

Egoi Martínez did his part to ensure the team some visibility with another day in the main break - his third in this race alone and his second in two days. The big-size group he was a part of didn't manage to hold off the pack though, being reeled in on the early ramps of the massive Joux Plane. Sky set a ferocious pace on the climb, shredding the lead group, and none of the guys in orange were close to standing the pace. Jorge Azanza was the team's top finisher in a decent 57th, while top climber Mikel Landa stayed with Samu Sánchez to come in almost 14 minutes in arrears.

All in all an unsatisfactory day, and there's no hiding the form some of the riders are showing, or not showing to put it more accurately, is quite worrying with the Tour kick-off in Liège less than three weeks away.

Today's final stage takes the riders 126 clicks from yesterday's finish town to Châtel.

Stage six results:

• (1, Nairo Quintana (Movistar), 4:46:12)
• 57, Jorge Azanza, 8:13
• 71, Egoi Martínez, 10:36
• 110, Mikel Landa, 13:54
• 111, Samuel Sánchez, s.t.
• 135, Gorka Verdugo, 16:31
• 138, Peio Bilbao, s.t.
• 153, Alan Pérez, 25:33