Kron takes Tour de Suisse stage after Costa relegated

Andreas Kron was awarded the sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse on Friday after Rui Costa was penalised for swerving across the road in the final sprint

Ecuadorian rider and overall leader Richard Carapaz finished serenely, 2 minutes and 49 seconds back, with an escort of Ineos Grenadier teammates to retain the overall lead at the end of a stage which the leaders negotiated comfortably despite two first-category climbs.

Kron, a 23-year-old Dane who rides for Lotto-Soudal, and Rui Costa, a 34-year Portuguese with UAE Team Emirates, were part of a three-man lead breakaway group at the end of a 130km ride from Anderrmatt to Disentis Sedrun.

As the pair launched their sprints with just over 100m to go, Rui Costa cut to his right, almost pushing Kron into the barriers.

After the young Dane switched to attack on the left, Rui Costa rode diagonally to the finish. By the time they crossed the line, Kron was almost in the barriers on the right.

He crossed the line less than a bike length behind, pointing at the Portuguese in apparent disbelief.

"We started the sprint in the right and ended up on the left. That's all I can say," said Kron after the finish.

After watching a video replay, the race commissaires agreed and awarded Kron the victory.

Rui Costa, who won the Tour de Suisse in three straight years from 2012-14, was deprived of his first stage victory since 2017 and only his second since winning a stage in Switzerland in 2014.

The day started with the field slightly reduced.

Alpecin said they had decided to withdraw their Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel, winner of the second and third stages and briefly overall leader, because he was suffering a "mild cold".

The Dutchman has a busy programme ahead as he switches between cyclo-cross and road racing.

He plans to make his debut in the Tour de France, which ends on July 18 and then switch back to a mountain bike for the Olympic cyclo-cross on July 26 in Japan.

After an outbreak of gastroenteritis in the peloton, Lucas Hamilton, who had been sixth overall, dropped out.

The day was also animated by an early break from French world champion Julian Alaphilippe on his 29th birthday.

He was caught but retained fourth place overall.

Carapaz leads Dane Jakob Fuglsang of Astana by 26 seconds, with German Maximilian Schachmann at 38 seconds.

VIDEO: 2021 Tour de Suisse Stage 6 Highlights

2021 Tour de Suisse Stage 6 Top 10

1 Andreas Kron (Den) Lotto Soudal 3:14:52
2 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:0:00
3 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain Victorious 0:0:01
4 Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Movistar Team 0:0:03
5 Pierre Latour (Fra) Total Direct Energie 0:0:03
6 Hugo Houle (Can) Astana-Premier Tech 0:0:03
7 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo 0:0:03
8 Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:0:03
9 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:0:50
10 Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Team DSM 0:01:00

2021 Tour de Suisse GC after Stage 6

1. Richard Carapaz (ECU) INEOS Grenadiers 20:00:31
2. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) Astana - Premier Tech +26
3. Maximilian Schachmann (GER) BORA - hansgrohe +38
4. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck - Quick-Step +53
5. Rigoberto Urán (COL) EF Education - Nippo +1:11
6. Michael Woods (CAN) Israel Start-Up Nation +1:32
7. Sam Oomen (NED) Jumbo - Visma +2:19
8. Esteban Chaves (COL) Team BikeExchange +2:22
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) Team Qhubeka - ASSOS +3:10
10. Rui Costa (POR) UAE Team Emirates +3:37