Tour de Georgia - Stage 6 Report & Photos
Fast Fast Freddy Rodriguez takes the line honors in Stage 6 finish. Updated with photos and Stage Results...

Stage 6 Lake Lanier Islands to Stone Mountain Park
The race was off today with fast start again as the teams denied attempts to the early break, it would be a long day in the sun with the teams seeking a bunch finish and a chance for their sprinters to shine.

CSC, Predictor/Lotto and Saunier Duval lead the chase.   Photo C. Ben Ross

Some early attempts at breaks by Health Net/Maxxis strong man Karl Menzies and Rory Sutherland plus Tinkoff's Elio Aggiano, and then Lagutin of the Navigators and Saunier's time trial specialist David Millar; but each break was chased down without mercy by Tinkoff, Quickstep and Slipstream by 42 kms into the race the lads were back in the peloton.

Another break formed with 20 riders shortly after, looking to be the break of the day; but met the same fate; but before they were a trio of riders escaped the break. This seemed more amenable to the peloton and the group, Glen Chadwick of Navigators, Maarten Wynants (Quickstep/Innergetic) and Predictor/Lotto's Kaisen soon built up a 6 minute lead at about the half way point of the race at 88kms.

With the pressure from the teams on the front of the peloton the break slowly started coming down while the steady drone of the pacesetting on the front by CSC and Toyota/United had the gap down to 4 minutes by the 50 km to go marker. The steady loss of time continued as the riders approached the finishing circuits at Stone Mountain where it was 2 minutes with Kaisen, Chadwick and Wynants working well together but dangling off the front of the chase in a contest to evade capture. As the peloton entered the final circuit the gap was one minute with the trio being chased by the sprinters teams.

The race for line honors at Stone Mountain.  Photo C. Ben Ross

With 8 km to go the gap was below 30 seconds with the pack strung out behind them in full chase mode, Wynants attacked looking to stay away for the victory but in the final 5 kms of the circuit the hounds caught the rabbits and it was the J.J. Haedo's Team CSC and Ivan Dominguez' Toyota/United and Health Net driving the dash for the finish.

Freddy Rodriguez nips J.J.Haedo at the line. Photo C. Ben Ross

Three kms to go and attacks attempting a solo victory were made, first Doug Ollerenshaw of Health Net, Toyota' Stevic, and then an assault by Discovery riders. Each were captured as Quickstep launched an attack trying to gain control of the peloton as CSC, Toyota, Predictor/Lotto and the other sprinters trains tried to gain some advantage to set up the finish.

With 200 meters to go it was Fast Freddy Rodriguez, Hincapie and J.J. Haedo fighting for line honors with Fast Freddy bringing home the bacon for Predictor/Lotto. Haedo second and Hincapie taking the final honor on the line.

Top Ten Results below.

Fast Freddy Celebrates! Photo c. Celia Cole

Podium: Hincapie, Rodriguez and Haedo. Photo c. Celia Cole

Podium babes get an introduction from their fathers. Photo c. Celia Cole

Stage 6 Lake Lanier Islands to Stone Mountain Park
Distance 182,9km (113,64m) -  4.04'00" 44,98 km/h (27,95 mph)
1. 21 USA 19730903 RODRIGUEZ Fred PRL 4.04'00" 10"
2. 15 ARG 19810126 HAEDO Juan José CSC 4.04'00" 6"
3. 4 USA 19730629 HINCAPIE George DSC 4.04'00" 4"
4. 34 GBR 19770104 MILLAR David SDV 4.04'00"
5. 112 CUB 19760528 DOMINGUEZ Ivan TUT 4.04'00"
6. 43 ITA 19821228 PRONI Alessandro QSI 4.04'00"
7. 65 AUS 19770617 MENZIES Karl HNM 4.04'00" 3"
8. 47 ITA 19760216 TONTI Andrea QSI 4.04'00"
9. 95 ITA 19780806 FRATTINI Davide COL 4.04'00"
10. 75 UKR 19770205 KOBZARENKO Valeriy NIC 4.04'00"

Freddy's son steals his thunder from the Podium Girls. Photo c. Celia Cole