Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) won stage 6 at the Eneco Tour Saturday, capturing a solo victory and finishing nearly a minute ahead of the rest of the field.
“This victory gives a lot of satisfaction of course,” Wellens said in a statement from his team. “Logically, after the Tour de France, I started with doubts in the Eneco Tour, but the legs felt very good during the first days. Thursday’s time trial and yesterday’s stage, where I raced in front together with André [Greipel], were a good confirmation of that.”
Top 10, stage 6
- 1. Tim WELLENS, LOTTO SOUDAL, in 5:28:46
- 2. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at :49
- 3. Simon GESCHKE, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :51
- 4. Jan BAKELANTS, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 1:03
- 5. Tom Jelte SLAGTER, TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN, at 1:07
- 6. Philippe GILBERT, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:13
- 7. Tiesj BENOOT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 1:13
- 8. Fabio FELLINE, TREK FACTORY RACING, at 1:13
- 9. Andriy GRIVKO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 1:13
- 10. Wilco KELDERMAN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 1:17
Top 10, GC
- 1. Tim WELLENS, LOTTO SOUDAL, in 22:12:59
- 2. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:03
- 3. Wilco KELDERMAN, TEAM LOTTO NL – JUMBO, at 1:17
- 4. Philippe GILBERT, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:40
- 5. Fabio FELLINE, TREK FACTORY RACING, at 1:48
- 6. Michael ROGERS, TINKOFF – SAXO, at 1:51
- 7. Andriy GRIVKO, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 1:54
- 8. Christopher JUUL JENSEN, TINKOFF – SAXO, at 2:05
- 9. Tiesj BENOOT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 2:13
- 10. Jan BAKELANTS, AG2R LA MONDIALE, at 2:13
Wellens, who won last year’s Eneco Tour, now leads the race by 1:03 over Van Avermaet. Sitting third overall at 1:17 is Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo).
Notably, Wellens won the sixth stage of last year’s race en route to taking the overall victory. The Eneco Tour ends Sunday with the 189km stage 7 from St. Pieters-Leeuw to Geraardsbergen.
“I knew the course very well because I had done a recon of this stage,” Wellens continued. “This morning, it was our intention to give full gas with the team in the beginning of the two local laps, but yet at the first ascent of the Saint-Roch the speed was so high that only a few riders were left at the front of the race. Entering the finale, we were with 19 riders, and many attacks occurred. I focused on [Greg} Van Avermaet and [Philippe] Gilbert, and I had the impression that [Wilco] Kelderman was watching me.
“After my attack, it was a matter of keeping the pace high.”
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