Dan Martin drops Chris Froome, Alejandro Valverde
He may have ceded time to some of the others in the general classification, but Dan Martin still dropped some very big names at Criterium du Dauphiné today.
Pete Kennaugh was the surprise winner for Team Sky; perfectly executing the rare chance that all but a chosen few in the team get to ride for themselves.
And in the select group behind on the final climb of Alpe d'Huez, it was race leader Richie Porte who did most of the damage.
He attacked very close to the finish and managed to split the group of big favourites. Only yesterday's stage winner Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) stayed with him.
Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac), who had been up the road earlier, and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) were close to holding Porte all the way.
They would lose just eight seconds to the Australian.
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Dan Martin would attack in pursuit of Porte and the others and finished with Fabio Aru (Astana) just 17 seconds behind Fuglsang and Porte.
The Irish rider managed to distance the remainder of the select group, which included Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
And though Martin only pulled six seconds out of them, his ability to shake them off is a nod to the kind of form he is in.
Those who went on the attack much earlier on the stage came away with the spoils.
Kennaugh found himself clear on the final climb with friend and training partner Ben Swift (UAE Emirates) and would drop him very late in the day.
He claimed the victory by 13 seconds from his fellow Brit. Some 58 seconds back was Jesus Herrada Lopez (Movistar).
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Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Soudal) was 4th at 1:13 and Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondial) 5th at 1:14.
A further 42 seconds would elapse before Porte was first of the riders who rode a GC battle up the final climb.
Dan Martin slipped one place overall despite being able to distance some of his general classification rivals.
Bardet's time gains see him jump from 9th to 6th and so Martin, who was 7th overall this morning, is now 8th some 2:31 behind Porte.
The BMC Racing man leads the way by 1:02 from Froome. It is a big gap but one that Froome could pull back if he were at his best and Porte were too falter.
Fuglsang and Aru are next in 3rd and 4th place, some 1:15 and 1:41 down.
Tomorrow's concluding stage, see profile below, is only 115km but is nothing short of a feast of climbing.
And with everything left to play for and nothing to be gained by holding back, it could be one of the race's of the year to date.
Stage 7: Aosta - Alpe d'Huez (168km)
1 Peter Kennaugh Team Sky 4:43:49
2 Ben Swift UAE-Team Emirates 0:00:13
3 Jesus Herrada Lopez Movistar Team 0:01:11
4 Jelle Vanendert Lotto Soudal 0:01:13
5 Romain Bardet AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:14
6 Richie Porte BMC Racing Team 0:01:56
7 Jakob Fuglsang Astana Pro Team
8 Andrew Talansky Cannondale-Drapac 0:02:04
9 Alberto Contador Trek-Segafredo
10 Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team 0:02:13
11 Daniel Martin Quick-Step Floora 0:02:13
56 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team 0:10:59
General Classification
1 Richie Porte BMC Racing Team 25:38:29
2 Christopher Froome Team Sky 0:01:02
3 Jakob Fuglsang Astana Pro Team 0:01:15
4 Fabio Aru Astana Pro Team 0:01:41
5 Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team 0:01:43
6 Alberto Contador Velasco Trek-Segafredo 0:01:55
7 Romain Bardet AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:07
8 Daniel Martin Quick-Step Floora 0:02:31
9 Emanuel Buchmann Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:53
10 Andrew Talansky Cannondale-Drapac 0:03:43
38 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team 0:16:44
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