Pedersen wins stage six of Paris-Nice after Vingegaard withdraws

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Mads Pedersen punches the air in delight after he wins stage six of Paris-Nice. Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Mads Pedersen (left) has won stages in all three of cycling's Grand Tours

Denmark's Mads Pedersen won stage six of the Paris-Nice as American Matteo Jorgenson capitalised on the withdrawal of Jonas Vingegaard to extend his overall race lead.

Pedersen, riding for Lidl-Trek, sprinted clear of Ineos Grenadiers' British duo Josh Tarling and Sam Watson at the end of the 209.8km stage from Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban to Berre l'Etang.

On a cold, wet and windy day an attack by Jorgenson's Visma-Lease a Bike, nearly 60km from the line, illuminated the race and distanced five of the top 10 riders in the general classification including Joao Almeida.

It ensured that Jorgensen gained another four seconds at the top of the general classification, with team-mate Vingegaard withdrawing before racing got under way after injuring his hand in a fall on Thursday.

Saturday's penultimate stage takes the peloton over a mountainous 109.5km route from Nice to Auron.