OBERWIESENTHAL, Germany, 6 June 2004 — Spain’s Francisco Mancebo won the 186km sixth stage of the Tour of Germany yesterday while Germany’s Patrik Sinkewitz courageously defended his overall lead in this difficult stage from Kulmbach to here.
Mancebo was the strongest on the final six-kilometer climb toward the Fichtelberg summit at 1,214m to clock 4hr 52min 49sec, beating second-placed Jens Voigt of Germany and Sinkewitz.
The 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich finished 37sec behind the winner in 12th spot and dropped from third to seventh overall.
The 23-year-old Sinkewitz said he was confident of winning the tour today following the 173km seventh and final stage from Chemnitz to Leipzig.
“With this team, if I can just stay on the wheels of my teammates, it should be alright,” said Sinkewitz, who was not considered among the favorites when this race began.
“It’s huge to have such a team supporting me and to have such great riders who sacrificed themselves for me.”
His team members include Italy’s Paolo Bettini and Belgium’s Tom Boonen.
‘Super Mario’ to Line-Up for Tour de France
Italian cycling great Mario Cipollini confirmed yesterday he would take part in the Tour de France despite being out of form.
The 37-year-old 2002 world road race champion said he hoped his team Domina Vacanze would get him through the tougher stages of the race that runs from July 3 to July 25.
“I will compete at the Tour, even if I am not in peak condition,” said the rider known affectionately as The Lion King for his flowing mane of blond curly hair. “I hope that my team will support me,” he added.
Cipollini had a miserable Tour of Italy retiring from the race at the start of the seventh stage having fallen in the previous one which required 14 stitches in his right leg and left elbow.
It was the first time he had failed to take a stage in the race since 1989.
