Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) has won Stage 6 of the 2011 Tour de France. The Norwegian took a bunch sprint to win the rolling, 226.5-km run from Dinan to Lisieux in 5:13:37. Matthew Goss (HTC-Highroad) finished second, and Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) took third. Hushovd remains the maillot jaune.

The stage began under overcast skies, and rain followed. At five km, Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Anthony Roux (Francaise des Jeux) escaped. Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM), Adriano Malori (Lampre-ISD), and Leonardo Duque (Cofidis) followed, and the break of the day had formed. The escapees' lead ballooned to nine minutes at 70 km and 11:25 at 99.5 km.

Gradually, the peloton, led first by HTC-Highroad and Garmin and then by Astana, whittled down the lead. The gap fell to 8:40 at 113 km, 5:00 at 131 km, and 2:00 with 166 km.

With 52 km left, Malori and Westra dropped their companions. The duo forged a three-minute lead on the peloton, which had absorbed the remains of the break, with 40 km left. HTC, BMC, and Liquigas reinvigorated the chase.

With 16 km left, the gap was down to 0:30. Westra surrendered, and Malori set off on his own. The Italian time trial champion tried to stay away, but the peloton reeled him in with three km left.

With 2.5 km to go, at the foot of the climb to the finish, Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) attacked. The peloton rode them down at the one-km banner. Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) started the sprint, but Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) overtook him. With 400 m left, Boasson Hagen burst into the lead and held off Goss and Hushovd for the win.

In the overall, Hushovd leads Cadel Evans (BMC) by 0:01 and Frank Schleck (Leopard-Trek) by 0:04. Stage 7 will be a flat, 218-km run from Le Mans to Chateauroux that should a sprinter should win. Which one will it be? Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad)? Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo)? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and www.roadcycling.mobi to find out!

Click here for complete stage 6 results.