Cycling-Frenchman Georges wins Californian stage six

Sylvain Georges won the sixth stage of the Tour of California on Friday after a daring solo ride through the mountains.

The Frenchman found himself out alone in front for the second half of the 186.3 kilometre (115.7 mile) stage from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake after leading a seven-man breakaway.

He managed to hang on as the main field started to catch him while he pedalled his way to the end of the lung-bursting stage, crossing the line after five hours, seven minutes and six seconds.

Georges finished 28 seconds ahead of Slovakia's sprint specialist Peter Sagan, who won each of the first four stages of the tour with his bursts of speed, but surrendered the overall lead to American Daniel Zabriskie in Thursday's decisive time-trial.

Sagan's countryman Peter Velits came third in Friday's stage, while Zabriskie finished safely in the main pack to retain the leader's yellow jersey.

With two stages to go, Zabriskie led his countryman Tejey van Garderen by 34 seconds. Robert Gesink of the Netherlands remained third, a further five seconds adrift.