Quinn Simmons from Durango put on a remarkable performance in Stage 6 of the Tour de France, showcasing his talent and determination. The Lidl-Trek rider finished second out of 179 competitors after an arduous 201.5 kilometers from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, featuring over 11,000 feet of climbing and six categorized climbs.
Simmons was active from the start, contributing to his teammate Jonathan Milan’s efforts in securing maximum points in an intermediate sprint early in the race. He made his move by breaking away with Ben Healy of EF Education-Easy Post and then continued to push ahead after confirming his strength during the climbs, eventually finishing just behind Healy.
This second-place finish not only marks Simmons’ best performance at the Tour de France—improving from his previous best of 11th place in the 2022 competition—but it also propels him to 61st in the general classification, a significant jump of 33 positions from the previous stage. Simmons expressed his excitement for the achievement, stating that he had anticipated this stage as a good opportunity for a strong showing.
As for Sepp Kuss, he remains in the top 40 of the general classification, currently sitting in 37th place after finishing 78th in the same stage, behind Healy by 9:12. Kuss, who is poised to play a key role as a domestique during the upcoming mountain stages, is 12:32 behind current leader Mathieu van der Poel.
As the Tour progresses into its mountainous segments, all eyes will be on Kuss and his team, Visma-Lease a Bike, as they aim to maintain their lead in the team classification and support their overall contender, Jonas Vingegaard, who faced challenges in the time trials.
With the excitement of the Tour continuing to build and promising stages ahead, Simmons’ breakthrough performance augurs well for his future in professional cycling, while Kuss’s dedication in the mountains will be crucial for team strategies as the competition heats up.