Results, St. 6 (189km, Otorohanga to New Plymouth)
1. R Ellingworth (Eng) 4h 26min 34s 2. G Mitchell @ 50s 3. S Swart @ s.t. 4. R Reid @ 54s 5. C Barnsley @ 4:39 6. M Themann (Swi) @ s.t. 7. F van Haesebroucke (Bel) @ 6:41 8. C Saunders @ s.t. 9. N Shattock 6:46 10. H Smart @ 13:52 GC after St. 6
1. G Mitchell 15hrs 32min 48s 2. R Ellingworth (Eng) @ 30s 3. R Reid @ s.t. 4. S Swart @ 2:11 5. M Themann (Swi) @ 5:10 6. S Guyton @ 12:55 7. C White (Aust) @ 13:05 8. R Reinrrink (Neth) @ 13:08 9. C Barnsley @ 13:09 10. G Miller @ 13:23 Teams 1. North Harbour 2. Netherlands @ 3:29 3. Colonial Profesional @ 6:02 4. Avanti @ 8:41 5. Giant Bicycles @ 15:55 KOM 1. M Wust (Ger) 24 pts 2. R Reid 16 3. S Swart 15 4. C Saunders 14 5. B Vesty 14 Sprint 1. F van Haesebroucke (Bel) 8 pts 2. R Reid 6 3. D Murray 5 4. J Dean 5 5. J Kent (Aust) 5Stephen Swart yesterday gave a riding lesson to his colleagues and new tour leader Glen Mitchell showed he is capable of the mind game which earn cycling the nickname "chess on wheels".Swart turned the Colonial Cycle Classic into a four man race after most of the field lost about 14 minutes to a leading quartet.
Swart, 30, a professional with the powerful Motorola team, won yesterdays physical battle from Otorohanga to New Plymouth but is still fighting a battle of ideologies with his mostly amateur opponents.
Used to riding stages of 250km on races like the Tour de France, the Kiwi professional made light work of yesterday's 190km haul which featured numerous stiff climbs. With a core group of three riders at his side, Swart shot away from the pack on the first hill climb 20km into the race.
The quartet of Swart, eventual stage winner Rod Ellingworth of England and North Harbour team mates Ric Reid and Glen Mitchell picked up an advance party of five other riders at the 60km mark.
They ditched those five at the foot of Mount Messenger, 126km into the race, and gradually built a lead of nearly 14 minutes over the main group - the equivalent of 10km. Ellingworth won the stage by 50s from Mitchell and Swart, with 4s back to Reid.
Coming in 4min 39s down were Christchurch's Chris Barnsley and Michael Themann of Switzerland. Early breakaways Craig Saunders of Nelson, Belgian Franky van Haesebroucke and Hamilton's national road champion Norman Shattock were nearly 7min down - but 7min in front of the pack.
Mitchell leads the tour by 30s from Reid and Ellingworth, tied for second, and Swart who is 2min 11s behind Mitchell and not entirely happy.
His gripe is with Reid and Mitchell for letting Ellingworth skip clear 25km from the finish for a stage win. He thought Mitchell and Reid, being the highest placed of the quartet, had an obligation to chase Ellingworth. -- NZPA