Vincenzo Nibali leads Dauphine as Rui Costa wins stage six

Updated 12/06/2015 at 14:42 GMT

The defending Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali leads the Critérium du Dauphiné after finishing second on stage six, five seconds behind winner Rui Costa.

Vincenzo Nibali

Image credit: Panoramic

Costa has risen to second in the overall standings but is still 29 seconds behind the leader Nibali despite holding off the Italian’s challenge.

Britain’s Simon Yates is fourth, 35 seconds behind, after coming an impressive fifth following an early challenge while Chris Froome dropped to seventh overall.

Rui Costa completed stage six in 4:29:23

Image credit: SID

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Yates told ITV4: “It was pretty tough, it was up there with one of the hardest days I have ever done. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.”

Alejandro Valverde is third in the standings with the race finishing on Sunday after two more mountain stages. The Astana rider Nibali was seventh in the race last year before winning the Tour de France.

He has achieved just one top-10 finish this year, in the Tour of Romandie, but the Italian is looking strong in the buildup to next month’s Tour defence.

Results from Critérium du Dauphiné stage six

1 Rui Costa (Portugal/Lampre) 4hr 29min 23sec

2 Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) +5sec

3 Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +38

4 Tony Gallopin (France/Lotto) +39

5 Simon Yates (Britain/Orica) +1:24

6 Daniel Martin (Ireland/Cannondale) +1:46

7 John Gadret (France/Movistar) +1:48

8 Tiesj Benoot (Belgium/Lotto) +1:59

9 Chris Froome (Britain/Team Sky) +2:12

10 Benat Intxausti (Spain/Movistar)

11 Tejay van Garderen (US/BMC Racing) +2:14