Boom leads Tour of Britain

London - Lars Boom of the Netherlands tightened his grip on the Tour of Britain on Friday after winning the sixth stage to increase his overall lead in the standings.

The Rabobank rider came home ahead of France's Alexandre Pichot and Germany's Leopold Koenig in a sprint finish after a demanding 146-kilometre stage from Taunton to Wells.

It was the second stage win of the race for Boom, who is now well placed with only this weekend's final two stages remaining.

Boom leads Koenig by 28 seconds in the general classification with Britain's Daniel Lloyd a further second behind.

Results:

Friday's sixth stage of the Tour of Britain, a 146 km race from Taunton to Wells:

1. Lars Boom (NED) Rabobank 3hr 19min 2sec,

2. Alexandre Pichot (FRA) same time,

3. Leopold Koenig (GER) s.t.,

4. Jan Barta (CZE) s.t.,

5. Steve Cummings (GBR) s.t.,

6. Linus Gerdemann (GER) s.t.,

7. Jack Bauer (NZL) s.t.,

8. Julian Dean (NZL) s.t.,

9. Bartosz Huzarski (POL) s.t.,

10. Iker Camano (ESP) s.t.

General Classification

1. Lars Boom (NED) 20hr 13min 18sec,

2. Leopold Koenig (GER) at 28secs,

3. Daniel Lloyd (GBR) 29,

4. Linus Gerdemann (GER) 31,

5. Steve Cummings (GBR) 32,

6. Jelle Wallays (BEL) s.t.,

7. Jan Barta (CZE) s.t.,

8. Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBR) s.t.,

9. Iker Camano (ESP) 50,

10. Joost Posthuma (NED) 52