Britain's Bradley Wiggins tightened his grip on the Dauphine Libere after Colombia's Nairo Quintana won the sixth and penultimate stage here on Saturday. Wiggins went into this mountainous 167.5 kilometre run leading the general classification by 38sec from Germany's Tony Martin.

   But after crossing the line in fourth behind Quintana, Cadel Evans and Daniel Moreno, the Team Sky star extended his lead going into Sunday's final stage with a 1min 20sec cushion over his teammate, Australian Michael Rogers. Evans, the defending Tour de France champion, is placed third, at 1min36sec, after coming in second on Saturday, 16sec behind Quintana.

   The 22-year-old Colombian made his decisive move five kilometers from the summit finish, reeling in leader Brice Feillu two kilometers from the line.

   Wiggins, ably aided by his teammates, now looks poised to defend his Dauphine title. "When Cadel attacked he took a small lead but I didn't want to take any risks. It's not a problem to give him 25 or 30 seconds," said the Olympic champion.

   Of the stage winner his Movistar team's sporting director Yvon Ledanois said: "He's a pure climber but he laso knows how to do other things."

   Sunday's closing seventh stage is a 124.5km ride between here and Chatel. One rider who won't be taking part is Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, who pulled out of the race at Saturday's 64km mark.
Schleck had been struggling ever since being knocked to the ground by a strong gust of wind on Thursday's fourth stage time trial in Bourg-en-Bresse.

   "He couldn't pedal anymore," RadioShack sporting director Alain Gallopin told the race's official website. "Since he crashed during the time trial, the whole right side of his body was hurting. He was climbing all right but he was suffering to hold his bike. Yesterday, he managed to finish but today, racing had become too difficult."
  
RESULTS:
   Stage
   1. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 4hr 46min 12sec, 2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 16sec, 3. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 24, 4. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 24, 5. Pieter Weening (NED/GEC) 24, 6. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 24, 7. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/MOV) 24, 8. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 24, 9. Michael Rogers (AUS/SKY) 24, 10. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 24
   Selected
   29. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 4:01
   
   General classification
   1. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 23hr 40min 59sec, 2. Michael Rogers (AUS/SKY) at 1min 20sec, 3. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 1:36, 4. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 1:48, 5. Jürgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 2:22, 6. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/MOV) 2:58, 7. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/AST) 3:07, 8. Wilco Kelderman (NED/RAB) 3:26, 9. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 3:44, 10. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 3:51
   Selected
   14. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 4:15, 32. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 12:29, 41. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 15:27, 47. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/OPQ) 16:37, 48. Denis Menchov (RUS/KAT) 17:02, 93. Simon Gerrans (AUS/GEC) 33:46, 113. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 40:22