Valentin Ferron outsmarted his opponents to claim the sixth stage in Gap ©Getty Images

France's Valentin Ferron executed the perfect getaway to win the sixth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné in Gap, while Colombian Juan Sebastian Molano of UAE Team Emirates was disqualified for hitting another rider.

Over 196.5 kilometres on a hilly route starting in Rives, TotalEnergies cyclist Ferron survived four climbs before catching out a breakaway pack with a sprint a kilometre out from the line.

There were victims today, including promising Spanish rider Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates, who did not start due to sickness. 

Polish Ineos Grenadiers rider and 2014 world champion Michał Kwiatkowski also abandoned with knee pain.

Molano added to UAE Team Emirates' misery by getting disqualified for hitting Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert's Hugo Page of France on two occasions.

"On the run-in to the finish it was fast and tense and in the heat of the moment I made a dangerous mistake," said Molano in a team statement.

"I'd like to apologise to Hugo Page and to all the riders for what happened. 

"I understand why I was disqualified and can only say that I regret it and learn from it."

Molano had finished seventh with the peloton, 32 seconds adrift of the winner Ferron.

Up the road from the incident, Ferron was in a pack of six riders, of which five were French.

His compatriots Geoffrey Bouchard of AG2R Citroën and B&B Hotels-KTM's Pierre Rolland attempted splits of their own, but were unable to take advantage.

Despite the fast Italian Quick-Step rider Andrea Bagioli being in the six, Ferron got the break to finish in 4 hours 42min 17sec, finishing three seconds in front of Rolland and Warren Barguil of Arkéa–Samsic, who completed an all-French top three.

"It's a colossal moment, a win in a WorldTour race like this is amazing," said Ferron after the race.

"I knew Andrea was quicker than me so when I saw the finish line in the distance, I knew I had to go for it."

Bagioli, Bouchard and Victor Lafay of Cofidis completed the top-six.

It was Ferron's maiden WorldTour victory.

Belgian Jumbo-Visma rider and overall leader Wout van Aert was in the pack, with the general classification not changing.

Italian Mattea Cattaneo of Quick-Step is still 1min 03sec behind and Slovenian Primož Roglič of Jumbo-Visma sits third a few seconds off.