MANY years ago, Primoz Roglic dreamed of starring on the ski slopes rather than two wheels.

It is only six years since the Slovenian decided to swap ski jumping for bike racing, but his previous sporting career must have seemed like a lifetime ago when the LottoNL-Jumbo team bus rolled into Barrow on a crisp September morning yesterday.

Of course, there was always a chance the Cumbrian weather might take a decidedly chilly turn and perhaps be closer to the wintry conditions he previously plied his trade in. Fortunately though, that did not transpire.

Ahead of Roglic and the other 191 riders remaining on this year's Tour of Britain - five having abandoned up to that point - as they prepared to set out from in front of Barrow Town Hall was a 168.3-kilometre slog through the South Lakes, and across the fells and mountains to the finish at Whinlatter.

For the 28-year-old, stage six came with shouldering the responsibility of defending the OVO Energy Green Jersey, worn by the general classification leader.

Roglic, who finished fourth in this year's Tour de France but came into the Tour of Britain still recovering from an elbow operation, had wrested it from BMC's Patrick Bevin the day before after LottoNL-Jumbo had won the team time trial between Cockermouth and Whinlatter, and was determined to defend it.

"We are all very happy," said Roglic, adding: "Taking the overall lead was not the goal.

"We wanted to do a very good team time trial. We never thought we could win, but we succeeded.

"Now that we have the jersey, we are definitely going to defend it. The team is very strong."

Of course, there would be plenty of other potential suitors chasing the same prize, including Woet Pouls of all-conquering British squad Team Sky.

Prior to the off, fans flocked to the staging area in the car park behind the Town Hall to catch a glimpse of the likes of Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas and multiple Grand Tour victor Chris Froome, who happily obliged by signing autographs and pose for selfies.

Team Sky's presence looms large over the whole cycling world in more ways than one - their luxurious team bus and cavalcade of support cars alone dwarfed the Great Britain team - comprised of this country's best under-23 riders - with their solitary van.

Away from the madding crowd, Skoda King of the Mountains jersey holder Nic Dlamini and his fellow Team Dimension Data riders were quietly preparing.

Dimension Data have become something of a standard-bearer for South Africa and the continent as a whole in the world of road racing, and Dlamini - making his Tour of Britain debut this year - is one of a strong contingent from the country representing the team

"It's been a good experience," said Dlamini, who has won mountains classifications on the amateur Girobio and Tour Down Under. "It wasn't something we targeted; we usually just go out there and if we do get the opportunity, we go for it and see from there.

"We always go in with ambitions of trying to win the race, but whatever result or jersey you can get out of the race, you might as well take it.

"This is going to be a hard one. It's going to be decisive as well, so I'm hoping to go out there and try to keep the jersey."

By the end of the day, he had done enough to keep hold of it by six points, but it was a different story for Roglic.

He cracked with 1km to go on the uphill finish, with Pouls sealing the stage win and Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe taking over in green.

"We know that he (Roglic) is capable of doing special things, but he was not strong enough," was LottoNL-Jumbo sports director Jan Boven's blunt post-race assessment.