Giro d’Italia 2024, stage 6: route and altimetry

Lucca, 8 May 2024 – The breakaway put the group in check in the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia 2024 arriving in Lucca. It seemed like it was going for a sprint finish, but instead the quartet composed by Benjamin ThomasMichael ValgrenAndrew Pietrobon and Enzo Paleni he held out for the stage win in a tight sprint. Victory for the Frenchman from Cofidis and regret for Jonathan Milan who won the group sprint, placing fifth ahead of Caleb EwanPhil Bauhaus and Tim Merlier. Great joy for the French pistard who had his day of glory on an important road stage like the Giro: “I’m not a road champion but today I had my day – his words after the victory – It’s a success special, I dreamed of a victory at the Giro but never imagined it. Sometimes you have to take risks and it turned out well. You can see that today it was supposed to go like this.”

Now comes the best part of the Giro. Having archived two interlocutory stages, we arrive at the sixth in Tuscany with the characteristic dirt roads of the Strade Bianche. It will be a fraction that will be able to put some of the big players in difficulty and favor Tadej Pogacar, who has already won the Strade Bianche. The Slovenian could attempt an attack to increase his lead in the standings, especially in the Grotti sections, maximum 15%, and on the Rapolano climb a few kilometers from the finish line. It will be a fraction to follow.

Learn more:

Giro d’Italia 2024, Pogacar risked disqualification: the sensational backstory

Path

Step 6 from Torre del Lago to Rapolano Terme with a treacherous second part and with the dirt road very similar to the Strade Bianche, a route that could favor Tadej Pogacar who has already won that race twice. Challenging stage of 180 kilometers particularly characterized by three dirt sectors for a total of almost 12 km. The first part of the route is easy and flat for about 70 kilometers up to the town of La Mandriola, here the fourth category GPM of Volterra stands out with its peak at kilometer 80. Subsequently you enter the Siena area with a route of continuous ups and downs until to the flying finish line in Casole d’Elsa at kilometer 103, a prelude to the dirt roads that will characterize the finale. You tackle the Vidritta dirt sector which, compared to the Strade Bianche, is 2 km longer and connects to the Bagnaia stretch. So comes the hard and uphill sector Grotti with slopes of up to 15%. Once you reach kilometer 140 you descend slightly towards the Intergiro finish line in Monteroni D’Arbia. Shortly afterwards it will be the turn of the third sector of dirt road in the Pievina area, which mainly runs along the ridge with continuous short ups and downs. Very challenging ending with the Serre di Rapolano wall, which has slopes of up to 20% at the end. Final straight line of 450 m on asphalt, 6 m wide, with a gradient of around 6%.