After Benjamin Thomas’ exploit in the fifth stage, held yesterday, today the 107th Giro d’Italia looks to the “Strade Bianche”. A sixth stage that starts from Torre del Lago Puccini, and which sees the arrival in Rapolano Terme, for a total of 180 km.
Fast pace, but no one has the right inspiration
At the start of this sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia, unlike the previous ones, there is no real escape attempt: the whole group keeps a fast pace and it is not easy to get the upper hand. In the first 50 km many try, but the group regroups and remains united. The first GPM of the day is set for Volterra, and it is Filippo Fiorelli (last to attempt the sprint) who passes first, followed by Aurelien Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Difesa) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step).
At -100 a large group in the lead, Alaphilippe tries and escapes
As mentioned previously, there seems to be no way for anyone to make the decisive move, at least at this stage, and the dirt road certainly doesn’t help. Up front, when there are 90 km missed, a large number of runners try to start: among these Groves, Plapp, Alaphilippe, Trentin and Fiorelli. It is Julian Alaphilippe himself who tries to run away, and is followed by Groves and Sanchez. The one in the lead becomes a sextet, with Plapp, Fiorelli and Trentin: finally a breakaway lead, 1’13”. At the Casole d’Elsa Flying Finish Line, Groves passes first.
Second GPM to Alaphilippe: could it be his day?
When there are 40 km to go, the second GPM of the day, that of Grotti, presents itself – after a hard stretch of dirt road. The group, thanks to the great work of Milan and Ganna, maintains a limited gap. Alaphilippe passes first at the GPM, with the breakaway split: the Frenchman, Plapp and Sanchez in front, while Fiorelli, Trentin Groves and Vendrame are 30″ behind. Tadej Pogacar’s group is now at 1’33”. At the Intergiro in Monteroni D’Arbia this time Plapp takes the lead, while in the group Honoré attacks and breaks away. Meanwhile, in the group, a bad fall involving Caruso. The gaps, when today’s last stretch of dirt road begins and there are 20 km to go: Alaphilippe, Plapp and Sanchez 1’36” from Trentin, Fiorelli, Vendrame and Groves; behind, Honoré at 2’01” and Pogacar’s group at 2’18”. Last Flying Finish Line for Alaphilippe.
Cursed sprint for the Frenchman: the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia belongs to Pelayo Sanchez!
With 10 km to go, the group gets significantly closer: Plapp, Alaphilippe and Sanchez have a lead of just over 1 minute from the group, which has regrouped behind. The more the kilometers pass, however, the more difficult it seems for them to reach the lead: the advantage remains constant over the minute. When there are less than 5 km to the finish line the advantage drops again: 35″, with the tiredness on the climb starting to make itself felt. It’s Sanchez who gives the shot at 4.5: Alaphilippe follows him, but Plapp doesn’t give up and catches up with the duo. In the group among the three in front there is Pogacar, and the gap with 3 km to go is 20″. With 2 km to go Andrea Piccolo tries to break away from the group, but perhaps it is too late. So it flew in three in front: Sanchez Alaphilippe mocks, with Plapp almost not trying, and takes home the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia!
Stage ranking:
- Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar Team) in 4h00′–“
- Julian Alaphlippe (Soudal Quick-Step) st
- Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla) at 1″
- Andrea Piccolo (EF Education First-EasyPost) at 24″
- Jhonatan Narvaez (Lidl-Trek) at 29”
- Luka Mezgec (Team Jayco AlUla) at 29″
- Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at 29″
- Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech) at 29″
- Daniel Felipe Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 29″
- Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) at 29″
General Ranking:
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) in 19h19’15”
- Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) at 46”
- Daniel Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 47″
- Cian Uijtdebroeks (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) at 55”
-
Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) at 56″
- Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana Qazaqstan Team) at 1’07”
- Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek) at 1’11”
- Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick-Step) at 1’13”
- Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) at 1’26”
- Esteban Chaves (EF Education First-EasyPost) at 1’26”
- Cyclamen jersey: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
- Blue Jersey: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
- White shirt: Cian Uijtdebroeks (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
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