Update: 05/09/2024 17:36
Issued by: 05/09/2024, 17:36
Rapolano Terme (Italy) – Spanish cyclist Pelayo Sánchez won the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia in a sprint of three refugees. He sprinted ahead of two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe from France for his first Grand Tour laurel. Slovenian Tadej Pogačar still holds the leader’s pink jersey before Friday’s time trial, Jan Hirt is still eighth.
Today, in the second half of the 180 km long stage in Tuscany, the classic gravel roads known from the Strade Bianche awaited the racers, and right at the first dusty section, a trio broke away from a larger group of refugees, and finally made it to the end. Australian Luke Plapp attacked first on the climb to the finish line in Rapolano Terme, but his opponents kept an eye on him and he finally celebrated his third overall professional win on his debut at Giru Sánchez.
Pogačar arrived safely in the main peloton 29 seconds behind the winner and retained the pink jersey that Plapp had threatened during the day. He continues to lead the standings with a lead of 46 seconds over the Briton Geraint Thomas. Hirt, in eighth place, is still 1:13 behind Friday’s 40.6 km individual time trial.
“We didn’t want to waste energy unnecessarily, so we were in a reconciliation escape with the group. I didn’t mind, it was fun to ride here again. Tomorrow (Friday) in the time trial I hope to have a good day again, it’s an interesting route,” he said Pogačar with the prospect of the seventh stage, which should mix up the overall standings.
Giro d’Italia cycling race – 6th stage
(Torre del Lago Puccini – Rapolano Terme, 180 km):
1. Sánchez (Sp./Movistar) 4:01:08 2. Alaphilippe (Fr./Soudal-Quick Step), 3. Plapp (Aust./Jayco-AlUla) -1, 4. Piccolo (It./EF Education -EasyPost) -24, 5. Narváez (Eq./Ineos Grenadiers), 6. Mezgec (Slovenia/Jayco-AlUla), …31. Hirt all -29, 158. Black (both Czech Republic/Soudal-Quick Step) -20:33.
Running order: 1. Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE Emirates) 23:20:52, 2. Thomas (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) -46, 3. Martínez (Col./Bora-hansgrohe) -47, 4. Uijtdebroeks (Belg./ Visma-Lease a Bike) -55, 5. Rubio (Col./Movistar) -56, 6. Fortunato (It./Astana-Qazaqstan) -1:07, …8. Hirt -1:13, 162. Black -1:08:02.
