Giro d’Italia 2024 Stage Report: The gravel sections of stage 6 brought on a number of splits, but when it had been mud and never mud… A break of three: Pelayo Sánchez (Movistar), Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Fast-Step) and Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) held off what was left of the peloton to battle for the stage victory. Sánchez had the ultimate bounce forward of the Frenchman and the Australian. Tadej Pogačar completed with the chase group to carry the dusty pink jersey.
The ultimate 1K
*** See the PEZ Giro d’Italia ’24 Preview Chat With Chris Horner HERE. ***
*** You possibly can see the PEZ ‘Giro Route Preview’ HERE. ***
*** See the PEZ ‘Favorite Riders’ alternative HERE. ***
Simply what Movistar wanted – Pelayo Sanchez wins Giro stage 6
The sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia was received by Pelayo Sánchez after a number of gravel sections. The Spaniard of Movistar was the quickest finisher in Rapolano Terme, beating his fellow escapees; Julian Alaphilippe and Luke Plapp. The pink jersey stays on the shoulders of Tadej Pogačar.
Stage 6 map & profile
The sixth stage was round Siena, the well-known Strade Bianche space and there are three gravel sections. The peloton heads inland from Viareggio on the coast to Rapolano Terme. The stage is 180 kilometres with 1,900 metres of climbing. The primary stretch of gravel comes 50 kilometres from the end, round Vidritta and is 4.4 kilometres lengthy. 600 metres later the second part comes and accommodates the second categorised climb of the day, the Grotti (2.5km at 6.0%). The third gravel part is 2.4 kilometres and ends with the second intermediate dash of the day about 20 kilometres from the end. The ultimate kilometres are raced on undulating and twisting roads. With practically 5km out, the route kicks up sharply by way of Serre di Rapolano, with gradients topping out at 20%. The house straight (450m, 6% uphill gradient) is on 6m huge tarmac.
Factors chief, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) signing autographs, the black armband is for Wouter Weylandt on the thirteenth anniversary of his demise
It appeared like the entire peloton needed to be within the break of the day. There was a giant battle to be a part of the escape, however nobody might get away. Danny van Poppel, Fernando Gaviria and an impressed Julian Alaphilippe bought the most important lead within the first hour: 10 seconds. Subsequent it was Simon Clarke (Israel-Premier Tech) who tried. He opened the same sized hole, however on his personal was unattainable. Cian Uijtdebroeks punctured, however was in a position to rejoin the peloton, regardless of the excessive tempo.
The jerseys line up at the beginning in Torre de la Lago Puccini (Viareggio)
The whole lot was nonetheless collectively when the riders reached the beginning of the primary climb of the day after about 70 kilometres. Tim van Dijke had a 22 metre lead on the peloton when he began the Volterra (9.8km at 4.2%). The Dutchman was caught on the primary steep part, after which the higher climbers began their work. Gijs Leemreize tried to push on, however he was unable to get away, in contrast to Filippo Fiorelli, Aurélien Paret-Peintre and once more Alaphilippe. They managed to make a giant hole.
The peloton leaves Viareggio for a little bit of gravel driving
Ten kilometres later there was a regrouping. About 20 riders caught the three on the entrance, whereas the peloton led by UAE Workforce Emirates was additionally coming again. A brand new assault got here from the entrance group and it was Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Kaden Groves. The Australian had Pelayo Sánchez and Julian Alaphilippe (once more) on his wheel. Then Luke Plapp, Matteo Trentin and Martin Marcellusi crossed to them. Then the peloton then eased off the fuel.
There have been many assaults, nevertheless it took greater than 100 kilometres earlier than a break succeeded
There have been seven riders within the lead, as Andrea Vendrame managed to leap to the group. Groves took the intermediate dash to get nearer to the factors jersey of Jonathan Milan. The lead elevated to over 3 minutes, this made Plapp the digital chief. The Jayco AlUla rider was twenty first general at 33 seconds behind Pogačar.
Having received Strade Bianche, you wouldn’t assume Tadej Pogačar would have any issues at the moment
On the primary gravel part, the 4.4 kilometre Vidritta, the break misplaced time, they now solely had 2 minutes on the peloton, the place INEOS Grenadiers had been on the entrance. Plapp lifted the tempo on the second gravel part of Bagnaia. He dropped all the opposite riders, besides Alaphilippe and Sánchez.
Plapp and Alaphilippe needed an early begin on the gravel
The peloton was nonetheless getting nearer, because of the work of Jonathan Milan, then by Thymen Arensman. The Dutchman pushed exhausting on the Grotti (2.5km at 6%). On that gravel climb the peloton was slowed and GC riders Ben O’Connor, Cian Uijtdebroeks and Daniel Felipe Martínez needed to cease. They had been delayed for a short while, however all managed to get again to the bunch.
Village streets and gravel – What extra might you need?
Between the second and third gravel sections, Mikkel Frølich Honoré tried to cross from the peloton to Trentin, Marcellusi, Groves and Vendrame. Nevertheless, the Dane, who’s racing with a damaged rib after a crash on the 4th stage, ended up caught between the 2 teams. The break took slightly extra time from the peloton as INEOS Grenadiers, which had been working exhausting, stopped chasing. UAE Workforce Emirates had been now in management, however they weren’t that desirous about closing the hole.
Mud was on the menu at the moment
The three elevated their lead once more to 2:30, after which INEOS Grenadiers began to chase once more. After the final gravel part the distinction was lowered to lower than 1 minute. Plapp was now out of the digital pink, however he, and Alaphilippe or Sánchez might nonetheless win the stage. Though Sánchez misjudged a roundabout 11 kilometres from the end and Alaphilippe needed to brake exhausting. The Australian was now within the lead and solo, so he pushed on.
Might the break go all the way in which once more?
Alaphilippe got here inside a number of meters of the Australian, however then cracked. Sánchez wasn’t completed and got here again from behind and the Spaniard and Frenchman labored collectively to shut down Plapp, and so the two-time World champion was once more in with an opportunity of the stage win. 5 kilometres from the end, on the final steep ramp of the day, Alaphilippe attacked, placing Plapp in bother. The three had been nonetheless collectively and combating for the victory, though the peloton was getting very shut. Three kilometres from the end they solely had 20 seconds.
The pink jersey shall be gray by the end
Because it turned, this was simply sufficient time. Behind; Andrea Piccolo jumped away from the peloton, however the three began the final metres with sufficient of a lead. Plapp had ridden very exhausting within the last kilometre to maintain the three away, so he was not concerned within the dash. Alaphilippe began the dash first, however Sánchez fought again to the Frenchman and got here previous him earlier than the end line. This was the Movistar rider’s greatest victory of his profession. Alaphilippe was second, Plapp third.
Plapp, Alaphilippe and Sánchez would battle for the stage win
The pink jersey was by no means removed from the entrance
Stage winner, Pelayo Sánchez (Movistar): “I don’t realise what I’ve carried out. I’m speechless. Because the starting of the yr, the plan was that I’d save power within the first phases for at the moment. I had in thoughts to win the stage from a breakaway however to make was tough. I knew in the course of the race that it will be exhausting to remain away. I did my greatest to avoid wasting power for the very finish. I attempted to remain calm when everybody was attacking. I made my transfer. I attempted to drop Plapp and Alaphilippe nevertheless it was unattainable for me. So my solely option to win was the dash. I’ve all the time dreamed of driving Grand Excursions. I did La Vuelta with Burgos-BH final yr, now it’s my first Giro d’Italia. To win a stage right here is simply craziness.”
Pelayo Sánchez couldn’t consider his personal eyes
Maglia Rosa, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates): “For us, it was excellent if the breakaway stayed away as a result of I didn’t wish to spend an excessive amount of power on the gravel and within the hills. Even when Luke Plapp was to take the Maglia Rosa it will have been positive. For me it was an excellent stage and pleasant to journey once more on the roads of Strade Bianche. The crowds had been nice once more. However I nonetheless favor Strade Bianche. I had good legs at the moment and I hope they’ll be good once more for the time trial tomorrow. It’s an fascinating parcours. I’m not fascinated by successful. I simply wish to really feel good on the bike.”
One other pink day for Tadej Pogačar
# Maintain it PEZ for all of the Giro d’Italia information. stories and outcomes. #
Giro d’Italia Stage 6 Outcome:
1. Pelayo Sánchez (Spa) Movistar in 4:01:08
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal Fast-Step
3. Luke Plapp (Aus) Jayco AlUla at 0:01
4. Andrea Piccolo (Ita) EF Training-EasyPost at 0:24
5. Jhonatan Narváez (Eu) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:29
6. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Jayco AlUla
7. Quinten Hermans (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck
8. Nick Schultz (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech
9. Daniel Felipe Martínez (Col) BORA-hansgrohe
10. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan.
Giro d’Italia Total After Stage 6:
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Workforce Emirates in 23:20:52
2. Geraint Thomas (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:46
3. Daniel Felipe Martínez (Col) BORA-hansgrohe at 0:47
4. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:55
5. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar at 0:56
6. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan at 1:07
7. Juan Pedro López (Spa) Lidl-Trek at 1:11
8. Jan Hirt (CZ) Soudal Fast-Step at 1:13
9. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan at 1:26
10. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF Training – EasyPost.
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly publication to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in highway biking?
