Stage 6 is the final chance for the punchy riders to gain time before the TT. Some of the stronger TT guys left near the front almost lost time on S4 so they will have to be on guard today. This stage features a similar finishing circuit centered on a punchy climb. This time the key climb is to Macerata, it is 2.7k at 5.7% with grades up to 12.2% and ranked Cat 3. The climbs is tackled 3 times with the last one being the finish. Each climb is preceded by a short, sharp unmarked climb and about 2k of gentle descending.
There is also a fairly tame Cat 1 climb early in the stage. Only the first and last ascent to Macerata awards KOM points which means there are just 28 total points on offer. Even if second place Atkins took all of them, he would still lose the KOM jersey to Katrasnik by 1 point. Ther is only 1 sprint point, which comes after the first climb to Macerata, if the break is caught early it might matter to the GC.
The top two favorites are Gidich and De Bie, both have kept pace at the front without really showing themselves. They would both love to get at least some bonus seconds before the TT. The master of that so far has been Vansevenant, and he is the third man at the top of the favorites.
The first attack includes both Trakhov and Würtz. The Russian is 2’47 down on GC but is a strong puncheur. They and 6 others got to 42 seconds ahead but Fastned doesn’t seem to like this and are chasing.
Fastned shuts down multiple attacks by Trakhov and others and with 30k gone there is still no break. The latest attempt comes from 3 rider who have been multiple attempts before. It is Bravo, Hosek, and Firdaus and they have 17 seconds. So far no reaction from Fastned, but they have been willing to let small groups get away before.
Another 10k later that group is brought back as multiple riders trying to bridge up to them draw Fastned’s attention.
118k now, an uncategorized climb led to 6 riders getting away in ones and two. The front three have come together now and have 1’05. They are Hosek and Firdaus again, this time with Setiawa along. The next three are together but are 48 seconds behind this group and have just 17 seconds on Fastned who are chasing again. That threesome is Stuyven, Sulvaran, Lazkano. Fastned using up their resources early and all the riders might feel this pace later.
Fastned gets help from Oxxo-Frisby, MOL, King Power and Assa Abloy and shuts down the second threesome. And then the front 3 are given some leash and with 112k to go their lead is up to 2’04. They are on the Cat 1 now, it is 10.6k at 3.5%.
By the top that leash hasn’t extend much and they are only 2’19 ahead. Hosek attacks and takes maximum points ahead of Setiawa.
The remaining points go to domestiques which means Hosek is now 3rd in the KOM 5 points behind Atkins. He has to survive another 60k to get more points. The other two breakaway riders don't have much interest in the KOM competition.
The teams mentioned earlier are all willing to help Fastned at least some of the time and the lead hovers around 3’30 for a while but with 68k to ride King Power has gone to the front with 3 riders (Sanikwathi, Salzmann, and Menten) and some uncategorized climbs are causing a few splits. We will see if they persist.
50k to go the lead down to 2’07 with Oxxo-Frisby (Marin), Assa Abloy (Rickaert, Girmay), King Power (Sanikwathi) on the front. The peloton is still together except for Holm Jorgensen but in 13k the riders will tackle the Macerata climb for the first time
As the peloton crests the unmarked ascent before the Macerata climb they have reduced the lead to 1’24. Salazar on the front.
Hosek only gets 2nd place points at the top, he will remain in 3rd in the KOM competition unless he survives to the finish which seems unlikely with 37k to ride at and the gap at 1’03. You can see the finish line in the background, it is slightly before the top of the climb where the KOM points are being scored.
The peloton stays together over the climb with only about 10 riders being dropped. Unfortunately for ZARA, one of them is their best GC man Rodriguez (24th), who punctured, he is trying to rejoin. The break also took out the sprint point although Hosek has been dropped and has just 31 seconds on the peloton. The other two are 20 seconds further ahead.
25k to go, the break is over, about 2.5k to the 2nd ascent of to Macerata. Ruiz on the front. Rodriguez is 2’49 down, ZARA have chosen not to send anyone back for him.
No attacks on the 2nd ascent as Girmay and Salazar lead them over. Peloton down to 126, not looking good for Rodriguez as he is having to work through dropped riders.
A small split occurs on the descent with a gap after the first 44 riders. Kron just behind the split but he should be able to get across. Geoghegan Hart and Pidcock seem to have learned their lesson and are both in the first 10 riders in the front group. Padun also safe although not as well placed as those two.
7k to go, the 115-rider peloton is on the uncategorized climb before the final ascent to Macerata. It doesn’t look like there will be gaps today, it will all be about bonus seconds. Rodriguez is the only member of the GC top 25 not present.
2k to go they are on to the final climb. Peloton down to 70 with Skjelmose Jensen, who has had a pretty anonymous race, the most notable name dropped. Pidcock and Evenepoel on the front. Most of the favorites well placed although Demare seems a little far back, he is behind the three cycleYorkshire riders.
1.4k to go. Bax did some nice work to get Vansevenant into position on the far right and he looks poised to strike. Gidich still has Herregodts in front of him but the rest are on their own although there are a cluster of Gazelle riders. De Bie could have used some help as he has been shuffled well back and Demare is a few riders behind him.
1.3k it is Pidcock vs Vansevenant. Next row is Malecki, Gesbert, Valter, Herregodts, Evenepoel, and Higuita.
Under the 1k banner Vansevenant has the edge due to the inside line. Evenepoel and Herregodts have dropped back as Gidich and Yates move up.
Pidcock looks spent and Vansevenant is beginning to tire. Valter and Yates coming fast. Malecki losing ground as De Bie emerges as best of the rest.
400 meters, Valter has the lead, Vansevenant hanging tough. Demare has emerged a little further back but everyone moving at about the same speed.
200 meters for Valter, pretty much status quo. There is a split behind the first 40 riders, nobody important is behind the gap. Skjelmose Jensen has fought himself into a respectable position but is still behind the split.
Valter wins stage 6 and has time for a celebration. Vansevenant will pad his lead with a few more bonus seconds for 2nd, a gutsy ride for him. Gidich is almost up to Yates for 3rd.
Yates hangs on to 3rd and the valuable bonus seconds. Gidich is 4th then Higuita and Pidcock.
Gesbert , Malecki and De Bie are the next three.
Evenepoel takes 10th. An 11 second gap is awarded after De Bie so Evenepoel, Geoghegan Hart and Plapp, who are all in that group will have a little more work to do in the TT.
Vansevenant expands his GC lead to 45 seconds over Pidcock while Valter moves into 3rd on 49 seconds. Vansevenant are also 1-2 in the young rider competition, with 4 riders tied for 3rd, that will be decided tomorrow.
Vansevenant takes over the points lead from Pidcock, so he looks likely to win that competition and Katrasnik will be the King of the Mountains.
Assa Abloy had a bad day and dropped back in the teams competition. Gazelle takes over sole possession of 1st ahead of Jura by having one rider ahead of the 11 second split. But that could definitely change tomorrow.
Tirreno - Adriatico 
