To the tunes of Strade Bianche, the 6th stage of the Giro contested this Thursday between Viareggio and Rapoleno Terme (180 km) put the spotlight back on the now stone paths of Tuscany where Pogaçar had distinguished himself last March and which took only three sectors on the occasion of today’s stage. If everyone was waiting for a possible recital from the Slovenian, winner this year of the Italian event, it was ultimately the final breakaway of the day which went to the end with a first victory in the World Tour for Sanchez, leaving Alaphilippe in second step on the podium when he could have ended a drought of 339 days without success.
“I’m happy with my race, I had fun and I have no regrets,” said the former double French world champion upon arrival at the Eurosport microphone. It hurts to come so close to victory. But he (Sanchez) was the strongest and the smartest. It’s frustrating because I really had this step in my head. »
Alaphilippe at the origin of the winning breakaway
An obvious disappointment because after numerous undertakings at the start of the race, it was precisely on the initiative of Alaphilippe that the big fight really began 85 kilometers from the finish with a first clear escape of six riders where the Auvergne managed to isolate himself in the company of the Australian Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), the most dangerous overall, and the Spaniard Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar), defector from Burgos BH and without major references to his record apart from a victory stage at the Tour of Asturias last year and another during the Mallorca challenge this season.
However, everything could have changed ten miles from the finish when Sanchez largely missed a curve, leading Alaphilippe into a bad trajectory, without ultimately having any consequences on the day’s escape since the trio was reconstituted. While the peloton had managed to get back to within twenty seconds of the fugitives two kilometers from the finish and despite a tortuous final stage, it was indeed the trio of courageous people who fought in the sprint for the final victory.
After a day which once again gave pride of place to a breakaway after the victory of Benjamin Thomas the day before and before an important individual time which is announced this Friday between Foligno and Perugia (40.6 km), Pogaçar remains the solid leader of this 107th edition of the Giro.
