The Australian Kaden Groves won the sixth stage at the Giro d’Italia – however, the focus was on a mass crash with prominent participation on the 227 kilometers from Potenza to Naples.
After 155 kilometers, more than 15 drivers came down with permanent drizzle on the soap route, with the hardest hit Jai Hindley. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe tour specialist had to give up the race and immediately went to the hospital for further investigations.
In addition to Hindley, Giro winner from 2022 and colleague from Primoz Roglic. The German cycling professional Juri Hollmann (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Josef Cerny from Soudal Quick-Step also avoided. In addition, the overall leading Mads Pedersen, Adam Yates and Richard Carapaz, who were able to continue the race.
A winner, but no evaluations and intervals
After the mass crash, the race was initially neutralized and then interrupted, and also advised about the further procedure, since the route was a security risk due to the rain. It continued, but the jury announced that only the outcome of the race would be rated – but there would be no points, time arrears or bonuses for sprint and mountain ratings. So damaged drivers did not have to worry about whether they fall out of maternity leave.
The interruption was the great opportunity for Enzo Paleni and Taco van der Hoorn to get a victory that was not possible before. The Groupama-FDJ and Intermarché-Wanty duo had an early stage and only had a little less than a minute lead 77 kilometers before the finish.
After the break, Paleni and van der Hoorn tried with fresh forces to keep the small cushion, immediately went into the full. In fact, they managed to assert themselves at the top that after half the remaining distance they still had over 40 seconds.
Groves wins after Amalgamation Shortly before the end
While Pedersen drove out with many other drivers and let himself be dropped, the main field continued to fight for the connection to stage the sprinter. 20 kilometers before the finish, however, it was 30 seconds that the teams had to catch up on Paleni and van der Hoorn, ten kilometers before the finish in Naples.
In fact, it seemed as if the duo would stay ahead until the end, as it could even expand the lead for a short time – but 2.5 kilometers before the finish line, the main field of Paleni and van der Hoorn swallowed. The final sprint on the longest giro stage in one day came in which only the victory counted in terms of sport – and Kaden Groves secured it.