The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

2015 Giro d'Italia: Stage 6 highlights, live blog

14th May, 2015
General Classification
1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 16:05:54
2 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:02
3 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky 0:00:20
4 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:00:22
5 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:28
6 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica GreenEdge 0:00:37
7 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 0:00:56
8 Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:01:01
9 Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team 0:01:15
10 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 0:01:18
Alberto Contador was unable to don the leader's after a crash-marred Stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia. (Tinkoff-Saxo)
Roar Guru
14th May, 2015
65

An opportunity for the peloton to have a relatively easy day after three arduous medium mountain stages, the 2015 Giro d’Italia continues with an 183 kilometre-long sprint stage from Montecatini Terme to Castiglione Della Pescaia. Join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 6 from 11:30pm (AEST).

After gaining the Maglia Rosa yesterday on the Abetone summit finish, the Tinkoff–Saxo team will be in for a long day of setting the pace in the peloton, such is the responsibility of leading a Grand Tour.

Eventually the sprinters’ teams should takeover the responsibility of bringing back any breakaways, however you can be sure they will leave it as late as possible.

While classified as a sprint stage the parcours features one Category 4 climb and several unclassified lumps and bumps, with the categorised Pomarance climb (6.3km at 4.4 per cent) reaching a maximum grade of 11 per cent. So the peloton need to drag themselves over an undulating middle third of the stage before reaching the finish.

The final 20 kilometres of the stage will be flat as a pancake as the peloton ride towards the Tirreno Sea, with the prospect of a mild headwind or cross-headwind. Current forecasts are predicting 15-20kmh strong south to south-easterly winds en route to the coastal port of Castiglione Della Pescaia.

Coming in to town for the predicted sprint finish are two 90-degree bends and one small roundabout. The first 90-degree (left-hand) bend arrives with 2.7 kilometres to go, the second (right-hand) bend with just 2.3 kilometres to go, and the roundabout with just 1500 metres to go.

The final 1000 metres of the stage will be on an almost dead straight 7.5-metre-wide asphalt road set back one block from the nearby beach front. As a result lead-out trains should play a influential role, stringing out the peloton to secure superior road position heading in to the sprint often a crucial aspect.

On paper the finale looks perfectly suited to Lotto–Soudal’s Andre Greipel, and without a victory so far this Giro he will be keen to reassert his superiority. The German’s supporting cast however will need to be prepared for a tough fight up against the other teams’ sprint trains.

Advertisement

The Italian favourite for today will likely be Team Sky’s Elia Viviani, who still wears the Maglia Rossa (red jersey) of the points classification. While the Italian will be without much of a lead-out as the team looks after team leader Richie Porte, if he can shadow the right wheels to the front of the pack he will put in a very competitive performance.

Bringing a dedicated team for the sprint stages to the Giro, there will be an onus Trek Factory Racing to snatch the stage honours. The team will likely be riding in support of Giacomo Nizzolo similar to Stage 2, won by Viviani.

Another team who should be very competitive in the finale are Giant–Alpecin, as the German team look to secure at least one stage victory with Luka Mezgec. While they are not here with their very best lead-out riders, as long as they can nail the consistency usually associated with their sprint trains Mezgec should be up there fighting for stage honours.

With a lead-out containing the likes of Maximiliano Richeze and Roberto Ferrai it would be foolish to overlook the chances of Lampre–Merida’s Sacha Modolo. No matter if the road is flat or at an incline the Italian can be expected to be fiercely competitive, even up against some of the very best sprinters.

Other sprinters in with an outside chance of claiming the stage honours include IAM Cycling’s Matteo Pelucchi, Orica-GreenEDGE’s Michael Matthews, Bardiani – CSF’s Nicola Ruffoni, Etixx–Quick-Step’s Tom Boonen, Movistar’s J.J Lobato and LottoNL–Jumbo’s Moreno Hofland.

close