(Rome) The Spaniard Pelayo Sanchez won the 6e stage of the Tour of Italy on Thursday in Rapolano Terme, ahead of Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe.
Sanchez signed his first victory in a Grand Tour at the age of 24, ahead of Alaphilippe and the Australian Luke Plapp, his two breakaway companions.
The three riders escaped 45 km from the finish in this stage which took the white gravel paths of the Strade Bianche classic.
They were up to three minutes ahead of the peloton, making Plapp the new virtual leader of the 2024 Giro, but the favorites returned in the final and failed to fall within a handful of seconds of the breakaways.
The Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, leader of the general classification since his victory in the 2e stage and big favorite of this 2024 Giro, retained his pink leader’s jersey.
He is aiming for the Tour d’Italia/Tour de France double achieved the same year for the last time in 1998 by the Italian Marco Pantani.