Giro D'Italia 2016: Stage 6 Winner, Highlights, Updated Standings and Schedule
Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal won a tactical race in Stage 6 of the 2016 Giro d'Italia, as the competition reached the first mountain stage in changeable weather on Thursday.
Wellens sprinted clear as the peloton opted to roll to the finish, giving the 25-year-old the ground he needed to be victorious.
However, it was general classification leader Tom Dumoulin who added to his cause to win the Giro, finishing strongly to extend his GC challenge.
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Lotto made it a second success in as many days after Andre Greipel won Stage 5 on Wednesday.
The Giro posted a picture of Wellens crossing the line, dismounting to carry his bike over his head in joyous celebration:
The Inner Ring provided the Stage 6 positions:
Sky Sports Cycling confirmed the result and the overall standings and classifications:
Here is the forthcoming schedule:
| 7 | May 13 | Sulmona-Foligno | 211 km (131 mi) | Hill |
| 8 | May 14 | Foligno-Arezzo | 186 km (116 mi) | Mountain |
| 9 | May 15 | Radda in Chianti-Greve in Chianti | 40.5 km (25 mi) | TT |
| Rest Day | May 16 | |||
| 10 | May 17 | Campi Bisenzio-Sestola | 219 km (136 mi) | Mountain |
Stage 6 was a tactical affair as Giant-Alpecin controlled a slow pace for pink jersey holder Dumoulin.
The peloton crawled along for much of the action as no team took the chance to attack the Maglia Rosa.
With two steep climbs in the first half of the race, and a challenging summit toward the finish line, the Maglia Rosa group stayed tight-knit and refused to expend any unnecessary energy against windy conditions.
The Giro provided information on the stage and the tough gradients:
Astana's Italian rider Vincenzo Nibali was hotly tipped before the stage to finish favourably with the Shark's racing skills in the mountains undoubted.
Three riders took the advantage early—as Alessandro Bisolti, Eugert Zhupa and Alexandr Kolobnev of Gazprom-Rusvelo broke away with 131 kilometres to go.
The early sprint was largely ignored by Giant and Team Sky, allowing the trio plenty of minutes.
The gap grew to six minutes very quickly, but still, the Maglia Rosa group were clearly disinterested as they sat back.
Giant continued to hold the peloton back, but Sky tucked themselves in near the front rider as the roads became steeper.
Wellens committed to the front group in an attempt to win his first grand tour stage, and his tactics paid off in perfect fashion.
Nibali was largely patient for most of the race and saved his first attack until only 2km to go. Dumoulin opted to give chase with Nibali, as the peloton had clearly decided not to push for a victory or a frantic finish.
Wellens took the lead on his own with 7km to go, making sure Nibali's late move was mistimed.
The Giro highlighted the Belgian's telling attack that blew the field away:
All of Thursday's action was saved for the final moments of the stage as Dumoulin stepped up the pace after four hours in the saddle.
Wellens' lead of three minutes made the end of a race a procession, but the winner executed his plan to give him time at the finish of the race. The Belgian climbed with ruthless aggression, but Dumoulin's efforts will be noted as he was meant to suffer Thursday.
Instead, the pink jersey rider looked strong in the closing stage, out of his seat and rapidly covering the ground.
Dumoulin had plenty in the tank in the closing kilometres, and Nibali struggled to give the answers his many fans would want as he challenges to win the Giro.
The Maglia Rosa is truly deserved after a punishing stage, and the race for the prize has now begun in earnest.
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