RACE LEADER MICHAEL Matthews of Australia won the gruelling sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday as compatriot Cadel Evans lurked on a day’s racing marred by a nasty crash.
Ireland’s Nicolas Roche was one of those involved in the crash in question, which caused him to lose 15 minutes in general classification and left his hopes of success in jeopardy.
Matthews, 23, surged home in a sprint finish to the 257km stage from Sassano to Montecassino, the longest on the Tour, ahead of Belgian Tim Wellens and Evans.
The leading peloton had a 49sec advantage over the main chasing pack that included a host of rivals to Evans, the big beneficiary of the day’s racing.
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Heavy rain made for a slick surface and there were two falls in the final 12km, 8.7km of which was a steep climb.
Evan’s BMC teammate, Switzerland’s Steve Morabito, accelerated away to build up a lead that the fallen riders were unable to reel in.
In the general classication, Matthews has a 21sec lead over Evans, with Colombian Rigoberto Uran at 1min 18sec.
Friday’s seventh stage is a 231km ride from Frosinone to Foligno.
Results in the Giro d’Italia on Thursday, after the 257km sixth stage from Sassano to Montecassino:
Stage
1. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) 6hr 37min 01sec, 2. Tim Wellens (BEL/LTB) same time, 3. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC)s.t., 4. Matteo Rabottini (ITA/NRI) s.t., 5. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/ORI) at 13sec, 6. Steve Morabito (SUI/BMC) 23sec, 7. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 49, 8. Mauro Finetto (ITA/NRI), s.t., 9. Diego Ulissi (ITA/LAM), 10. Fabio Duarte (COL/COL),11. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM), 12. Diego Rosa (ITA/AND), 13. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST), 14. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM), 15. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ), 16. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT), 17. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN), 18. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC), 19. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV), 20. Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (ITA/BAR) all 49sec
Selected
28. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) 49sec … 35. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 1min 29sec … 171. Nicolas Roche (EIR/TIN) 15:08
Overall
1. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) 24hr 18min 14sec, 2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 21sec, 3. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) at 1min 18sec, 4. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 1:25, 5. Steve Morabito (SUI/BMC) 1:25, 6. Matteo Rabottini (ITA/NRI) 1:25, 7. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/ORI) 1:47, 8. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 1:51, 9. Tim Wellens (BEL/LTB) 1:52, 10. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) 2:0611. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 2:08, 12. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 2:11, 13. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 2:11, 14. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 2:11, 15. Diego Ulissi (ITA/LAM) 2:22, 16. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/TRE) 2:24, 17. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 2:28, 18. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/BMC) 2:34, 19. Dario Cataldo (ITA/SKY) 2:36, 20. Gianluca Brambilla (ITA/OPQ) 2:46
I don’t know if I’m ok with Evans and BMC riding on as in the 2012 TDF I think I remember Evans puncturing cis of nails in the road but the peloton waited. Then when Rolland attacked he was vilified. Anyway first Dan, then Philip yesterday and now Nico. Not having the best of luck but at least GC pressure is off now so they can attack for stage wins. Every cloud and all that.
Yeah Stephen, Sean Kelly said the same so suppose that’s the way it crumbles. Pity really. Only 3 or 4 contenders now with Purrito retiring and Majka and Roche losing 15mins.
Johnny Hugeland, who went into the barbed wire, got back on his bike, finished the stage, went on the podium (in tears) to collect his king of the mountains jersey, did 30 minutes of press interviews and only THEN went to hospital to get 30 something stitches in his butt.
Next day he got back on his bike and he completed the tour a couple of weeks later. The stuff of legend.
The grand tours are tough, the classics are were real men are made. No more so than Paris Roubaix, brutal. Check out “A Sunday in hell” on youtube. Some say Roy Keane was the toughest this country has ever produced, for me its Sean Kelly. One of the greatest Classics riders in history.
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No mention of Philip Duignan, the other Irish competitor . . . .not even in the selected results?!? C’mon lads, sloppy reporting
I don’t know if I’m ok with Evans and BMC riding on as in the 2012 TDF I think I remember Evans puncturing cis of nails in the road but the peloton waited. Then when Rolland attacked he was vilified. Anyway first Dan, then Philip yesterday and now Nico. Not having the best of luck but at least GC pressure is off now so they can attack for stage wins. Every cloud and all that.
Race was on, 10k to go, Evans and Matthews had every right to go. People would be giving out if they’d slowed up as well.
Yeah Stephen, Sean Kelly said the same so suppose that’s the way it crumbles. Pity really. Only 3 or 4 contenders now with Purrito retiring and Majka and Roche losing 15mins.
Yeah tis a pity alright. At least there’s guaranteed attacks from now on. Good clip of Kelly commentating earlier in the week:
http://youtu.be/S6_KAwV8DL8
Class well spotted
Only 10k to go aswell. Never seen so many crashes in the first week of a grand tour.
I remember the Tour de France had a huge spate of crashes a couple of years ago, none more spectacular than this
http://youtu.be/mYPDAry-A-s
Johnny Hugeland, who went into the barbed wire, got back on his bike, finished the stage, went on the podium (in tears) to collect his king of the mountains jersey, did 30 minutes of press interviews and only THEN went to hospital to get 30 something stitches in his butt.
Next day he got back on his bike and he completed the tour a couple of weeks later. The stuff of legend.
The grand tours are tough, the classics are were real men are made. No more so than Paris Roubaix, brutal. Check out “A Sunday in hell” on youtube. Some say Roy Keane was the toughest this country has ever produced, for me its Sean Kelly. One of the greatest Classics riders in history.
Some irish luck we are having bring on the TDF if Dan is up to it
Catnip
Roche does not like the rain and he cant descend no hope of a top 10 finish.
What true sportsmen !
99. DEIGNAN Philip SKY 00:07:43
He finished down in 99 position today loosing 7.43min unfortunatly.