Marianne Vos powers to Stage 6 win as Annemiek van Vleuten defends pink at Giro Donne

Marianne Vos (Jumbo–Visma) won Stage 6 of the Giro Donne as Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) showed her descending prowess to defend the pink jersey.

The Jumbo Visma rider launched a well timed sprint finish to claim her second stage win of this years race and her 32nd Giro Donne win.

The riders tackled a 114.7km route on Wednesday, starting in Sarnico and finishing with a run into Bergamo, and featuring five 18km laps around Sarnico before a 25km sprint to the finish with the laps containing the short, punchy cat 3 climb of San Pantaleone.

With 50km to go the peloton were all together in a relatively uneventful stage. However, this would soon change at the fourth crest of San Panteleone.

It was Lucinda Brand (Trek Segafrdeo) who went first as she came over the climb ahead of her rivals and started to open up a gap on the technical descent. Canyon Sram attempted to follow the Dutchwomen but were unable to keep up on a fast flowing downhill section.

Kristen Faulkner (Bike Exchange-Jayco) would bridge the gap to Brand but the pair were unable to create a substantial gap to a charging peloton and they were quickly reeled in.

Ultimately it was a day of attacks and counter attacks with the peloton happy for riders to have a go. Marianne Vos had an attempt of her own on the final descent of the categorised climb but she would soon be swallowed up by the pack.

The final breakaway came in the form of French rider Victoire Berteau (Cofidis) who accelerated away from the peloton with 25km to go. It was a mammoth effort from the Cofidis rider who divides her time between road and track cycling.

She was able to open up a gap of 48” back to the pack at its peak but by the time the final uncategorized climb came with 5km to go that had been reduced to 26”.

The Frenchwomen was caught with 4km to go as Marianne Voss alongside general classification hopefuls Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) and Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) launched a three pronged attack.

Maglia Rosa holder Van Vlueten recovered superbly on the descent following the climb after having to unclip from her bike after a Canyon Sramm rider fell.

On the long sweeping descent to the finish line the pink jersey holder alongside a group containing Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) and Kristen Faulkner caught the leading trio to set up a reduced bunch sprint finish.

Vos took the wheel of Faulkner after Kopecky launched her attack with 200m to go. Vos showed her power to come around and win comfortably to secure her second win of this year’s race and her 32nd Giro Donne stage victory.

Following her downhill heroics Van Vleuten remains in pink, losing no time to her general classification competitors in a thrilling finish.

Van Vleuten leads the GC by 25 seconds from Garcia, with Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) at 57 seconds.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) 14:50:05s

2. Mavi Garcia (UAE Team ADQ) +0:25s

3. Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +0:57s

4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) +5:00s

5. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +5:13s

6. Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange – Jayco) +5:14s

7. Silvia Persico (Valcar Travel & Service) +5:25s

8. Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx) +5:28s

9. Elise Chabbey (Canyon Sram) +5:57s

10. Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine) +5:55s

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