Tirreno-Adriatico: Isaac del Toro wins stage 6 summit finish to extend race lead

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) consolidated his lead at Tirreno-Adriatico with a thrilling victory on the uphill stage 6 finale into Camerino, staying cool to mark every move in the run for home before sprinting away from Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) to take the win.

The Mexican rider was isolated on the final climb after work from Visma had split the peloton leading into the final climb, but Del Toro was more than up to the task as second-place on GC, Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Jorgenson were among those who tried to attack him.

He lived up to the expectation as he calmly chased them all down, before dancing away on the pedals for his first stage win of the week. He extended his lead with 10 bonus seconds on the line and a small three-second gap to his chasing rivals.

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Jorgenson was pipped to the line for second by Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), with Pellizzari surviving his big efforts to finish fourth on the day, nine seconds down. He held onto second overall, but with only a one-second lead on Jorgenson.

"We've been quite close for two days, but today was very nice, honestly. I'm super happy, but I also have mixed feelings, but this is just for the guys and the staff, really. They all did a great job and I'm super proud," said Del Toro.

Pellizzari made two attacks to try and distance him, and an especially big one in the final 700 metres, which the blue jersey of Del Toro didn't immediately snap onto, saying: "I wasn't sure [I would bring it back] because it was super hard; I knew it was super strong, so I could not let him get too far away. I just tried to pull him back, but it was super tough.

"Let's see how it is tomorrow, but I want to be attentive and secure the job," he finished, with just an expected final sprint stage into San Benedetto del Tronto left to complete before he confirms overall victory at Tirreno-Adriatico.

How it unfolded

With the final GC day on the menu at Tirreno-Adriatico on stage 6, several riders were interested in getting into the day's breakaway, and it was long-term rivals Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) who lit things up right from the flag drop.

Try as they did, alongside the likes of Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana), they were unable to get away and eventually missed the seven-man attack that went up the road, sparked by Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers).

The Italian was joined in front by Gregor Mühlberger (Decathlon CMA CGM), Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost), Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ United), Walter Calzoni (Pinarello Q36.5), Timo Kielich (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana).

With 188km and more than 4000m of elevation gain to tackle on the second brutally hilly day in Italy's Marche region in a row, the climbs came thick and fast, but the breakaway did survive over the top of the longest climb, Sassotetto (13.1 km at 7.3%), with a lead of over four minutes.

As the short, sharp undulations started, Julian Alaphilippe decided to start putting the hurt on for Tudor, with UAE Team Emirates-XRG close behind, which dropped Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and reduced the bunch significantly during the first lap of the circuit to the finish.

In front, the break split as the road continued to go uphill, Mühlberger and Braz Afonso clearly the strongest of the seven on the first time up the 3km climb to the finish in Camerino, which the riders would tackle two more times, including to the finish line.

Richard Carapaz (EF education-EasyPost) attacked out of the peloton for the second day running, joining up with teammate Albanese – who had dropped out of the breakaway – on the climb to the line with 57.8km to go. He quickly built a minute lead over the peloton with 1:15 still to make up on the leading duo.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG began pacing for leader Del Toro, but with Bahrain-Victorious in second wheel, ready to try and boost Santiago Buitrago's 10th position on GC higher up the rankings.

Carapaz reached the other breakaway remnants behind the leading duo, but his time in front was soon ended by UAE's high pace, leaving the situation with 36km to go with only Mühlberger and Braz Afonso in front and 1:30 still to make up for the peloton.

As Camerino welcomed the riders for the second time, the break remained in front, but with less than a minute of their lead still intact. UAE were continuing to turn the screw for Del Toro through Jan Christen.

There was a big chance in the peloton, though, as Visma-Lease a Bike moved to the front in the final 24km. Such was the aggression of Kielich and then Tim Rex that the breakaway duo were almost caught, and the front of the peloton split up completely, leaving around only 25 riders in front.

Del Toro was isolated with only Christen left to help him, but Jorgenson, too, only had Wout van Aert for company in the finale. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe were well positioned to try and strike with Pellizzari, Roglič and Jai Hindley all making it into the group.

Mühlberger and Braz Afonso's time in front was finally ended with 7km to go on stage 6, with 3km still to go before they reached the foot of the final climb to the line. Christen soon ran out of steam, and Jayco AlUla took over to complete the final approach, but their slow pace prompted a counter from Van Aert into the last 4km.

He led by 10 seconds onto the final climb, but Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) quickly came around him for a long-range shot at the stage win. Roglič assumed control on the front with Del Toro in his wheel, but without Pellizzari in the right position.

This was no problem for the Italian, however, who then tried to launch away in the final 2.4km, but Del Toro had more than enough to respond instantly, with Jorgenson sat in his wheel, before applying the pressure himself.

More speculative attacks came from the likes of Michael Storer (Tudor) and Pellizzari as Del Toro was initially forced to do all of the work himself. Uno-X Mobility weren't happy with the situation, however, and soon moved to the lead to chase the Italian and Healy, who had joined together in front.

Del Toro stayed calm in the group behind and started dancing on the pedals in the final 700 metres to reel back in the man on home roads. He countered him with 500 metres to go, but Jorgenson continued to shadow him before trying an attack of his own, which only the Mexican could follow.

Jorgenson led out the last charge to the line, but Del Toro always seemed like he had enough in the tank to come around the US rider. He did so with one big acceleration and was able to celebrate his first stage win of the race with a three-second margin, all but confirming the GC win with only a sprint stage to come tomorrow.

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