As it happened: Giro d'Italia breakaway glory, GC stalemate on stage 6 gravel roads

Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia!

We're just over an hour away from the start of today's stage, which will take the riders 180km from  Viareggio to Rapolano Terme over some hilly ground and some gravel roads.

Three non-starters confirmed so far for today's stage in addition to Adrien Petit (Intermarché-Wanty), who left the race with illness yesterday.

Today, Israel-Premier Tech riders Michael Woods and Nadav Raisberg have both left the race after getting caught in a crash on stage 5. Raisberg has sustained a fracture to his right hand while Woods suffered road rash and mild concussion symptoms.

Riley Pickrell was also caught in the crash, which meant the trio of riders finished in the last three places on the stage. He's set to continue in the race, though.

Florian Lipowitz (Bora-Hansgrohe), who was the revelation of the Tour de Romandie, is also out of the race with illness.

169 riders finished stage 5 and now 166 look set to start today's stage.

A look at the route profile of today's stage.

Check out the stage 5 results and GC picture here with our current Giro d'Italia GC standings roundup.

Benjamin Thomas scored Cofidis' first win of 2024 in Lucca as the four-man breakaway held off the peloton by 11 seconds to upset the sprinters.

'The team were almost happier than me' - Benjamin Thomas secures Cofidis' first 2024 win at Giro d'Italia

Frenchman gunning for gold in Omnium this summer in Paris Olympics

Just under half an hour to go before the start of today's stage now...

Yesterday, the foiled sprinters pointed the finger at race motorbikes, who they say helped the breakaway stick it out to the finish line.

'I'm guessing they got some help from the motos' - Giro d'Italia sprint teams miscalculate in Lucca

Meanwhile, up in the breakaway, second-placed Michael Valgren said he was just happy to be still racing following career-threatening injuries sustained in a crash at the 2022 Route d'Occitanie.

'Just grateful I can still be a cyclist' - Michael Valgren back to his best in Giro d'Italia breakaway

Israel-Premier Tech are now down to five riders as the team have announced that Riley Pickrell will also be heading home from the Giro.

The team has said that they're "not willing to take the risk" of a concussion after Pickrell displayed some signs of confusion following the stage 5 crash.

165 riders at the start today, then.

Just five minutes to go before the riders roll out to start the stage in Viareggio.

Tadej Pogačar rolls to the startline among the various other jersey wearers and classification leaders and we're almost ready to start stage 6.

4km rolling through the neutral zone before the stage proper starts.

Michael Woods one of three Israel-Premier Tech to abandon Giro d’Italia ahead of stage 6

Three Israel-Premier Tech riders caught in stage 5 crash while Florian Lipowitz abandons with illness – a total of 11 riders are out of the race already

A kilometre to go now until the flag drops.

180km to go

Here we go!

EF with the first attack of the day from the flag.

A host of different teams up front in the peloton as the battle for the break begins.

Mikkel Honoré is the EF rider a few seconds off the front.

70km of flat riding to start today's stage.

176km to go

No breakaway just yet.

More attacks fly at the front but nobody is gaining any ground on the peloton.

Martin Marcellusi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) on the move now.

The Italian has a small gap.

160km to go

Mattia Bais and Simon Clarke among the latest attackers.

But they're caught quite quickly and more riders counter.

Andrea Piccolo, Valentin Paret-Peintre and Mirco Maestri now on the move.

They don't last long out front either!

155km to go

Visma-Lease A Bike attack now with Edoardo Affini and Attila Valter.

45km of flat ground to go before the climbing begins.

The Visma duo briefly got a gap but they're back in the peloton now.

Almost 30km of racing done and still no breakaway.

Find out how to watch the 2024 Giro d'Italia with our comprehensive streaming guide.

Julian Alaphilippe now trying a move at the front.

He has Fernando Gaviria and Danny van Poppel with him in this small move.

Andrea Piccolo leads the counter-moves behind.

145km to go

10 seconds for the three leaders.

The three attackers caught now and more attackers go at the front.

It's a long battle for the breakaway today.

A look at the earlier move from Alaphilippe, Gaviria, and Van Poppel.

130km to go

50km of racing down now and still no break off the front.

Israel, EF, QuickStep, AG2R, Bahrain, Cofidis all with men up front.

Simon Clarke goes again now.

The Australian racer gets a few seconds but he has nobody with him.

More attacks fly behind him, however.

Clarke is now brought back.

A bike change in the peloton for Cian Uijtdebroeks.

Matteo Trentin leading the attacks now.

The riders will soon be tackling the first hills of the day/

The fourth-category climb at Volterra is looming.

110km to go

Lewis Askey, Tim van Dijke, and Giulio Pellizzari try a move.

They're on the 8.6km, 4.7% climb now.

Valentin Paret-Peintre and Ewen Costiou now on the move.

We're nearing the 80km mark of the day. Just over 100km to go.

A whole host of riders lined out at the front of the peloton on the way up.

105km to go

Honoré leads another attack.

Now Alaphilippe is back on the move near the top of the climb as Honoré is brought back.

He's attacking with Filippo Fiorelli and Aurélien Paret-Peintre.

100km to go

The trio have a small advantage on the peloton in Volterra.

Marco Frigo is chasing the three leaders.

At the top of the climb it's Fiorelli who outsprints his companions for the KOM points.

The leaders have 14 seconds now on the way down the other side.

Kevin Vermaerke now chasing.

90km to go

All change at the front now as the groups come together and a large move attempts to break away.

Alaphilippe has Kaden Groves and Pelayo Sanchez with him now.

They have 34 seconds on the peloton as more riders come across.

Fiorelli is back along with Luke Plapp and Matteo Trentin.

80km to go

Six men up front for now, then.

They have built a minute's lead over the peloton and it's rising.

Alaphilippe on the move.

UAE Team Emirates lead the peloton at 1:45 down.

Andrea Vendrame is also up in the lead group. Edoardo Zambanini is stuck between break and peloton.

Meanwhile the breakaway riders have passed the first intermediate sprint of the day. Groves takes 12 points there to move to 92 overall, some 42 short of Jonathan Milan.

2:45 for the breakaway riders now.

A look at today's breakaway.

UAE and Ineos lead the peloton.

Just under 6km to go until the riders hit the first sterrato sector of the day.

53km to go

Up at the head of the peloton, several teams have upped the pace on the approach to the sector.

And on to the gravel we go!

Bora-Hansgrohe, Ineos Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates all at the front of the peloton here.

'There'll be a big battle for positions' – Ineos, Geraint Thomas take aim at Giro d'Italia gravel

Local coach Dario Cioni on the secrets of the trek over the strade bianche on stage 6

45km to go

2:20 for the breakaway now after the speeding up in the peloton.

A short break on the tarmac and now the break are on the next sector of the day.

Splits in the peloton after that first sector.

This second sector leads up to the fourth-category climb of Grotti.

Jonathan Milan now heading up the peloton.

Meanwhile, Plapp attacks off the front of the break. Sanchez goes with him.

1:45 from peloton to break now.

Milan leads Ballerini, Lutsenko, Pogačar, Sheffield at the front.

42km to go

Alaphilippe with Plapp and Sanchez up front. Trentin and Groves struggling.

Blue jersey Lilian Calmejane now heads to the front of the peloton as Milan drops away.

Crash in the peloton!

Attila Valter, Dani Martínez among those caught up.

Thymen Arensman leading on the front for Ineos Grenadiers at 1:25 down on the breakaway leaders.

Alaphilippe leads the way over the Grotti climb.

Groves, Trentin, Vendrame, Fiorelli are at 30 seconds down on the leaders.

35km to go

Meanwhile, Honoré has attacked once more.

Two sprints and one gravel sector to go.

UAE working at the head of the peloton with Pogačar in the wheel.

'It's not Strade Bianche' – Tadej Pogačar downplays demands of Giro d'Italia's gravel stage

Maglia rosa insists safety is the priority on the rugged road to Rapolano Terme

50 seconds between the first two groups of the breakaway, 1:30 back to Honoré, then another minute to the peloton.

Ineos Grenadiers leading the way over the first gravel sector of the day earlier on.

30km to go

It's looking good for the leading trio now. A minute up on the rest of the breakaway.

Plapp leads the way through the Intergiro intermediate sprint.

Not much change in the overall situation at the moment.

25km to go

The peloton cross the sprint line at 2:30 down.

Pogačar, Milan, and Ballerini in the dust clouds.

More hills on the way now towards the next intermediate sprint in Pievina.

The leaders now have 1:20 on the chase, two minutes on Honoré, and 2:35 on the peloton.

Plapp is now the virtual race leader by a handful of seconds.

UAE Team Emirates have four men on the front of the peloton with Pogačar at the moment.

20km to go

Pogačar back in the virtual lead now as the gap comes down a little more.

The leaders now a kilometre away from the start of the final sector.

There are crosswinds reported on the gravel sector coming up.

The peloton is closing in on the front of the race. The gap is 2:10 now.

18km to go

The breakaway leaders hit the gravel.

A crash in the peloton and Damiano Caruso and Juan Pedro López are caught up.

This sector is 2.4km long.

Plapp, Sanchez, and Alaphilippe are the only men left out front now. The rest of the break has been caught.

1:35 between the break and peloton now.

15km to go

Alaphilippe leads the group over the final sprint of the day.

Ineos Grenadiers now leading in the peloton.

No moves from the peloton on the final gravel sector of the day.

1:05 between the groups now.

12km to go

No more major hills left, though the road to the finish is largely uphill. There's a small 1km, 8% rise 5km out.

Sanchez and Alaphilippe slow down after misjudging a roundabout. Behind them, Plapp slows down in time and flies past on the exit.

Alaphilippe gets back on as Sanchez fights to come across the gap.

10km to go

The riders now passing through the town of Asciano. Plapp drops Alaphilippe.

He drops back to Sanchez who brings the pair back up to Plapp.

10km to go

1:05 between break and peloton now.

Ineos continue to lead the peloton with UAE lined up behind.

The riders tackling the gravel earlier on today.

8km to go

1:10 now. The lead trio are still together.

Juan Pedro López is reportedly still chasing back on with a teammate helping him.

Sanchez and Alaphilippe chasing back to Plapp not long ago.

55 seconds for the leaders now.

6km to go

The gap is only coming down now.

The break heading closer to Rapolano Terme now. They have just 40 seconds.

Into the final 5km...

Bora-Hansgrohe now at the head of the peloton.

Plapp makes a move and Sanchez counters.

Alaphilippe goes with Sanchez and Plapp comes back as they take on that late climb.

They're coming towards the top and the steep gradients on the 8% hill.

Alaphilippe leading the group up. Plapp at the rear and dropping.

Sanchez has stuck with Alaphilippe and Plapp is back on, too.

Romain Bardet pushes the pace at the head of the peloton.

4km to go

No big gaps at the front of the peloton.

Now the lead trio are back together on the other side, 20 seconds up.

Another small climb coming up, though not as steep as that one.

3km to go

20 seconds remains.

No further attacks yet.

Andrea Piccolo attacks from the peloton.

2km to go

The gap is still 20 seconds.

No moves at the front.

Another small climb here.

Plapp leads the way.

1km to go

Alaphilippe and Sanchez follow.

Now a slowdown up front.

Sanchez drops to the rear of the group.

22 seconds.

Plapp leads with 800 metres to go.

Four hours of racing done.

Plapp still on the front here.

400 to go!

An uphill sprint to the line.

The sprint is launched at 150 to go!

Alaphilippe jumps with Sanchez.

Plapp can't handle the pace.

Sanchez pulls ahead of Alaphilippe!

Finish

Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar) wins stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia!

The 24-year-old has raced the Vuelta a España twice before but this is his first Grand Tour win.

Alaphilippe and Juan Pedro López, who made it back to the peloton before the finish, congratulate Sanchez.

That's Movistar's 24th Giro d'Italia stage victory.

Jhonatan Narváez led the peloton home at 29 seconds down ahead of Luka Mezgec and Quinten Hermans.

Pelayo Sanchez celebrates as he takes the stage win today.

At one point Luke Plapp was up in the virtual overall lead, but Tadej Pogačar is safe in the maglia rosa.

Here's what Pelayo Sanchez had to say after winning the stage...

"This is amazing. I don't have words. This is a crazy day for me Since the start of the Giro, I tried to save energy because I knew I didn't have the shape to be in the front in the first days. So, I tried to save energy for today and I could be in the breakaway. But I could never imagine winning the stage. It's crazy. I don't have words.

"I knew that it was going to be a really hard day, all day full gas. I tried to save energy and wait for my moment. After two hours of racing everyone started attacking, so I made my move.

"I was in the break so I tried to be calm and eliminate some riders. In the end, I was with Plapp and Alaphilippe, so I tried to collaborate with them. I also tried to drop them but it was impossible for me. I tried in the sprint and luckily I was the fastest in the end."

Sanchez celebrates with his teammates after the win.

Giro d'Italia: Pelayo Sánchez shuts down Alaphilippe and Plapp for stage 6 victory

Breakaway trio upstages day focused dirt roads to Rapolano Terme

Here's what third-placed man Luke Plapp said after the stage...

"It was an insane day. The race was out of control the whole stage. It was ridiculous for the first 80km and when it went out of control I was able to jump. Kaden Groves actually set it up, he was amazing for a sprinter we all know how well he can climb, that was incredible.

"Then the three of us worked reasonably well to the finish, we played games a bit. I was half eyes on looking for time and half looking for the stage, so I ended up riding a bit harder than the others, but in the end I'm happy.

"I knew they were never going to let it go. You could see from the gaps they were keeping they weren't willing to let the jersey go. I tried to be efficient and save for tomorrow. It was a good day, beautiful weather and good fun out there in the break.

"I felt really strong on the climbs but those two were super punchy so it was always going to be really hard to get away, especially on those short climbs. I knew I wasn't quicker than them in the sprint. I tried to actually go on the gravel climb a long way out but they were able to stay with me. I'm just glad we worked reasonably well together."

The current GC standings at the Giro d'Italia after stage 6

Tadej Pogačar stays in pink as the Strade Bianche fails to disrupt the order at the top

Celebrations for Sanchez on the podium today.

While Tadej Pogačar is still in the maglia rosa.

Jonathan Milan back in the maglia ciclamino tonight.

Pogačar is in blue as the mountain classification leader.

And finally, Cian Uijtdebroeks remains in white as best young rider.

All eyes now turn to Friday's 40.6km stage 7 time trial in Perugia which features a climb to the finish.

We'll have more news and reaction from stage 6 coming through the evening as well as a full preview of the upcoming time trial. And of course full live coverage of tomorrow's stage, too.