Giro d'Italia: Dillier denies Stuyven to win stage 6

Image 1 of 42

Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing) claimed his maiden Grand Tour stage win Thursday on stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia in Terme Luigiane. The Swiss rider beat fellow breakaway away companions Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) and Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) in sprint to the line after more than 200 kilometres on the attack.

Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) finished safely in the main field to retain his race lead over Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates.

Dillier was outnumbered two-to-one in the day's early break with Stuyven joined by his young Danish teammate Mads Pedersen, Simone Andreetta (Bardiani CSF) and former maglia rosa and Giro revelation Pöstlberger. The five riders built up a lead of over eight minutes on the peloton but only Dillier, Stuyven and Pöstlberger survived as the line approached.

On paper Stuyven was the stronger sprinter but it was Dillier who opened proceedings with around 150 metres to go on the uphill drag to the line. The acceleration did for Pöstlberger but Stuyven swooped on Dillier's rear wheel and looked to be in the ideal position as the line approached. However, Dillier, so often a workhorse for others, held on to take the biggest win of his career.

Stuyven banged the bars in frustration at the line and collapsed to the floor in disappointment but the Belgian was one of the first to congratulate Dillier, who was then mobbed by his teammates when the peloton finished soon after.

How it unfolded

With the race on the mainland for the first time this year, attention turned to a tricky stage that looked well suited to a break. The punchy climbs that littered the first half of the parcours provided the ideal terrain for an assault and for the first time in this year's race we saw real intent from the WorldTour teams who flooded the early attacks after days of allowing the Pro Continental teams to dictate the early action.

Of the Pro Continental riders, only Andreetta was able to make the cut when the break formed in the early goings of stage 6, with Trek supplying horsepower in Pedersen and Stuyven, Dillier representing BMC's interests and Pöstlberger still surfing the wave after his stage 1 breakthrough.

The five established a lead that peaked at almost nine minutes with Cannondale-Drapac showing intent on reeling them back. The American team, who have not won WorldTour race in almost two years, missed the break and despite stacking their team with climbers for this race, and they set about pursing the move along the flat roads towards the coast.

Little, if any help, came from other teams, with only Wilier Triestina providing sufficient cover and support.

As the kilometres ticked by the break's chances only grew as Cannondale's chase failed to spark a reaction from their colleagues in the bunch or a drop in the gap.

They eventually made inroads as the leaders reached the final 60 kilometres with the gap down to six minutes but with 40 kilometres remaining the advantage still stood at close to five minutes.

Cannondale eventually threw in the towel as a host of teams with GC candidates flooded the front. The final 25 kilometres were technical and demanding, and although they provided few opportunities for the overall contenders to attack, there were plenty nervous riders unwilling to give even the slightest glimpse of an opening.

As the leaders hit the final classified climb of Fuscaldo, cracks began to show. Pedersen, after one huge turn for his more experienced teammate, pulled off as QuickStep took it upon themselves to lead the peloton.

Pedersen made a brief comeback on the descent but the next gradient spelled the end for him and then Andreetta, who was unable to respond when Stuyven launched a searing attack.

With the gap quickly coming down there was little room for cat and mouse but as the trio approached the final kilometre, Pöstlberger came to the front. Stuyven initially looked to mark the Bora man but when he drifted to the right Dillier seized his moment to move into the centre and open up his sprint. For all the world it looked as though Stuyven had enough to come around him and snatch the win, and although he almost drew level, it wasn't enough. Dillier won, Stuyven was left heartbroken and Cannondale's search for a WorldTour win continues.

Full Results