Giro 2018 Stage 6: Esteban Caves wins on Mount Etna, Simon Yates new leader

The Giro d'Italia serves its first high altitude finish in the 6th stage. The race finishes on the slopes of Mount Etna after a 15 kilometres closing climb. Early attacker Esteban Chaves wins the stage, while his team-mate Simon Yates rejoins him in the last kilometre to move into the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage 2018 Giro d’Italia

1. Esteban Chaves (col)
2. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
3. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.26
4. George Bennett (nzl) s.t.
5. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
6. Miguel Ángel López (col) s.t.
7. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
8. Tom Dumoulin (nld) s.t.
9. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
10. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.

13. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.49
14. Sam Oomen (nld) + 0.53
15. Sergio Henao (col) + 0.55
16. Michael Woods (can) + 0.57
21. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 1.04
30. Wout Poels (nld) + 3.18
32. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 3.30
42. Davide Formolo (Ia) + 5.09

GC after the 6th stage
1. Simon Yates (gbr)
2. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.16
3. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.26
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 0.43
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.45
6. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 0.53
7. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 1.03
8. Chris Froome (gbr) + 1.10
9. George Bennett (nzl) + 1.11
10. Fabio Aru (ita) + 1.12

14. Michael Woods (can) + 1.39
15. Sam Oomen (nld) + 1.42
17. Sergio Henao (col) + 1.47
22. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 2.12

Race report
Following a fast opening the peloton is still packed after more than 47 kms. Then a huge group takes off. Robert Gesink, Esteban Chaves, Sam Oomen, Rubén Plaza, Sergio Henao, Sebastien Reichenbach, Jack Haig, Jan Polanc, Hugh Carthy, Joe Dombrowski, Giulio Ciccone, David de la Cruz, Diego Ulissi, Alessandro De Marchi and Ben Hermans are on board. The front group adds up to 28 riders.

The leaders widen the gap to almost 4 minutes. It hovers around 3 minutes most of the time, but is fallen to 1’16” when hitting the climb up the Etna. Shortly Gesink accelerates and the best climbers rejoin him. Nine men left at the front.

De Marchi and Hermans jump clear, while Henao and Chaves close the gap. Oomen, Ciccone, Reichenbach, Gesink and Ulissi also hook on. Meintjes, Formolo and Wellens can’t follow the pace in the peloton.

Ciccone heads out alone with 10 kms left to climb. Henao, Chaves, Oomen and Hermans rejoin him after 2 kms. When Ulissi and Gesink make it back, Ciccone speeds up again. Chaves goes after the young Italian to overhaul him some 5 kms before the top.

Gesink waits for his leader Bennett to set the pace in the group with GC-favourites. They gobble up the remains of the former front group and Rohan Dennis is dropped. Pozzovivo accelerates with Bennett, Pinot and Yates on his wheel. Dumoulin tracks the four down, and Froome, López and Carapaz hook on a little later.

Yates trikes 2 kms before the finish and surges across to his team-mate Chaves. In the last km the two come together and Chaves gets the win, while Yates takes the maglia rosa. The chase group comes in 26 seconds down with Pinot sprinting to the remaining 4 seconds time bonus.

Dumoulin still sits in second, now 16 seconds down on Yates, and Chaves moves up to third another 10 seconds further back.