Giro 2023: Pedersen wins in Naples, Leknessund keeps pink

foto: Cor VosAlessandro De Marchi and Simon Clarke attack from the breakaway on the last climb. Still 70 kilometres remaining at this point. The two keep the peloton at bay... until the last 300 metres. Then Mads Pedersen sprints to victory, while Andreas Leknessund keeps the maglia rosa. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage 2023 Giro

1. Mads Pedersen (den)
2. Jonathan Milan (ita) s.t.
3. Pascal Ackermann (ger) s.t.
4. Kaden Groves (aus) s.t.
5. Fernando Gaviria (ita) s.t.
6. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
7. Vincenzo Albanese (ita) s.t.
8. Marius Mayrhofer (ger) s.t.
9. Lorenzo Rota (ita) s.t.
10. Simone Velasco (ita) s.t.

GC after stage 6
1. Andreas Leknessund (nor)
2. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.28
3. Aurélien Paret-Peintre (fra) + 0.30
4. João Almeida (por) + 1.00
5. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.12
6. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.26
7. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) s.t.
8. Toms Skujins (lat) + 1.29
9. Tao Geoghegan Hart (gbr) + 1.30
10. Vincenzo Albanese (ita) + 1.39

Race report
Alessandro De Marchi sets off in the early kilometres. Francesco Gavazzi tracks his compatriot down. Attacks keep flying until Simon Clarke, Alexandre Delettre and Charlie Quarterman round out the breakway. The five carve out a lead of more than 5 minutes.

Mark Cavendish can’t follow the pace on the Valico di Chiunzi. His team mates try to escort him back. But to no avail.

Clarke and De Marchi head out together on the Picco Sant’Angelo. Their lead hovers around 2.30 minutes for tens of kilometres, but it goes down in the last 25 kilometres.

Yet, the two enter the last kilometre with a 20 seconds and for a moment they seem to make it. But no. They start looking at each other and when Gaviria opens the sprint early they are caught. Pedersen aims the Colombian and he wins the stage ahead of Milan and Ackermann.

Leknessund finishes safely in the bunch to stay in pink.

Another interesting read: route 6th stage 2023 Giro.