Tirreno-Adriatico 2017: Gaviria outsprints Sagan on the line, Quintana retains lead

Stage 6 in the Tirreno-Adriatico runs on rolling roads to Civitanova Marche. The route runs to a tricky finale with a punchy climb with 8 kilometres to go. Still the race boils down to sprinter's powerplay with Gaviria besting Sagan on the line. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage Tirreno-Adriatico 2017

1. Fernando Gaviria (col)
2. Peter Sagan (svk) s.t.
3. Jasper Stuyven (bel) s.t.
4. Matteo Trentin (ita) s.t.
5. Jens Debusschere (bel) s.t.
6. Elia Viviani (ita) s.t.
7. Scott Thwaites (gbr) s.t.
8. Eduard Grosou (rum) s.t.
9. Anthony Roux (fra) s.t.
10. Jurgen Roelandts (bel) s.t.

GC after 6th stage
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.50
3. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 1.06
4. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.15
5. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 1.19
6. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 1.23
7. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.30
8. Jonathan Castroviejo (col) + 1.32
9. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 1.37
10. Simon Spilak (slo) + 1.59

Race report
Straight from the gun Simone Andreetta, Davide Ballerini, Raffaello Bonusi, Ben Gastauer, Joonas Henttala, Alan Marangoni and Mirco Maestri open up a gap, while Pavel Kochetkov re-joins them. They race to a lead of more than 3 minutes before the peloton takes control. The break is on a leash for a while – with a gap lingering between 2 to 3 minutes -, but then the pack is forced to stop at a level crossing and the break away’s lead increases to over 5 minutes.

However, after a brief neutralization the time gap before the level crossing is reinstated.

At the top of the last climb Gastauer and Ballerini are the last men standing, while Felline, Cattaneo and Terpstra bridge over. They dig deep, but Sagan chases them down with the peloton on his wheel.

In the ensuing sprint Gaviria holds off a fast charging Sagan to take his first WorldTour victory in 2017.

Read about the route of the 6th stage in the Tirreno-Adriatico 2017.