Tirreno-Adriatico

Julian Alaphilippe was again Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher at the “Race of the Two Seas”, which took place in and around Osimo, the picturesque town lying not far from the Adriatic Sea. The profile like saw teeth, with some viciously steep gradients, made for a gruelling day in the saddle, the gaps between the favourites being bigger than on the previous day, when the race ended atop Sarnano-Sassotetto.

A breakaway comprising nine men, including Casper Pedersen, took center stage for more than three hours, but ultimately, they were swept by the field, which left nothing to chance. The hardest hill of stage 6 came with six kilometers to go – 1400 meters and an average gradient well over 12% – and it was there that the peloton cracked after a huge change of speed at the front saw a small group surge clear. Alaphilippe tried to follow and almost made it across, but by the time the climb was crested he was trailing by a couple of seconds, and eventually found himself part of the chasing group.

The 30-year-old Frenchman finished this brutal stage 6 outside the top 10, some 20 seconds behind winner Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), but remains out highest-ranked rider in the general classification going into the last day of Tirreno-Adriatico, in San Benedetto del Tronto.

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images