Kaden Groves won a chaotic stage six of the Giro d’Italia in Naples after a huge crash earlier in the day led organisers to neutralise the general classification fight.
Australian Groves beat Milan Fretin and Paul Magnier in a much-reduced sprint as Olav Kooij was caught out on the barriers on the waterfront in Naples, almost 10 minutes before race leader Mads Pedersen and many of the main favourites crossed the line.
Moments before Groves powered to his first win of the season, a protester stepped out in front of the fast-moving peloton holding a banner, almost causing another huge incident and disrupting the lead-out trains.
Organisers decided there would be no time gaps taken at the finish in the wake of a huge crash that ripped through the peloton with a little over 70 kilometres left of the 227km stage from Potenza – the longest of the Giro – that was contested in treacherous damp conditions.
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Adam Yates and Richard Carapaz were among those bloodied and bruised but Jai Hindley, the 2022 Giro winner and the main domestique for overall favourite Primoz Roglic, was forced to abandon, the main victim of a crash which forced the race to temporarily stop.
When it did resume, the decision to neutralise the classifications and leave only the stage victory up for grabs led the main favourites to ease up and wait for bigger challenges to come, with Friday’s stage seven from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo the first real mountain test.
Pedersen, who began Thursday’s stage hoping for a fourth victory of the week and a repeat of his 2023 win in Naples, will carry the pink jersey into Friday, 17 seconds up on Roglic, but will fully expect to lose it given the terrain to be taken on.
Ireland’s Sam Bennett finished in 11th place in Naples.
