Giro d'Italia (st. 6)
Quintana -11th at Terme Luigiane-, Amador conserve Giro GC top-ten places after another successful long break in the race brings Dillier (BMC) the day's victory
Silvan Dillier (BMC) crowned Thursday's long, early break on stage six of the Giro d'Italia -217km along the Calabria coast- as a fast, strong five-man group took the better of the pursuit to come victorious. 39 seconds were the gap for the Swiss rider and second-placed Jasper Stuyven (TFS) over a restricted group of GC contenders at the closing, 2km slope at 5% average, which Nairo Quintana and Andrey Amador (Movistar Team) kept the pace of to remain with intact chances.
The work from Sutherland and Anacona from the very start; De la Parte, Herrada and Rojas at the slopes and the finale; and an again-fantastic Bennati alongside Gorka Izagirre in the approach to the finish, all helped Quintana crossed the line in a respectable 11th spot, getting back his 6th place overall -ahead of Tom Dumoulin (SUN), who had overtaken him yesterday- as Bob Jungels (QST) remains in pink. Amador also retained his tenth position in the GC.
Sprinters should be back in force on Friday at another long stage seven -no less than 224km between Castrovillari and Alberobello-, where the Movistar Team will have to stay as focused as they've been all over this first week before slopes come back on Saturday (hilltop finish in Peschici) and Saturday (the lumpy Blockhaus before the second rest day).