Tirreno-Adriatico (st. 5)

Costa Rican places high in hellish final slopes after fighting for the day's win, jumps into 12th overall as Castroviejo and Cobo also make the top 25

Andrey Amador made a great performance during stage six in the Tirreno-Adriático, a long, 230-kilometer trek from Ortona to Chieti including the infamous Passo Lanciano -40k from the finish- and a hellish, double passage through the hills in the entrance to Chieti. The Costa Rican rider from the Movistar Team attacked into the descent after the first uphill, 4km from the end of the race, together with Roman Kreuziger (TST) to escape from the group of favourites, to which Jonathan Castroviejo and Juanjo Cobo hung on until the finale.

Amador’s attempt came to an end with less than 2k to go into the first slopes of the final uphill, but Andrey was able to keep the gaps short with the elite group, while Rodríguez (KAT) attacked with 1.5k from the finish to claim the stage -Amador was 11th-. Cobo came behind the ‘tico’ at about 1.20, with Jonathan Castroviejo also within two minutes from the leaders, so the three Movistar Team riders –Capecchi dropped today, as well as Intxausti, due to stomach problems- stay into the top-20, with Chris Froome (SKY) still in the lead of the world-class field in Italy.

The ‘Due Mari’ will witness its final road stage tomorrow before Tuesday’s ITT showdown: a circuit race at Porto Sant’Elpidio with lots of small climbs that open terrain for surprises.