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Ballerini Wins Giro Stage Six; Crash Hits Sprinters

5/14/2026

Summary

Ballerini Wins Giro Stage

Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) won stage six of the Giro d’Italia in Naples, Italy, on Thursday.
He finished ahead of Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) after a flat 142 km ride from Paestum.
A crash inside the final kilometre on rain-slick cobbles knocked down Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) and several other sprinters.
Overall race leader Afonso Eulálio of Portugal completed the stage safely in the main pack.

Summary

Ballerini Wins

Organisers replaced Naples’s flat sprint with a technical cobbled sector featuring a 90-degree turn.
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) called the wet cobbles a huge mess and questioned the change.
Davide Ballerini (XDS-Astana) said his win was unplanned after working for teammate Matteo Malucelli before the crash opened a gap.
Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) called the final bend very slippery, blamed bad luck for his crash, and walked away unharmed.

History

Historical Context

After the rain-soaked 1974 Paris–Roubaix left many riders down, Belgian Roger De Vlaeminck’s cobble skill shone, foreshadowing his points-classification win in the 1974 Giro d’Italia that began on 16 May with 140 riders. The classic’s crash legacy has pushed organizers to tighten safety rules for modern Grand Tour stages such as today’s rain-slick Naples segment.

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Ballerini Wins Giro Stage

Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) won stage six of the Giro d’Italia in Naples, Italy, on Thursday.
He finished ahead of Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) after a flat 142 km ride from Paestum.
A crash inside the final kilometre on rain-slick cobbles knocked down Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) and several other sprinters.
Overall race leader Afonso Eulálio of Portugal completed the stage safely in the main pack.

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