Marianne Vos powers to Stage 6 win as Annemiek van Vleuten defends pink at Giro Donne

Marianne Vos (Jumbo–Visma) won Stage 6 of the Giro Donne as Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) showed her descending prowess to defend the pink jersey. The Jumbo Visma rider launched a well timed sprint finish to claim her second stage win of this years race and her 32nd Giro Donne win. Ad/> The riders tackled a 114.7km route on Wednesday, starting in Sarnico and finishing with a run into Bergamo, and featuring five 18km laps around Sarnico before a 25km sprint to the finish with the laps containing the short, punchy cat 3 climb of San Pantaleone.

/> Giro d'Italia DonneBalsamo beats Kool in ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ battle on Stage 5YESTERDAY AT 12:59 With 50km to go the peloton were all together in a relatively uneventful stage. However, this would soon change at the fourth crest of San Panteleone. It was Lucinda Brand (Trek Segafrdeo) who went first as she came over the climb ahead of her rivals and started to open up a gap on the technical descent.

Canyon Sram attempted to follow the Dutchwomen but were unable to keep up on a fast flowing downhill section. Kristen Faulkner (Bike Exchange-Jayco) would bridge the gap to Brand but the pair were unable to create a substantial gap to a charging peloton and they were quickly reeled in. Ultimately it was a day of attacks and counter attacks with the peloton happy for riders to have a go.

Marianne Vos had an attempt of her own on the final descent of the categorised climb but she would soon be swallowed up by the pack. The final breakaway came in the form of French rider Victoire Berteau (Cofidis) who accelerated away from the peloton with 25km to go. It was a mammoth effort from the Cofidis rider who divides her time between road and track cycling.