Afonso Eulálio retained the Maglia Rosa after Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia, safely completing the stage from Paestum to Napoli with his teammates, where Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana Team) took the victory. Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) and Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) completed the podium in a flat and steady stage where most of the peloton rode together all day.
The 141km stage was expected to be one for the sprinters, taking the race from Paestum to Napoli with a mostly flat route and only one categorised climb, the fourth-category ascent to Cava de Tirreni, before a fast and technical final into Piazza del Plebiscito.
After moving into the overall lead yesterday in Potenza, Eulálio started the day in the Maglia Rosa and was well protected by his teammates throughout the stage. The team stayed focused on keeping him safe and well positioned, with the main objective of defending the leader’s jersey ahead of the first major mountain test of the race.
The final kilometres brought the peloton into the centre of Napoli, with a slightly uphill section and several late turns before the finish. With around 22km to go, Alec Segaert tried to go clear from the bunch but was brought back shortly after. Eulalio finished safely in the bunch, retaining the Maglia Rosa, while Segaert remained well positioned in the final and took a sixth place on the stage.
Speaking after the stage, Segaert said:
“I am just happy not to crash and to take my first top 10 of this Giro, with a bit of luck. The final was quite hectic, with the small climb, the corners and everyone fighting for position. I tried to stay calm and keep myself in a good place coming into the last kilometre. In the end, I was still there in the front and could finish sixth, so it was a nice result after a day where the main goal was to keep Afonso safe”.
Eulálio added:
“I think all the team and the directors did a perfect job today. We stayed safe, always in the front, and I could also spin the legs a little bit and recover from yesterday. After a day like yesterday, that was important.
To ride at the front of a Grand Tour for the first time in my life, wearing the Maglia Rosa and also with the white jersey, was really special. It was a good feeling. Now I just want one more day, two more days, three more days — I don’t know. I just want more and more.
For sure, the next stages will be super hard. Tomorrow is a long stage and the final will be very hard, but we will suffer, we will fight, and we will try to keep this jersey.
Yesterday was quite crazy. I arrived at the hotel super late and I just tried to call the people close to me — my family, my close friends and my girlfriend. The other things, I could not really check my phone because it was too crazy.
To have Damiano next to me is crazy. In the end, he doesn’t need to say too much to motivate me. Just having Damiano next to me is already motivation. He is our capitano.
It is perfect to be the first rider from Bahrain Victorious to wear the Maglia Rosa. I have a contract with the team until at least 2028, so it is special to achieve this together with the team and to write this moment in the history of Bahrain Victorious.”
The Portuguese also leads the general classification for the youngest rider.
Sports Director Franco Pellizotti said:
“On paper it looked like an easy stage, but in the end it was not easy. The average speed was not very high and there was no big breakaway, but it was dangerous because of the villages, the corners and the narrow sections. We had to stay focused as a team from start to finish. Luckily, the weather was okay, and on our first day in the pink jersey we managed it very well. The riders did a great job to help Afonso, and in the end we finished the day safely. We also had a good result with Alec in the sprint, so overall it was a positive day for the team.”
The Giro d’Italia continues tomorrow with Stage 7 from Formia to Blockhaus, the first major summit finish of this year’s race.
