Groves Sprints to Victory in Giro d'Italia Stage 6 Amid Chaos

Australian cyclist Kaden Groves takes the win in the Giro d'Italia's sixth stage, despite challenging conditions and a late-race crash. Read more about his victory.

Kaden Groves took the win in the sixth stage of the Giro d'Italia, sprinting to victory in Naples despite the challenging conditions. The stage was partially neutralized due to a massive crash that involved many riders, including Mads Pedersen, the current leader in the pink jersey. Fortunately, Pedersen was able to continue and retained his lead.

Victoria para Kaden #Groves y otro día que Mads #Pedersen continuará como líder. 🔝🙌 pic.twitter.com/zYOAG9jPoc

— ESPN Ciclismo (@ESPNCiclismo) May 15, 2025

Groves, riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, crossed the finish line first, beating Milan Fretin and Paul Magnier. The Australian rider dominated the sprint, winning by a significant margin. This victory marks a crucial win for Groves and his team, especially after a tough start to the season.

Pedersen, who crashed during the incident, chose not to contest the sprint to avoid further risk. He retains the pink jersey with a 17-second lead over Primoz Roglic, his closest competitor. The overall standings remain unchanged due to the stage neutralization.

A mass crash in heavy rain led to the race being neutralized with 70km to go, forcing Jai Hindley to withdraw. Despite the challenging circumstances, Kaden Groves took the win in the sixth stage of the Giro d'Italia. “To get the first win of the year is a relief,” Groves said, expressing his satisfaction with the victory.

Groves, who excelled in the wet conditions, added, “I'm quite good in the cold, wetter conditions.” He also appreciated the opportunity to win in Naples, saying, “It's super nice to win in Napoli, it's an iconic city.” The 26-year-old's win brings a boost to his team, Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Mads Pedersen finished the stage over 5 minutes behind Kaden Groves after a 227km ride, yet retained the pink jersey. Pedersen, who took the lead on stage 3, holds a 17-second advantage over Primoz Roglic, the 2023 Giro d'Italia champion.

Pedersen's teammate Mathias Vacek sits third in the overall standings. After a mass crash led to a neutralized period, the riders proceeded at a slow pace for about 20km before racing resumed, allowing them to safely continue to the finish.

The organizers announced that all riders would be classified with the same time, and no time bonuses would be awarded at the finish. The only thing on the line was the stage victory.

As the peloton approached the southern city with 10km to go, the conditions had changed from earlier in the day. The downpours had stopped, and the roads were dry, setting the stage for an intense sprint to the finish.

NAVIGATING NEOPOLITAN CHAOS!

Kaden Groves prevails to win Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia! pic.twitter.com/BzuMvVctSr

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) May 15, 2025

A late break attempt by Enzo Paleni and Taco van der Hoorn was foiled with 2.5km to go, as they were caught by the peloton. In the final kilometer, Wout van Aert tried to create a gap but Kaden Groves overpowered him to take the stage win.

Jai Hindley suffered a setback after a crash around 150km from the start. He sat on the pavement for several minutes before getting into an ambulance and abandoning the race.

Heavy rain made the roads extremely slippery, causing multiple crashes that affected several top riders, including Richard Carapaz, Paul Magnier, and Adam Yates. However, Jai Hindley was the most severely impacted, forced to abandon the race despite initially getting back on his feet.

Hindley's withdrawal deprives Primoz Roglic of a key teammate in the mountains. Another rider, Juri Hollmann, also pulled out with a suspected fractured arm.

The seventh stage promises to be challenging, featuring a 168km mountainous route with three tough climbs. The stage will start in Castel di Sangro and finish in Tagliacozzo, near Rome.