CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious star Afonso Eulalio retained the Maglia Rosa yesterday after stage six of the Giro d’Italia, safely completing the leg from Paestum to Napoli with his teammates, where Davide Ballerini of XDS Astana Team took the victory.
Jasper Stuyven and Soudal Quick-Step teammate Paul Magnier completed the podium in a flat and steady stage, where most of the peloton rode together all day.
The 141-kilometre leg 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, Eulalio 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 group, retaining the Maglia Rosa, while Segaert remained well positioned in the final and took an impressive sixth place on the stage.
“I am just happy not to crash and to take my first top 10 of this Giro, with a bit of luck,” said Segaert. “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.”
Eulalio 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.
“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.”
Eulalio also leads the best young rider rankings as the Giro d’Italia moves into stage seven today, from Formia to Blockhaus – the first major summit finish of this year’s race.
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