Stage 6

The road

At the start

The wall above Cullera

A crash eleven kilometres from Albacete cost Taaramäe the jersey, and Kenny Elissonde inherits it with Roglič five seconds back and Mas, López, Valverde and Bernal all inside 35. Today drops off the plateau to the Mediterranean and finishes on the Montaña de Cullera, two kilometres at 9.4 per cent with a pitch near twenty — made for an ambush.

How it was won

1. 133 km to go

   Ineos build an echelon

   With 33km left the British team hit the front and force a split, Bernal and Carapaz both driving it, and thirty riders go clear with Movistar and Jumbo-Visma prominent. It comes back together, but the intent is unmistakable.

2. 215 km to go

   Carthy caught out

   Turning back into the exposed crosswind section, Sénéchal drives and Carthy is suddenly twenty seconds adrift. He and his teammates only claw it back with eight kilometres left.

3. 32 km to go

   Onto the Cullera

   The five escapees start the short, savage final climb with just twenty seconds. Narváez makes an enormous push with Carapaz on his wheel and Elissonde, unable to follow, loses the red jersey on the spot.

4. 41 km to go

   Cort times it perfectly

   With 1.4km left the Dane kicks out of what remains of the break, drops Lindeman, and gets several seconds. Behind him Matthews attacks and rips the GC group open; Roglič comes through and rises out of the saddle in sight of the line.

5. 5At the line

   Cullera

   Roglič looks certain to steal it, but Cort finds one last kick and the Slovenian has to sit down and settle for second — beaten by a breakaway rider on a finish built for him.

The result