Lotta Lepistö wins Giro Rosa stage six whilst Barnes' break is swept up
The flat stage ended in a sprint finish, Barnes and breakaway companions absorbed by the peloton with 13km to go
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Lotta Lepistö was first across the line on the sixth stage of the Giro Rosa - a predominantly flat stage which provided a welcome relief following unexpectedly steep inclines on stage five's time trial.
The Cervelo-Bigla rider won from a bunch sprint after three breakaway riders - including British rider Hannah Barnes - were caught with 13 km to go.
The Finnish National road race and time trial champion edged out Sunweb's fast finisher Coryn Rivera and Italian rider Georgia Bronzini (Wiggle High5).
How the race unfolded
With some riders still smarting from the "hilariously misleading" course profile offered by Giro Rosa organisers yesterday - in which a seemingly flat time trial turned out to contain 30% inclines - the peloton set off on a 116km course from Roseto Degli Abruzzi - finishing in the same town.
The course consisted of four laps of a 27km circuit, with a third category climb and an intermediate sprint on the third loop. The finish was on a long straight, but it followed a fast descent and a collection of junctions.
Temperatures have been well over 30 degrees for most of the race - but seemed to have increased to their highest yet - but the pace hovered at just over 40kph (25mph) throughout.
A headwind on the climb, followed by a tail wind on the descent made for some potentially interesting tactics.
In the first 50km, there were several short lived attacks - mostly controlled by Boels-Dolmans - though Alison Jackson (BePink)'s solo gave her the points in the intermediate sprint, with Janneke Ensing (Ale Cipollini) second and Dani King (Cylance) third.
At 78km, just before the categorised climb, Jackson was caught and the climbers points went to Hannah Barnes (Canyon/SRAM), Soraya Paladin (Ale Cipollini), Sofia Bertizzolo (Astana) and Lucinda Brand (Sunweb).
Soon after, Barnes, Paladin and Bertizzolo broke off the front and launched into an attack - quickly building a lead of 20 seconds, eventually accumulating 48 seconds with 22km to go.
The gap briefly looked like it might hold, before the peloton began to chip away - and with 13km to go they were swallowed.
Race leader Anna van der Breggen (Boels Dolmans) came to the fore on the final climb, before second place GC rider Elisa Longo Borghini took over the honours on the descent - preparing the Wiggle High5 sprint train with Bronzini and stage three winner Jolien D'Hoore both in contention.
However, it was Lepistö who launched first over the line, with Rivera and Bronzini close behind.
Van der Breggen maintains GC lead with four stages to go
Nine riders, including van der Breggen, finished with the same time, whilst second and third place GC riders Annemiek van Vleuten (Orica Scott) and Longo-Borghini were three seconds in arrears.
Tomorrow's stage seven covers 142km and looks more rolling. Another intimidate sprint and a flat finish following a fairly tough stage could give Barnes another shot at reclaiming the points jersey she gained after stage four, whilst stage eight is the same length with two more notable ascents.
- Anna Van Der Breggen (NED) Boels Dolmans in 11-53-11
- Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) Wiggle High5, at 1-03
- Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) Orica Scott, at 1-39
- Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans, at 3-11
- Amanda Spratt (AUS) Orica Scott, at 3-32
- Katarzyna Niewiadom (POL) WM3, at 4-02
- Karol Ann Canuel (CAN) Boels Dolmans, at 4-22
- Shara Gallow (AUS) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine, at 4-53
- Sierra Arlenis (CUB) Astana Women’s Team, at 4-57
- Claudia Lichtenberg (GER) Wiggle High5, at 5-02
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Michelle Arthurs-Brennan is a traditional journalist by trade, having begun her career working for a local newspaper, where highlights included interviewing a very irate Freddie Star (and an even more irate theatre owner), as well as 'the one about the stolen chickens'.
Previous to joining the Cycling Weekly team, Michelle was Editor at Total Women's Cycling. She joined CW as an 'SEO Analyst', but couldn't keep her nose out of journalism and in the spreadsheets, eventually taking on the role of Tech Editor before her latest appointment as Digital Editor.
Michelle is a road racer who also enjoys track riding and the occasional time trial, though dabbles in off-road riding too (either on a mountain bike, or a 'gravel bike'). She is passionate about supporting grassroots women's racing and founded the women's road race team 1904rt.
Michelle is on maternity leave from July 8 2022, until April 2023.
-
-
'The apparel industry is deeply broken': US apparel company Kitsbow to close
After Presca, Velofixen, Milltag and Machines for Freedom, Kitsbow is the latest cycling apparel company to announce its end of operations this year.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Computer company Acer is making an AI-powered bike and it’s got some wild features
Taiwanese hardware and electronics corporation, Acer, best known for its powerful laptop computers, appears to be diversifying its product offerings with the creation of a (super) smart e-bike
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Giro Rosa Gavia stage re-routed following landslide
Organisers have opted to finish the stage at the Lago di Cancano
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published
-
Marta Bastianelli bags Italian victory while it’s as you were for the Giro Rosa GC
With just one day to go, Anna van der Breggen sits atop of the GC and looks unlikely to budge
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Lucinda Brand storms to solo Giro Rosa stage eight win despite late crash
The Dutch rider broke away from the peloton alone to take a solo win as GC contenders remain at the same time
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published
-
Megan Guarnier wins the 2016 Giro Rosa
American champion Megan Guarnier wins the Giro d’Italia Femminile, extending Boels-Dolmans’ domination of the WorldTour
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Women’s peloton verbally abused during the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile
Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini overheard the unsavoury comments from the tifosi.
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published
-
Young Brit Jessie Walker making an impression in Italy’s Giro Rosa
New girl in the pro peloton, Britain’s Jessie Walker makes a big hit in the heat of Italy
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Emma Pooley takes final Giro Rosa stage as Marianne Vos wins overall
Britain’s Emma Pooley wins her third stage and the mountains classification
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Emma Pooley takes second stage win at the Giro Rosa
Emma Pooley all but secures mountain classification; Marianne Vos continues to lead overall
By Owen Rogers • Published