Davide Ballerini wins Giro d’Italia stage six after late Naples crash

Italian rider Davide Ballerini dodged a devastating late crash on wet cobbles to claim his first Grand Tour victory on stage six of the Giro d’Italia in Naples.

The XDS-Astana cyclist successfully navigated a chaotic pile-up that eliminated several prominent contenders just hundreds of metres from the finish line.

He accelerated clear on the treacherous surface to hold off a determined sprint from Jasper Stuyven.

Chaos strikes the sprinters

Stuyven’s teammate Paul Magnier secured third place despite nearly coming to a complete standstill to avoid fallen competitors.

The young Frenchman showed remarkable agility to regain momentum and lead the remaining chasers across the line.

Heavy pre-race favourites Dylan Groenewegen and Jonathan Milan were both caught behind the carnage when a lead-out rider lost traction on a tricky right-hand bend.

Rain returns to test the peloton

Wednesday’s fifth stage was defined by torrential downpours, but the peloton enjoyed bright sunshine for the majority of the 141km route from Paestum.

An early four-man breakaway, featuring Mattia Bais and Luca Vergallito, was comfortably controlled by the chasing pack and caught with 35km remaining.

However, threatening clouds finally broke as the race entered central Naples, turning the decisive cobbled sector into a dangerous skating rink.

General classification remains unchanged

The late drama at the front of the race did not impact the battle for the overall leader’s pink jersey.

Bahrain-Victorious rider Afonso Eulalio safely retained his position at the top of the general classification standings.