Stage six of the 2026 Giro d'Italia ended in chaos on May 14 as a crash on the final cobbled sector in Naples disrupted the sprinter's group. Davide Ballerini of XDS Astana avoided the crash and sprinted past Belgium's Jasper Stuyven to claim victory in the 142 km race from Paestum to Naples city centre [1, 2].
The crash was triggered by slippery cobblestones made slick due to rain. Several sprint specialists, including Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen, were caught up in the incident. Groenewegen said, "It was a bit slippery and it can happen. It’s disappointing. Sometimes you have bad luck" [1, 2].
The crash caused a 'domino effect' as riders braked suddenly, causing multiple falls meters apart. Despite the disruption, race leader Afonso Eulálio of Portugal finished safely within the main pack and kept the pink jersey [1, 2].
Ballerini, 31, who rides for the former team of Mark Cavendish, finished with a winning time of 3 hours 19 minutes 30 seconds [1]. Overall favorite Jonas Vingegaard remained 6 minutes 22 seconds behind the lead after the stage [1].
Stage six marked a pivotal moment with the slippery cobbles reshuffling the sprinters' chances but leaving the general classification unchanged. [1, 2]
