Dillier leads marvellous breakaway to steal stage six
The Peoloton were left pointing fingers at each other after Silvan Dillier led the breakaway to win stage six.
Silvan Dillier secured a fantastic breakaway victory in stage six of the Giro d'Italia on a day of struggle for the Peloton.
Alongside Jasper Stuyven, Lukas Postlberger, Simone Andreetta and Mads Pedersen, Dillier burst clear from the off and the chasing pack failed to reel them in over the 217-kilometre run from Reggio Calabria to Terme Luigiane.
Dillier then had the legs to kick clear of Stuyven and Postlberger uphill in the final kilometre to take a first career stage win in a Grand Tour.
Bob Jungels managed to keep his general-classification rivals in check to retain the pink jersey in the Peloton.
"The stage started bad for me because I flatted at kilometre zero. I chased back and then got in the break straight away," said the Swiss rider for BMC Racing Team.
"It was hard to stay away but to beat Jasper Stuyven is crazy. I still can't believe it.
"For sure this is the biggest victory of my career so far. It's difficult to describe. It's fantastic to have won."
Stuyvens' efforts up front helped him close to within three points of mauve jersey holder Fernando Gaviria, stage five's winner.
GOOD DAY/BAD DAY
Dillier will enjoy a day to remember with a breakthrough performance, but the day could raise tensions in the Peloton, amid post-race accusations that Jungels and his Quick-Step Floors team were not pulling their weight in chasing down the breakaway.
"Quick-Step Floors didn't want to work because they had the jersey and have worked hard already in the Giro," Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia rider Filippo Pozzato said.
"Unfortunately we let the break get too much time and it was impossible to pull them back. Other teams came to work but it was too little too late. Teams like Dimension Data and UAE should have done more."
STAGE RESULTS
Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team) 4:58.01
Jasper Stuyven (Trek–Segafredo)
Lukas Postlberger (Bora–Hansgrohe)
Simone Andreetta (Bardiani–CSF)
Michael Woods (Cannondale–Drapac)
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) 28:20.47
Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) +0.06s
Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) +0.10s
POINTS CLASSIFICATION
Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) 140
Jasper Stuyven (Trek–Segafredo) 137
Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) 105
KING OF THE MOUNTAINS
Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates) 43
Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data) 23
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha Alpecin) 18
UP NEXT…
Another long ride awaits on Friday as the riders travel 224 kilometres from Castrovillari to Alberobello, where a twisty, urbane finish is sure to catch anyone not on their guard out.