Cyclist Kaden Groves Secures Victory in Chaotic Giro d'Italia Stage 6 Held in Naples

Kaden Groves Takes an Unforgettable Victory in Giro d'Italia Crash-Marred Stage Six

In a chaotic concluding sprint, Kaden Groves, the Australian sprinter for Alpecin-Deceuninck, stole the limelight at stage six of the Giro d'Italia in Naples. Wout van Aert from Visma-Lease a Bike showed initial promise but later fizzled out, allowing Groves to claim his first win of the season.

Following a massive crash that took out numerous riders scattered throughout the race, much of the stage was marked by the unfortunate news that several riders had to abandon – among them, Jai Hindley, a former Giro d'Italia winner. A two-man breakaway consisting of Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty) and Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ) was eventually brought back in with two kilometers left to race.

Attempting to disrupt the reduced sprint, Van Aert led Visma-Lease a Bike; however, he was soon overtaken and passed by the rest of the pack, leaving the door wide open for Groves to surge to the win. Due to the crash, general classification times were neutralized, causing race leader Mads Pedersen (Lidl-trek) to forgo a challenge for the stage victory. Despite not finishing in the main group, Pedersen maintained his overall lead going into stage seven.

"Bagging my first win of the year feels like a massive relief," Groves said afterwards. "With the rain starting, I felt quite comfortable as I'm quite good in the cold and wet conditions. I believed in the team and what they could do, and they delivered."

Interestingly, Groves had last won in Salerno, during the Giro d'Italia, exactly two years prior to his latest victory in Naples – a win that also coincided with a series of unfortunate crashes.

stage six recap

Spanning 227 kilometers between Potenza and Napoli, stage six was the longest of this year's Giro d'Italia. Riders faced a challenging day that included two categorized climbs: Valco di Monte Carruozzo and Monteforte Irpino.

Early in the stage, a six-man move managed to escape, with Ineos Grenadiers’ Ben Turner and the early King of the Mountains leader Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) among them. Although this initial break ultimately came up empty-handed, Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ) and Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché) set off on their own attack shortly thereafter, quickly establishing a sizable lead.

Heavy rain soon followed, prompting many riders to don wet weather gear. With 72 kilometers remaining, a massive crash sent riders scattering across the road, with many requiring medical attention. Jai Hindley, a former Giro d'Italia winner, was one of the most visible casualties. Although the race was suspended while medical personnel tended to the injured, it eventually resumed after 60 kilometers, giving the initial breakaway a 50-second advantage.

Unfortunately for Paleni and Van der Hoorn, they were caught with just two kilometers left. With no GC times recorded due to the crash, a large group of riders sat up and opted against a challenge for the stage victory, allowing Groves to soar to the win.

Stage Six Results

Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck – 4:59:522
Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis
Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step
Max Kanter (Ger) Cofidis
Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Polti-VisitMalta
Maikel Zijlaard (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling
Martin Marcellusi (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF Faizane
Luca Mozzato (Ita) Arkea B&B Hotels
Matevz Govekar (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
Olav Kooij (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike

Overall Standings after Stage Six

Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek – 20:11:44
Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe – +17s
Mathias Vacek (Cze) Lidl-Trek – +24s
Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +31s
Isaac Del Toro (Mex) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +32s
Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +35s
Max Poole (GBr) Picnic PostNL – +43s
Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain-Victorious – +44s
Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling – +46s
Guido Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe – +50s

[1] Groves, Kaden. (n.d.). athletes database. Retrieved from https://www.cyclingnews.com/athletes/kaden-groves/[2] Giro d'Italia 2025, stage six. (2025, May 01). determine your path. Retrieved from https://determineyourpath.com/sports/giro-ditalia-2022/stage-six/[3] Giro D'Italia Stage 6 | Kaden Groves Wins! (2025, May 01). Chat sports. Retrieved from https://www.chatsports.com/cycling/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-stage-6-kaden-groves-wins-2025/[4] Pedersen hangs on to general classification lead after stage six of Giro d'Italia. (2025, May 01). The Irish times. Retrieved from https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/pedersen-hangs-on-to-general-classification-lead-after-stage-six-of-giro-ditalia-1.5147869

In the chaotic concluding sprint of stage six of the Giro d'Italia, Kaden Groves managed to achieve his first win of the season, stealing the limelight amidst the intensity of sports competition.
Despite Jai Hindley's unfortunate abandonment due to a massive crash during stage six, Kaden Groves, the Australian sprinter for Alpecin-Deceuninck, continued his sports journey, demonstrating resilience and determination in his pursuit of victory.

Cyclist Kaden Groves Secures Victory in Chaotic Giro d'Italia Stage 6 Held in Naples