Today’s stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2023 was the penultimate stage of this year’s race and race organizer R.C.S. Sport had designed an interesting and hilly 193-kilometer ride from Osimo Stazione to Osimo that culminated with cobbled sections in the final part of the stage. 

In the stage finale Russian Alexandr Vlasov attacked for his Bora-Hansgrohe team along with always hard-working Frenchman Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), and the Spanish Movistar Team duo of Carlos Verona and Alex Aranburu, but other teams aiming for success in the general classification united in a fierce chase that ultimately brought back the escapees.

Roglic then attacked together with a select group of favorites on the race-animating cobbled streets of Osimo and ultimately won a sprint across the finish line to take the victory in the stage ahead of Tao Geoghegan Hart and Joao Almeida.

"I don’t think I’ve ever started a season so well. It’s crazy that I have three stage wins in a row in a big race like Tirreno-Adriatico,” proud stage winner Roglic told Roadcycling.com after being celebrated on the podium.

“Before the stage we had a bit of a different plan than what happened today. Wout (van Aert) was here to go for the stage win but plans changed again. Everyone had to sacrifice their chances in order to protect the general classification and that gave me the chance to go for the stage win again,” Roglic explained. 

“I want to stay focused to finish it all off tomorrow. It’s really cool to be back and to race with the boys again. Obviously, I could already start the Giro d’Italia, but it’s in May and we’ll see what will happen. This is only the beginning of the season. The level of the field is super high, the racing is very hard, but I’m having fun.”

In the general classification Roglic now leads Tirreno-Adriatico by 18 seconds. Almeida is in second place for UAE Team Emirates and Geoghegan Hart is third for his Ineos-Grenadiers outfit, 23 seconds behind apparently unstoppable Roglic. Former race leader Lennard Kämna (Team Bora-Hansgrohe) is now fourth.

Sunday’s stage 7 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2023 will be the final stage of this year’s race. The route is designed as a hilly and flat ride on and near the east coast of Italy. The stage is a short 154-kilometer ride that begins and concludes in San Benedetto del Tronto.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for coverage from Tirreno-Adriatico 2023.