A mass crash on stage six of the Giro d’Italia compelled three riders to tug out as Mads Pedersen retained the pink chief’s jersey after organisers neutralised the overall classification battle.

Australian Kaden Groves of Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinted to victory in Naples to win the 227km stage in 4 hours 59 minutes and 52 seconds as he pipped Belgium’s Milan Fretin and Frenchman Paul Magnier on the road.

Denmark’s Pedersen completed greater than 5 minutes behind to stay on the prime of the general standings, with Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic 17 seconds behind and Czech Mathias Vacek an extra seven seconds adrift in third place.

Nonetheless, the true drama occurred earlier when former Giro champion Jai Hindley was compelled to desert the race after a crash which left a number of opponents unseated.

The Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider, who gained the occasion in 2022, needed to withdraw, having come off his bike following a pile-up in slippery circumstances with round 70km to go on the stage into Naples. The Australian acquired therapy by the aspect of the highway for his accidents and was not capable of resume.

Pedersen was additionally concerned within the crash – which affected round 20 riders behind Hindley – however was capable of proceed.

With roads made very slippery by rain, Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz, winner of the 2019 Giro, Briton Adam Yates and Magnier had been additionally amongst these to hit the tarmac.

Hindley, 29, was the toughest hit and, regardless of with the ability to rise up on his personal, compelled to desert, whereas German rider Juri Hollmann and New Zealand’s Dion Smith additionally dropped out.

After the crash, the stage was neutralised and the riders continued to maneuver ahead at a slower tempo for about 20km earlier than a brand new begin was given and the race resumed.

With 10km to go, the peloton arrived within the outskirts of Naples, with circumstances dry following the sooner downpours.

Frenchman Enzo Paleni and Dutchman Taco van der Hoorn then tried to interrupt away, however had been caught with 2.5km left.

Within the remaining kilometre, alongside the port, Belgian Wout van Aert made a pre-emptive break up earlier than the 26-year-old Groves powered previous him to say victory.

Friday’s seventh stage is a mountainous 168km trip from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo, simply to the west of Rome, which incorporates three testing climbs.