Artem Nych imperious on stage 6 increasing his lead at the top of the 2024 Volta a Portugal

The 6th stage of the Volta a Portugal connected Bragança to Boticas, covering 169.1 km and 2809 meters of accumulated unevenness.

The race got off to a lively start with the peloton moving at a good pace and at the first finish line of the day in Nogueira, the winner of the Guarda stage, Luis Angel Maté, was the first man through. On the descent that followed the finish line, there was a crash involving several men in the peloton, with Efapel being the team that suffered most as three of its riders went down.

The race continued along the route in intense heat, as has been usual this year, with temperatures well over 30 degrees, which was taking its toll on the cyclists. At the finish line in Valpaços, the peloton was compact and German Tivani was the first to pass. However, there is one man who goes to the sprint in search of bonuses who isn't usually part of the group of men competing for sprint points: Colin Stussi. The second-placed rider overall, he went for the sprint and picked up a second bonus.

On the ascent to the Serra da Pradela, attacks began to appear and a small group formed at the front of the race, joined by more elements, including Luis Ángel Maté, German Tivani, leaders of the mountain jerseys and the points, as well as men fighting for the general classification such as Joaquim Silva of Efapel and Frederico Figueiredo and Artem Nych of Sabgal. Maté took maximum points at the top of the mountain.

Heading for Vidago, ABTF Betão-Fairense will be joined by AP Hotels & Resorts / Tavira / SC Farense at the front of the peloton, which also has an interest in the overall, as the 10 escapees 40 kilometers from the finish line have a 2:16m advantage over the peloton. As he passed through Vidago, German Tivani increased his lead in the points jersey by taking first place at the finish line.

On the climb to Pinho, the group of fugitives remains united at the front, taking turns to work and at the back of the peloton the pace increases and remains very lively. With 30 kms to go, the fugitives saw their lead shorten to 1:50m and on the 3rd category mountain pass, the first man through was Luis Ángel Maté again, after all the work had been done by Figueiredo.

The main obstacle of the day, the first category climb to Torneiros, is now approaching at high speed and fireworks are expected, on a climb that although short has parts that go up to 14%, and where attacks are expected in the group of fugitives as well as in the peloton, towards victory in the stage and to gain or reduce time in terms of the general classification;

Taps ahead and the fireworks begin. The breakaway fell apart, with Artem Nych and Andre Franco of Burgos-BH isolating themselves, while at the back Petrolike set the pace for an attack by Camargo, to which Stussi responded immediately, but which was immediately nullified. Artem Nych kept up his pace and ended up unloading the Burgos man, now heading alone for the top of Torneiros. Stussi set a very high pace and only the yellow jersey could keep up. Nearing the top of Torneiros, Afonso Eulálio tried to counter Stussi and gained a small advantage, but the Swiss rider was strong and wouldn't let the Portuguese get away. The riders on the run are caught by the yellow jersey and up there Nych is the first to go over the 1st category climb;

Before the descent to the finish line, the race is set, with Nych alone at the front and 40 seconds ahead of the yellow jersey group, always led by Vorarlberg's Colin Stussi, and further back the group with the rest of the general classification men who, knife in their teeth, are trying to reduce their losses to the race leader as much as possible.

Going into the final kilometer, there was no doubt who the winner would be. Artem Nych of Sabgal - Anicolor crossed the finish line alone, behind him the yellow jersey group, which in a close sprint gave second place to Afonso Eulálio and Tyler Stites of Echelons.

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