PREVIEW | Tirreno-Adriatico 2025 stage 6 - Juan Ayuso the main favourite for queen stage, but how far can Ganna survive?

From the 10th to 16th of March the World Tour peloton races Tirreno-Adriatico. This is in itself one of the most important stage-races of the year; but simultaneously it serves as preparation for the spring classics and also as a test for the Giro d'Italia. It will be a week of high-octane racing across Italy! We preview stage 6.

The queen stage. Short, with only one big climb, but the GC men will try to have the best possible legs here. Many smalls ascents will eventually lead the riders onto the base of the 7-kilometer long ascent into Fortignano where the climbers will have their opportunity.

There truly isn't much to analyze, as there is about a dozen climbs throughout the day but none will take the spotlight alongside the final one. It is a Tirreno classic, not a uni-puerto stage, but it is all about saving the legs towards the end. Still, a small climb at the start, and 3400 meters of accumulated climbing meters.

The ascent to the Fortignano ski station will decide the day. 7.6 kilometers at 7.9%. It's hard, but not brutal. You can make gaps here, but if you enter it too far away from the lead, it won't be easy to take much time back between the strongest riders.

It will be a climb with plenty switchbacks and a very hard first half, there is a 2.5-kilometer section averaging almost 10% where attacks can come and make the difference. The gradients ease down ever so slightly in the final kilometers, but nevertheless fireworks can be expected from the best climbers in this peloton.

The temperatures will rise, but likely we will continue to have the rain hitting and strong wind. Luckily for the riders this time, it will come mostly as a headwind throughout the day. The southwestern wind however will come as mostly a tailwind in the final ascent, it will likely not block aggressive racing.

A day for the climbers, nothing to wonder about in here, even though it's not the kind of stage for the pure specialists as some of the previous years. The main story will be the overall classification, because this is the queen stage and also the last one where the riders can realistically make an impact. We have Filippo Ganna in the lead, with 22 seconds over Juan Ayuso. He shouldn't be able to survive, but the Italian is in terrific climbing form and I absolutely see him finish the race inside the Top10 (potentially Top5 or even podium). INEOS will not hold back Laurens de Plus however, the Belgian is another podium contender who can really continue a great stint of results after he finished on the podium of the Volta ao Algarve.

Like previous days, UAE is likely to push the pace and try to make things happen. Juan Ayuso sits in pole position to win the GC and his form is very good as well. He is at times inconsistent which is an issue, but last year he showed his best level here and this year he hasn't yet shown any weak spot so Isaac del Toro will work, and I honestly think Adam Yates should also sacrifice himself for the Spaniard because a Top10 is the best he can hope for realistically (aside from a stage win, if he were to have the legs).

If Yates does work few will be able to attack or even hold the wheel. Antonio Tiberi and Derek Gee already placed themselves in a very strong position to finish on the podium. Kévin Vauquelin, Romain Grégoire and Pello Bilbao sit inside the Top10 where they should stay or even gain positions.

Outside the Top10 then we have Giulio Ciccone, who can absolutely win a stage like this with this field. The Italian, Mikel Landa (with Valentin Paret-Peintre as a possible super-domestique) and Richard Carapaz are pure climbers who've been waiting for this day to strike and I believe they all have a solid chance to take a stage win. There is Tom Pidcock as well who is a big wildcard, the previous stages favoured him better but I believe he can absolutely fight for a top result here even if the stage won't be decided by the explosivity.

Mattia Cattaneo, Jai Hindley, Ion Izagirre, Lorenzo Fortunato, Davide Piganzoli, Roger Adrià, Filippo Zana, Cian Uitjdebroeks, Tobias Johannessen and Einer Rubio are also riders who can aim for a minor result, but finish well in the GC. Simon Yates lost time in the hills so he and Visma have very open expectations for a day like this, but if he does happen to find good legs he's a good contender for the stage win.

*** Juan Ayuso, Giulio Ciccone, Richard Carapaz
** Derek Gee, Mikel Landa, Tom Pidcock
* Laurens de Plus, Adam Yates, Antonio Tiberi, Kévin Vauquelin, Pello Bilbao, Romain Grégoire, Jai Hindley, Roger Adrià, Lorenzo Fortunato, Simon Yates

Pick: Juan Ayuso

How: I think the Spaniard will punch the table, not only winning the GC but also the stage. It has been building up for the past few weeks.