Almost exactly one year ago to the day, Lippert celebrated her last victory to date - on stage 6 of the Giro. History repeats itself, as she also won a two-rider sprint back then after attacking from a smaller group.

Rooijakkers didn't stand a chance in the duel with Lippert, but the Dutchwoman was one of the big winners of the day even without the stage win, as she made up four places in the overall standings, which is why she is now fourth, 2:02 minutes behind Marlen Reusser, who remains in pink. Due to Rooijakkers' advance, however, Antonia Niedermaier had to give up another place and is now only seventh and a little further away from her goal of winning the Giro or at least finishing on the podium. Niedermaier finished with the group of favourites 1:24 minutes behind Lippert, together with all the other GC riders.

Lippert: "The team wanted to know today"

The decision for the stage win was made around 30 kilometres before the finish. Amanda Spratt (Lidl - Trek) was the sole leader at this point, a few seconds ahead of the peloton. Other riders, including Lippert, Rooijakkers and Juliette Labous (FDJ - Suez), bridged the gap from the peloton and closed the gap. Although the gap to the peloton never grew above 40 seconds, the peloton was keen to close the gap.

Only ten kilometres before the finish did Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) try to close the gap with an attack. Reusser latched onto her rear wheel, but did not work with her. Shortly beforehand, Lippert had already attacked from the front, with only Rooijakkers able to follow her. That was the preliminary decision.

"I'm super happy, I had a fantastic day," laughed Lippert to the cameras that captured her for the interview. "The team just wanted to know today. The girls did a great job and I had a clear run today. And now it's my first win of the year. I won stage 2 of the Tour de France in 2023, but six is probably my lucky number at the Giro," said the 27-year-old. "Last year I already had the feeling that it would be my day. This time it was again."

The results of the 6th stage of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025

>> All stages of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025 at a glance
>> The most important information about stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025

How the 6th stage of the Giro d'Italia Women 2025 went

Without Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx - Protime), who didn't turn up for the start of the stage with back problems, stage 6 began with plenty of action. Many women went on the offensive, but none were able to break away at first. Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Oatly) was the first to make a sustained breakaway. She was the first to reach San Marino, where the race made a small detour.

However, she did not finish at the top of the mountain classification. Usoa Ostolaza (Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi) secured the points for the 2nd category mountain classification after just under 34 kilometres ahead of Gigante. After the mountain classification, Léa Curinier (FDJ - Suez) took the lead. However, the Frenchwoman didn't get too far. Her team-mate Loes Adegeest was the next to try and shortly afterwards the former woman in pink, Anna Henderson (Lidl - Trek), took up the chase.

Spratt initiates leading group

On the way to the second mountain classification in Monteciccardo (3rd category), Adegeest built up a good one and a half minute lead over the field, Henderson continued to hang somewhere in no man's land in between. But Adegeest's lead shrank enormously on the climb. Ostolaza jumped out of the peloton again and secured the points after 89 kilometres, 55 before the finish.

On the descent, Henderson, Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) and Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health) kept up the pace. On the following climb (3rd category), the peloton, which was now only a slightly larger group of favourites, was back in contention. Spratt secured the mountain points ahead of Gigante. Spratt then immediately went into the next attack.

Labous and Sara Casasola (Fenix-Deceuninck) closed the gap to Spratt and had a 40-second advantage with 30 kilometres to go. Lippert bridged this gap as a soloist over the next three kilometres. Rooijakkers also made it to the front, Edwards, who had also tried, did not succeed.

Lippert attacks on the last wave

Even ten kilometres before the finish, the quintet at the front still had a 40-second lead. Lippert used the following wave for an attack, which only Rooijakkers was able to follow. Borghini and Reusser followed from the peloton and quickly caught up with the rest of the leading group, with the Swiss rider not taking part in the chase. More riders caught up from behind.

Lippert and Rooijakkers, on the other hand, were able to keep their gap constant. And while the group of favourites conceded defeat shortly afterwards, Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl - Trek) was not prepared to accept this. Although the 23-year-old was able to narrow the gap, she was unable to make it to the front. There, a two-rider sprint decided the day's victory, in which Lippert easily outsprinted Rooijakkers. Van Anrooij then crossed the finish line in third place. The group of favourites crossed the finish line just under a minute and a half later.