Lippert ends drought with Giro stage win

German rider Liane Lippert won the sixth stage of the women's Giro d'Italia on Friday as her Movistar teammate Marlen Reusser retained the pink leader's jersey.

Lippert, 27, claimed her first victory since stage 6 of last year's Giro at the end of the 142-kilometre run to Terre Roveresche, outsprinting her last breakaway companion, Pauliena Rooijakkers.

"This stage was similar to the one I won last year, so I felt it was a good decision to go for it again. I was feeling great. It was my day, and I did it all perfectly," said Lippert.

Rooijakkers finished two seconds behind in second but jumped four places in the overall classification to fourth.

Swiss rider Reusser remained 16 seconds ahead of Italian defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini in the overall standings

Belgian Lotte Kopecky, a two-time world champion, did not start the stage "due to lower back pain". Her SD Worx team said the decision was "a precaution" ahead of the Tour de France, which starts on July 24.