André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) continued his impressive winning streak in grand tours when he showed impressive power to crush the opposition in the uphill sprint on stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia. In a tough battle between the strongest of the fast guys, the German put metres into Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani) by hitting out from afar with 300m of the cobbled uphill finishing straight left to take the fourth Giro stage win of his career. A split in the finale cost Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) a few seconds to a few rivals but the Dutchman retained the lead on the eve of the first uphill finish.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

André Greipel: Today I was finally back at my best level

"It was a really hard chase to bring the four breakaway riders back,” André Greipel said.” Luckily other teams helped but I owe a big thanks to my team. They are a big part of this success. Before the start, I said it would be a nice finish for me and it really was. I was behind the crash [involving Rein Taaramae] but I found my way through and launched my sprint when I saw a gap with 300 metres to go. I hesitated a bit, then I gave it everything. I'm really happy.

 

“Chapeau to my teammates today. It was hard for them to chase down the break but they continued to work for me even if the other teams didn’t help us.

 

“In the sprint, I tried not to be blocked in. There was still 300 metres to go but I felt good and decided to go for it. I’m happy to have won like that.

 

"I think it started up with chasing the breakaway down. Jelle Vanendert kept riding with Giant-Alpecin and the other riders didn’t help. We had to gamble a little bit and in the end we used two more riders with Lars Bak and Wellens to chase the breakaway down. The others kept me up front and I tried to stay up on the final lap and Jurgen Roelandts did an amazing job from 5km to the final kilometre to keep me up there.

 

"For the sprint, I thought to myself, please don’t get boxed in and I went early but I thought I would give it a go. I saw the gap and I went through, and I gave everything I had in my legs.

 

"It was really important to stay up there in the front with a lot of corners and downhills, especially the U-turn with 1.5km to go. Jurgen Roelandts did an amazing job to keep me up there in front. Everybody slowed with about 400 metres to go and I thought if I see a gap then I’ll go through. I have good legs today and even though the team is a big part of it I think that I did a good sprint today.

 

"The whole stage was quite hard, actually, there were 3,000 vertical metres of climbing. But we had planned before the stage that we really had to be the whole time in the top ten to stay out of trouble. We knew it was going to be hard, and the team did a really amazing job to keep me up there.

 

"Then when I crossed the finishing line for the first time, I thought ‘ok, this is not what I expected' and I still had some power in my legs. So I really believed in myself today."

 

“Jurgen Roelandts rode at the front from 5km to go until 1.5km, it was more than we expected, so after he had worked so hard, I had no choice but to win.

 

"I was lucky to avoid the crash, I made ​​the right decision at the right time. The team put me in a good position in front to save energy and not to have to go in the finale. It's great for my teammates. They have supported me during all stages.

 

"I always said I would get back in good shape. Today I was at the best of my ability. It was hard for the past three weeks. I am very happy to return to form for the rest of the Giro. 

 

"Marcel is on his own level at the moment, but I still believe in my own abilities as a sprinter. In the Netherlands it was not so easy to stay in front, QuickStep is a really strong team with a perfect lead-out.

 

"[But] it's not just about Marcel and me, there are a lot of other good sprinters here…what can I say? I wouldn't say we are especially rivals, I'm not getting any younger, but I will still try my best until I finish my career.

 

"I think I just love my sport, the way it is, I'm not asking the media to pay attention to my person, but I'm always open for conversations. Maybe it’s because I'm getting older, or it's because I started riding my bike and racing my bike in the difficult years.”

 

"It has been a good day,” his teammate Maxime Monfort said. “We knew that it was a good stage for us especially as we saw that there was a chance for the bunch sprint. It was still a hard day and with a small hill in the finish it was perfect for Andre. Especially on cobblestones because you need the power. That was the only way to beat Kittel on a stage like today. We used a lot of energy but at the end it succeeded.

 

"Actually, we were a bit far to the breakaway with 50km to go and the downhill was really fast and the peloton stretch and then when you hit a climb immediately there was a split, and I think that was the problem for Kittel. On this final circuit, it was really short and it stretched also and it was even harder."

 

Arnaud Demare: I waited 50 metres too long

Arnaud Démare was well supported by his team throughout the entire stage. Unfortunately, at the time of his sprint, a mechanical for Mickael Delage destroyed the momentum of his sprinter who managed to clinch second place again.

 

 

Demare took fifth place at the two intermediate sprints and then focused on the end of the stage.

 

"The final was winding," said FDJ sports director Frederic Guesdon," and it was going very fast but everyone did well to position Arnaud. Ignas Konovalovas was first and then Mika who was leading out his sprinter when his chain came off. He swerved, Arnaud had to slow down. Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) came from the back at a higher speed. He took 5 or 6 lengths and Arnaud could not close it even if he finished strong. His second place shows that he has great legs but it is frustrating anyway.

 

"Alexandre Geniez whose wrist will be scanned on Friday, abandoned, and now everything will be forcused on Arnaud in stages that suit him. Tomorrow is a summit finish where we can't play with the best. However, on Friday it should end in a sprint. So we will focus on Friday."

 

“It was well-deserved for Greipel, but I’m disappointed to be second again,” Arnaud Demare told Velopro.net and Cyclingnews. “It’s a pity, my legs feel good, but I’ve not come here to finish second, I’ve come here to win and today was a good opportunity.

 

“Greipel took us by surprise when he went so soon and he didn’t crack, that shows he’s really strong. On that kind of false flat, I would have waited for longer, but he went for it.

 

“It had been a really chaotic finale, and there was a big hesitation when a Lampre rider got caught near the finish. I was waiting 50 metres too long to go for it, I waited a bit more and that was it.”

 

Sonny Colbrelli: When Greipel went, there was nothing to do

Bardiani-CSF was close to taking its first win at Giro d’Italia. Today finsisseur of the #GreenTeam Sonny Colbrelli placed third behind Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Demare (FDJ).

 

“It was an hard finale, suited for me, and we rode it really fast” said Colbrelli. “Everything was great but, honestly, I was not right with the timing of the sprint. I was in the front too early and Greipel behind me did a really strong attack. The only thing I could do was to try. I did a long sprint, I was also unsure to finish the stage at the front. Congrats to Andre, he did a great job.

 

“I’m little disappointed because I didn’t exploit this chance in the best way, on the other side the third place is a boost of confidence. Yesterday I understood that the form is good, today I had the proof. I will try again, for sure.

 

“He was as unbeatable as Kittel in the first few days. I was too far ahead in the last part and then I got overtaken by Greipel, I can only congratulate him.

 

”When Greipel went for it, he charged away and there was nothing to do. Being that far ahead was my mistake, though. But at least my legs felt good.”

 

Bob Jungels shows sprinting skills as he takes over from Kittel and Trentin

Stage 5 started with a small celebration for Marcel Kittel, who turned 28 and received a cake on the stage from the organizers, while the crowds sang Happy Birthday. The uphill road – that featured at the end of a 233-km long lumpy stage – proved to be too difficult for Marcel Kittel, who lost contact with the fast-charging bunch, but Etixx – Quick-Step still was in the mix with Bob Jungels, who avoided a crash that held up Matteo Trentin and disrupted the rhythm of the bunch. As soon as Andre Greipel opened his sprint with 250 meters to go, Jungels – who was fourth wheel – went after the German rider and his strong acceleration caught many sprinters off-guard. Only Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani-CSF) could react and they got the podium spots in Benevento, as Jungels came close behind and finished just outside the top 3, equalling his best ever result in a Grand Tour.

 

Leader in the best young rider classification with a comfortable cushion over the second placed rider, the Luxembourg champion saw his effort bear fruit at the finish, as he took back time in the overall rankings, only 16 seconds separating him now from GC leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin). This small margin is seen as an encouraging factor by Jungels ahead of the next stages scheduled this week, when the Giro will become tougher and tougher.

 

"The stage was very long. They said it was one for the sprinters, but it was really hard, as we were all the time up and down through the mountains. With Marcel suffering, we decided to go for Matteo, but unfortunately he got caught behind the crash. I was in a good position and started my sprint, although it wasn't easy at all.

 

”Still, to finish fourth in a bunch sprint it's a nice result, which shows that I have good feelings in the legs

 

“It’s a pretty good result to finish fourth in such a difficult stage. I’m feeling really good and confident. It was called a sprinter’s stage but it wasn’t. Marcel [Kittel] couldn’t hold the pace so we were setting up the sprint for Matteo [Trentin], but he was held up by the crash, so I went for it. I’m looking forward to the next few days. Tomorrow is a tough one but the last climb could suit me because it’s not that steep and my form is really good.

 

"Now I am looking forward to tomorrow's mountain stage and especially to the individual time trial on Sunday", said the white jersey wearer.

 

Crash costs Matteo Trentin rare chance to sprint at the Giro d’Italia

A valuable team player since the start of the race, Matteo Trentin hoped to be in the mix today, but the crash took him out of contention. After the finish, the Italian was left to rue the missed opportunity in Benevento, but vowed to look for other chances:

 

"Unfortunately, these things happen. I was in the wrong place at the wrong moment. It's a pity, because I could have been there with a shot at a good result, but that's bike racing. Anyway, we will continue to fight in the next stages."

 

Marcel Kittel: Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don’t

Despite not contesting the finish, Marcel Kittel kept the red jersey, and as soon as he climbed off the podium, he explained what happened on Wednesday:

 

"It was very hard out there. We had a lot of altitude meters, a 230-km long stage, and a high tempo in the peloton at all times, all these before the tough finish. It was very difficult, and to be honest, I didn't have the legs. That's cycling: in some days you have it, in some you don't.

 

"It was a very hard day today. There was a lot of climbing today so it wasn’t a normal sprint. I just wasn’t strong enough today, so I want to congratulate Greipel and his team. They deserved to win.

 

"Honestly, I don’t think today was the biggest and best chance for me. We had 800 altitude metres more than on the mountain stage yesterday, so I struggled a bit, to be honest. It was super tough. Andre is super strong and he deserved to win and from now on we are looking to the next day. I hope stage 7 is a good chance after the mountain stage tomorrow.

 

“I wasn’t strong enough for the finale, which wasn’t ideal for me. The whole day was like riding through a tunnel. I didn’t see much of the landscape as I was suffering on my bike. It was a very tough day, the toughest of the Giro so far. I have to be honest, I didn’t have the legs.

 

"A sprint is always hectic. I don’t want to say it is an Italian style of sprinting. You just have to have the strength and the team to help you stay in front. A sprint finish like this is only hectic because you have people trying to go for themselves with no support and then you have to have good legs to stay in a good position.

 

In-form Moreno Hofland left frustrated by crash in Giro d’Italia sprint

Moreno Hofland sprinted to fifth in the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia today in Benevento. He was visible in the front of the peloton the whole time during around Benevento thanks to LottoNL-Jumbo’s team work, but was boxed in during the final turn. André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) shot clear to win the stage.

 

The stage between Praia a Mare and Benevento was a long one, 233 kilometres. The fifth stage wasn’t only hard because of the length, though.

 

“It was a tricky stage with some tough climbs that weren’t actually climbs in the road book,” Hofland said.

 

“Everything still went well for us. Maarten Tjallingii brought us to the front just before the final lap and Jos van Emden did a great effort afterwards. Enrico Battaglin kept me in front afterwards so I was able to start the descent in a good position.”

 

Team LottoNL-Jumbo was planning for that scenario because of the twisting and turning in the final kilometres. Hofland started the descent in fourth position and maintained it. With 1.5 kilometres to go, a number of riders passed him in a turn and Rein Taaramäe (Katusha) crashed.

 

“I had to brake more than I wanted to and lost my position,” Hofland continued. “That was a pity because I had strong legs today. This fifth place was the best possible after the crash.”

 

During the chaotic final kilometres, the peloton split and Steven Kruijswijk lost four seconds.

 

“That’s a shame,” Sports Director Addy Engels added. “He wasn’t with the other men when they led out Moreno. These four seconds are nothing important for the final classification, but we’re working hard every day to bring Steven in position. This is unnecessary.”

 

Kruijswijk will have the chance to take revenge already tomorrow when the Giro finishes uphill for the first time.

 

“I’m expecting Steven to finish in front,” Engels concluded. “What he showed yesterday was strong. I’m confident about him being able to finish amongst the best.”

 

Sick Jakub Mareczko abandons the Giro d’Italia

It was another good performance for Wilier – Southeast in the Giro d'Italia with Manuel Belletti in 6th place.

 

The Romagnolo sprinter was ready to fight for the win in the tough last km, something that wasn't possible for Matteo Busato who was stopped by a mechanical but still classified with the time of the bunch.

 

There was bad news for Jakub Mareczko who gave up at the halfway point of the stage. The young sprinter suffered of a respiratory tract infection before the Tour of Turkey and that problem caused gastroenteric troubles in today’s stage.

 

Rick Zabel shows consistency in Giro d’Italia sprints

At 233 kilometers, Stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia was bound to be action-packed and it didn’t disappoint with Daniel Oss making a four-rider breakaway and Rick Zabel sprinting to seventh place.

 

Rick Zabel said:

 

“I was already happy after The Netherlands when I got my first top ten placing but I also wanted to prove that I could do it again in Italy, that it was not just one day. I’m happy now that I’ve shown that I have good shape with my second top top finish. It was the second-longest stage of the Giro d’Italia but that is also important for me to prove that I still have the legs after a long stage.

 

“This was one of the first times that I was really in the final after more than five hours of racing. So that’s also good to see. I think my positioning was really good in the last six kilometers but I didn’t really have the legs to go for the podium. I think Greipel was outstanding and no one could beat him. For me now I will take things day by day and see what other sprinting opportunities I can get.”

 

No major injuries for Daniel Oss after breakaway crash in the Giro

Oss’s breakaway managed to build a seven minute lead after breaking away at the 40 kilometer mark and looked set to challenge for the stage win.

 

After taking both intermediate sprints, Oss crashed on one of the descents with 100 kilometers remaining. Despite some serious road rash he got back on the bike and caught up with the breakaway.

 

The four riders managed to stay away until just seven kilometers to go when the battle for the bunch sprint played out.

 

Daniel Oss said:

 

“I’m okay despite the crash. I just slipped out on the corners and suffered some road rash. I want to let my family know that I’m okay.”

 

“I went on the attack to give it ago. It didn’t come off this time but for sure I’ll keep trying. Unfortunately Txurruka was only five minutes down overall and so they didn’t let us open a bigger gap, otherwise we cold have tried to take them on. Not to worry. We live to fight another day.

 

“We started the stage with the idea that I would try and get in the breakaway. After the first KOM it was pretty hard but four riders went away. The only bad thing was that Amets Txurruka from Orcia GreenEDGE was only five minutes behind on GC so the peloton couldn’t let him get too far in front.

 

“Then I had this bad crash. I went around the corner in the wrong way and I know it was my mistake but I didn’t give up and just tried to get back into the breakaway and just tried to do my best until the finish. And we actually got caught really close to the finish. With 50km to go I didn’t think we would be able to stay away because Team Giant Alpecin were pulling and the sprinters’ teams too. The parcours was pretty tricky in the end so this allowed us to remain away for a bit and the gap moved up and down.

 

“I was looking for a breakaway like this to understand how I feel and actually I feel pretty good. The crash wasn’t ideal but I don’t have too much pain, just road rash. Otherwise I am happy with today.”

 

Max Sciandri, Sports Director, added:

 

“Today was a pretty good day. It was a shame for Daniel with the crash but luckily it was nothing serious. He did a great job to get back into the breakaway and they were close to staying away.

 

“On the other hand Rick did a really great job to be up there again in the final with the sprint. Seventh place is a really nice result for him in a sprint like this. So in general it was a good day for the team and I can see that some of the guys are really coming into their form.

 

“Tomorrow we have our first real mountains stage so we will see how that goes and maybe try and get in the breakaway again.”

 

Tom Dumulin: Tomorrow’s stage should suit me well

Tom Dumoulin’s teammates kept their leader well protected and positioned with the riders working hard from the beginning to the end of the stage. In what was a nervous finale for the riders, Albert Timmer was involved in a minor crash but was quickly back on his bike and able to continue the race.

 

In the finish, Dumoulin crossed the line in 28th place as Greipel was the fastest in the sprint. Nikias Arndt was in a good position with Bert de Backer but he got boxed in with 1km to go which ruined his chances for a good result. However, Georg Preidler continued his good run of form as he sprinted to an 8th place finish.

That result means there were no significant changes in the general classification with Dumoulin 16″ ahead of Bob Jungels (Etixx Quick-Step) in the battle for the pink jersey. Georg Preidler is now up to 4th overall.

 

Tom Dumoulin gave his thoughts after the race: “The stage went exactly how we expected. It ended up being a pretty hard race, the whole day was constantly up and down. The race was quite easy to control from the start with only a breakaway of four riders up front.

 

“I am actually surprised how difficult the sprint finishes are in Italy. The finale was really chaotic and dangerous. I can handle it, but when you are not going for a stage result, I would have liked it to be a bit calmer.

 

“It was a really hard day, it was all up and down and it was fast with four guys in the break. Then in the final the speed was crazy.

 

“Tomorrow we’ve got the first uphill finish. It’s going to be a tough finish and we’ll really find out how everyone's form is. We’ll see what happens in the finale.

 

"It went exactly like we expected. It was a hard day, the whole day up and down but it was quite easy to control for our team. The final was… now I really know what they mean by saying sprinting in Italy is different; it was incredible. It was so chaotic and really dangerous. I actually suffered in the final but I guess everyone did.

 

"I was told the Giro is a difficult race. Now I know why. Today it was up and down all day and the peloton went crazy in the finale. I didn't bother when Bob Jungels went for the sprint because the bonus of four seconds that he could have taken isn't much. I just looked after myself and that was already hard enough.

 

“For the upcoming stages, I will try and assess different possibilities. Sometimes you just don’t have the legs to make the most out of it, but normally tomorrow’s stage will suit me. The uphill finish is not too difficult and it should fit my characteristics as a rider. If I have good legs, I won’t expect to lose too much time – if not any.

 

“At the moment, I am very satisfied with my shape and my first win in the time trial. In terms of the general classification, I am leading the Giro and I won’t give that up. I will fight for the pink jersey every day, but eventually I don’t think my level will be good enough in the high mountains.

 

“Tomorrow’s stage should suit me. It’s an uphill finish but not too hard. The Arezzo stage should suit me too. I have ridden the Strade Bianche twice. I liked it and I was good at it. I’ll definitely defend the Maglia Rosa.

 

“I’m actually repeating myself every day. I prepared the Vuelta differently, with an eye to be good in the high mountains and I haven’t done that for the Giro, with an eye to the time trials this year.

 

“Tomorrow will suit me because it’s an uphill finish but it’s not too hard. But it all depends on my legs. Yesterday my legs were very good, today they were not very good. Maybe today was a good day to have a bad day. But if I have the same legs as yesterday, I will look at the possibilities and not only ride defensively.

 

“I surprised myself at the Vuelta and I hope to surprise myself again in this Giro. But normally, I don’t think that I’ll surprise myself here.”

 

“Our aim for today was to protect the leader’s jersey of Tom and set up Nikias for the sprint,” explained coach Luke Roberts. “At the beginning of the race, the sprinters team took control and our riders didn’t have much work to do at the front of the peloton.

 

“A breakaway of four riders got away and that was the perfect situation for us. We were able to control the gap with the help of Lotto-Soudal. In the sprint finish, it was very hectic with a lot of teams fighting for position.

 

“We were successful in defending the pink jersey of Tom but Nikias got boxed in and he was unable to have a good lead-out. Georg managed to do a strong sprint and he finished in 8th place.”

 

No top result for Caleb Ewan in Giro d’Italia sprint

Young Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan finished in ninth place for ORICA-GreenEDGEon stage five of the Giro d’Italia today gaining more valuable experience as Esteban Chaves finished safely in the bunch alongside the other race favourites.

 

Spanish climber Amets Txurruka spent more than 200kilometres out front in a breakaway of four riders who worked well together for most of the day and made life very difficult for the peloton in the final stages of the race.

 

The race came back together with only six kilometres remaining and a fast and frantic finish saw crashes occur just before Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) sprinted to the stage victory from 300metres out.

 

2014 Giro d’Italia stage winner Luka Mezgec brought Ewan into the final kilometre but the crowded and chaotic finale meant that the 21-year-old had too much ground to make up on Greipel.

 

Sport director Matt White was satisfied with how the day went for the team.

 

“We were waiting to see if a bigger group would escape in the first hour of the race,” said White. “When that didn’t happen we decided to send Amets (Txurruka) up there to see if we could make something stick and in the end it worked out well for us.

 

“They were away for nearly 200kilometres and the advantage that gives us is that we can conserve energy by not needing to get involved in trying to bring the breakaway back.”

 

“The sprint was really chaotic,” continued White. “There was a slight incline leading up to the line and it was always going to be difficult for Caleb (Ewan) to get out of the pack and try to break clear on the cobbled streets.

 

“We have the first mountain stage tomorrow and we are very satisfied with our position going into the first real test for the general classification contenders. Esteban (Chaves) rode well again today and finished up near the front so we did not lose any time or see any real positional changes.”

 

Alexei Tsatevich continues consistent run of sprinting success for Katusha

It was a day for another mass sprint in the 99th Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, and this time Team KATUSHA rider Alexey Tsatevich was ready to try his hand at the finish line. It was a good effort, earning him a tenth place finish on the long 233 km stage from Praia a Mare to Benevento.

 

”I was able to get a good position before the last km, but later Rein Taaramäe crashed out. Hopefully, he is OK and has no serious injuries. I was able to pass the last corner without a problem, but lost a few positions. Later I came back and tried to go a bit in front, when in this moment Greipel started his sprint. I did all I could and finished 10th. But, the main thing is that Rein is OK,” said team sprinter Alexey Tsatevich.

 

Leading the way around a final corner, team rider Rein Taaramäe simply slid out on the road surface, but was far enough in front and had such high speed that his momentum shot him to the side of the course and did not cause others to fall.

 

Team KATUSHA’s race leader Ilnur Zakarin, who finished 12th today, moved up a bit to eighth place at 35-seconds.

 

Once again, for the fourth time in a row, Team KATUSHA won the stage team’s classification.

 

Crash and illness force Omar Fraile to abandon the Giro d’Italia

For Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka it would not be the best of days as the African Team lost Omar Fraile when the Basque rider had to abandon after 100km's of today's stage. Fraile crashed heavily during yesterday's stage but was still able to finish. Overnight though, the young climber picked up a fever and was not able to keep any fluid down. He started today's stage with the hope of nursing through to the finish but a really fast start meant this would not be possible and unfortunately he had no choice but to stop at the feedzone.

 

Once again the African Team was focused on delivering Kristian Sbaragli to the sprint as the final 1.5km suited the young Italian, being a slightly uphill pave surface. Sbaragli was well positioned going onto the pave but with no team really taking control of the leadout there was a slight lull in the pace which saw a number of riders swamp to the front before a left hand turn with 1km to go. Sbaragli was boxed in, lost position quickly and then there was also a crash in the corner.

 

The sprint then opened up and Sbaragli found himself having to come from around position 20 when before the final corner he was 8th wheel. In the end the Italian had to settle for 11th place on the stage.

 

Sports director Jean-Pierre Heynderickx said:
 

“We have to start with the bad news of the day, Omar stopped today. He had a bad night after he crashed yesterday. He threw up a couple of times in the evening and a couple of times during the race. He was feeling dizzy and had a headache, he really wasn't feeling well and you could see he was completely empty so he stopped in the feedzone. It's always a bad thing when you lose a rider in a grand tour, and more so when it is early on so we are sad to see him go.

 

”Then we went for Kristian in the sprint. He had a good position but was in the middle of the road. Some riders went past him on the left and others on the right, then he was too far back before the last corner. There was also a crash which he was behind, it didn't help the situation so it wasn't the result we were expecting from today.”

 

Attentive Alejandro Valverde gains five second on Nibali in hectic Giro stage

Sometimes, a strong attack comes better late rather than early. Concentration was key in a lumpy stage five in the Giro d'Italia (Praia a Mare – Benevento) marked by stress, or “psychological hardness”, as Carlos Betancur named it before the day's racing. Alejandro Valverde positioned himself well for the final section -3.4% gradient, over cobblestones - after a long 233km where the Blue leader found great support from his eight team-mates. The maneuver cost his rivals four seconds, with Tom Dumoulin (TGA) still in pink but now only 27" ahead of the Spaniard, with Vincenzo Nibali (AST) only one second ahead of Valverde in 6th. In turn, Russian Ilnur Zakarin (KAT) was the other main GC contender that made the first split in 12th place, sitting now in 8th spot at 8" from the Movistar Team leader.

 

Costa Rica's Andrey Amador (36th) was less fortunate, as a problem with his handlebar made him not make the first cut and slightly dropped to 18th place, yet still only 3" behind Mikel Landa (SKY), 16th in the GC at 20" from Valverde. Once again, the Blue roster directed by Jaimerena and Chente played a crucial role protecting their GC references until the difficult kick towards the finish, a prelude to Thursday's first mountain finish in Roccaraso (Cat-2). "It's gonna be a complicated finish... even though today's already had its wear and tear," briefly commented Valverde at the Movistar Team hotel after the race.

 

Elia Viviani: I am not at my best level

Mikel Landa enjoyed a trouble-free day on the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia which saw Andre Greipel emerge triumphant in Benevento.

 

Landa was well protected by his Team Sky team-mates on the 233km trek from Praia a Mare and spent the day in the midst of the peloton as the sprint trains enjoyed another day in the sun.

 

Phil Deignan and Christian Knees helped bring the breakaway back in the last 15km but Elia Viviani was not quite able to work his way into the mix on the final, cobbled drag to the finish.

 

Instead, Greipel (Lotto Soudal) bided his time before pouncing in the last 200m to seal the fourth Giro stage win of his career.

 

Nicolas Roche was the first Team Sky rider home in 14th position, three places ahead of Landa.

 

Those results saw Roche drop just one place to 10th in the overall standings, while Landa sits 47 seconds behind pink jersey holder Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin), who defended his 16-second lead over Bob Jungels (Etixx - Quick-Step).

 

“Greipel deserved this win and won it well,” Viviani said. “He had a difficult spring but is going well now as we can see. My form isn’t at the very best and so I’ve got to suffer a little bit. I’m hoping thing will come around later in the Giro d’Italia.”

 

Cannondale leaders stay safe in hectic Giro d’Italia stage

Ramunas Navardauskas was Cannondale’s top finisher today in 16th place, and Rigoberto Uran and Davide Formolo finished safely in the bunch to maintain 12th (Uran) and 21st (Formolo) overall.

 

“The team could more or less relax until the finale. The four riders went off front, and the bunch rode tempo to catch them. The last circuit was stressful with cobblestone and twists and turns. There’s also some stress at the end not to be caught in a split and lose time. But the stress today was only in the final circuit,” DS Bingen Fernandez said.

 

Vincenzo Nibali: If they had followed the rules, I wouldn’t have lost those four seconds

“It was important to stay out of troubles,” said Astana’s Tanel Kangert.” The roads were narrower than expected, but everything went well. A classic transition stage.”

 

“The team did a good job,” commented sport director Giuseppe Martinelli, “and we rode in function of tomorrow’s stage. It will be the first mountaintop finish of this year’s race and we want to give our best.”

 

“The 17km uphill to Roccaraso will be a good opportunity to see who is going or not, but in the end I think it will  not make a big difference in the GC,” said Kangert.

 

Vincenzo Nibali lost four seconds to Valverde due to a split.

 

“It was quite nervous in the finale but nothing special,” Vincenzo Nibali told Cyclingnews. “I was together with [Mikel] Landa. I didn’t see where the gap was formed and I didn’t see how it opened up, because four seconds are really a lot. The peloton was lined out but from what I could make out, I didn’t see gaps.”

 

“If it’s confirmed, then so be it. But there was a crash in the finale too and normally when there’s a crash they neutralise the times. We didn’t sit up, we continued right to the finish as normal, and it was only right to do that. But if the rules are respected, they’d give us all the same time. If not, then 4 seconds aren’t a lot and that’s ok too.”

 

“The Roccaraso stage could tell us something and it could tell us nothing. After Roccaraso, there’ll be a lot of other big mountaintop finishes to come. We’ll just keep trying to ride like we’ve ridden up to now. We’ve been going well as a team.”

 

Rafal Majka saves dangerous situation, Pavel Brutt on the attac

Pavel Brutt was the hero of the day on one of the race's longest stages. On the undulating parcours, Pavel and three others escaped up the road after the day's categorised climb and stayed out in front for more than 180km of the stage's 233km. With the group caught by the peloton 7.5km from the stage's finish in Benevento, a bunch sprint decided the day's outcome, with Rafal Majka the first Tinkoff rider to finish, in 21st position, four seconds behind a small split in the front group but not losing time to the majority of his GC rivals.

 

The attack came early in the day, on the descent of the Fortino. A group of four riders – including Tinkoff's Pavel Brutt – got away 40km out, and while the peloton wasn't willing to let the attack go, the group of four worked together to quickly build up a gap of more than four minutes. From here, the time gap rose and fell with the undulating parcours, but never dropped below two minutes, and sometimes rose to more than six.

 

From the finish, Sport Director, Tristan Hoffman, was pleased with how the Russian rider had performed.

"The day started with a long 3rd category climb, which was going up for about 35km, but the peloton stayed calm on this and then the break went over the top. Pavel did a good job to get in the move there as with the profile today you never know how the race can go. He was there all day and put in a good effort but the teams started pulling behind when the gap was just six minutes so you know then that it's going to be tough."

 

At 20km remaining, the gap had been reduced to 30 seconds, but the Russian rider, who counts the Giro as one of his favourite races, wasn't giving up, working with the other escapees to drive the pace and build the gap back up again. Back in the peloton however, Rafal Majka experienced a mechanical, but with strong team support to pace him, the Tinkoff leader was quickly back with the main group. Back at the front however, with 7.5km left, the peloton had clear sight of the escape and was finally reeling them back in just before the lap of Benevento.

 

As Hoffman explained from the finish, the day could have turned out very differently, especially after the puncture.

 

"They got caught with 7.5km to go, but things were a bit nervous before that as with 14km to go Rafal had a flat tyre and at this point it was really flat out and technical. I have to say the boys did fantastic here - Ivan waited with him, then Boaro was there as well to help him through the cars, with the others at the back of the peloton. It worked out fantastically, but it was on the limit."

 

Tinkoff's leader, Rafal Majka, was quick to praise the huge efforts of his teammates after his mechanical.

 

"When I punctured it took some time to change the wheel, so it was quite nervous but thanks to the extraordinary effort of Boaro and Rovny I managed to close the gap to the bunch and finish safely in the front. We didn't lose any time today and it was a good day overall in the end, but I spent an immense amount of energy to get back to the leading positions in the group. I would like to thank the guys for their fantastic effort and sacrifice to get me back. They went really hard on the last climb which took its toll but it all worked out. It was great team work from the guys and shows the strong team spirit we have here."

 

After a long, tough day in the saddle, the stage was won with a bunch sprint finish, with Majka the first Tinkoff rider over the line in 21st position – an amazing result after his earlier puncture. 

 

"The finish itself was slightly uphill, but there were still sprinters left so it was another one for them. Greipel was really strong today to be there and his team did a good job so chapeau. Rafal stayed in the same time overall which was the goal ahead of tomorrow which will be a tough stage. There's a long climb in the first 50km, and then another long one to finish. It shouldn't be super crazy as it's not that steep but you never know and if Rafal has an opportunity we will see if we can take it."

 

Crash destroys strong Lampre-Merida train at the Giro d’Italia

LAMPRE-MERIDA's train with Ferrari, Mohoric and Modolo launched towards the final kilometer and everything seemed to be perfect for the team to try to add another win thanks to Modolo after Ulissi’s victory yesterday.
 

In a turn at 1400 meters to go, Taaramae crashed and the blue-fuchsia-green train was destroyed because Modolo, Mohoric (who had been perfect during the final kilometers in driving his team mates) and Ferrari were forced to brake to avoid the crash and to restart.

Modolo used his legs to make a first effort which was repeated when Greipel began the sprint and the Italian rider tried to follow him: he could not find the necessary energy to complete the sprint.
 

The first LAMPRE-MERIDA rider in the stage classification was Ulissi, 23rd at 4" from the winner.

"Everything was ok, it seemed that we could approach the final kilometer in the best possible way thanks to the impressive support I was receiving once again from my team mates,” Modolo explained. “There was a crash in the last turn before the last kilometer and everything was ruined, despite the great reaction from my team mate Ferrari, who was really skillful in taking the head of the group and setting a pace which could allow me to recover the front positions.
 

”However, I made a first effort in order to start again after I had avoided the crash, then I made a second rush when Greipel started the sprint: in that moment, I missed the necessary energy to respond.

 

“Then I touched Sonny Colbrelli in the sprint. It's really gone wrong . I just feel sorry for the team that had worked well.

 

”We'll try again to be protagonists, I'm sure that with such amazing team mates we'll be able to fight for a top result.”

 

At the end of the stage, LAMPRE-MERIDA was awarded as the "super team" of the 4th stage: the four blue-fuchsia-green rookies Conti, Koshevoy, Mohoric and Petilli represented the team on the podium.

In the overall classification, Ulissi retained the 3rd place, at 20" from the pink jersey Dumoulin.

 

Optimistic Domenico Pozzovivo well-prepared for first mountain stage

"The sensations are good,” Domenico Pozzovivo said. “I have survived the first stages in Holland. Yesterday was difficult in the finale and I was present, I even attacked. Today, there was a very good team, we had to be vigilant. We saw the crashes in the final and I could avoid them.

 

“I'm happy to be in the south of Italy where I come from, we do not pass through here often. There is lots of warmth around me and I like it.

 

“Tomorrow is the first big mountain stage. The finish is not very difficult but it will be important. I know the roads, I did a recon of the final climb and I also did the first ascent in training. "

 

Crash destroys perfect positioning work for Giacomo Nizzolo at the Giro d’Italia

Giacomo Nizzolo positioned perfectly in the final kilometers of stage five, but when a crash occurred in the final corner with just under one kilometer remaining, he was one of the unlucky ones forced to brake to avoid the sliding Team Katusha rider.

 

Nizzolo nearly came to a complete stop, eliminating any chance to fight for the win, while ahead a strong Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) powered up the slight uphill to snag the victory.

 

"The feeling during the day was not the best one for me, and I was hoping in the end it could be better, and that is why I was always there in the front in the last kilometers," explained Nizzolo. "But then when we came to the last corner, some guys crashed just in front of me. I had to brake and almost had to put my foot on the ground. From there, it was over."

 

With some of the sprinters, including a seemingly unbeatable Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick Step), unable to handle the hills of the 230-kilometer stage, and the finish a thorny cobbled rising road, the door was wide open for Nizzolo to make his bid for the elusive Giro stage win.  

 

At three kilometers to go Nizzolo was situated on Greipel's wheel and all was playing out seamlessly.

That is, until the crash.

 

"I think the wheel I chose to follow in the last kilometers was a good one, eh?" Nizzolo smiled, showing good spirits despite the misfortune. "In the end, Greipel was the strongest. I saw him very motivated and powerful so I decided to stay in his wheel.

 

"What can I say? I did my best, definitely. I tried one hundred percent and it did not work out today. The only thing I can do is keep going and never give up."

 

Ryder Hesjedal finished safely in 49th place in a peloton that numbered less than 60 at the finish. Tomorrow's stage six sees the first summit finish, and although not a severe mountain climb, will be a tricky ending for the general classification contenders.

 

Jack Bobridge was caught up in a crash in the latter part of the race but was able to remount and finish.

 

Damiano Cunego: It’s too early to make the mountains jersey a goal

Damiano Cunego extended his lead in the KOM classification.

 

“Everything has gone well today,” he said. “The past two stages were important for the King of the Mountains competition. It’s a good result for myself and my team. I’m yet to determine my priorities, whether it’s the KOM, the GC or a stage win. If I lose the Maglia Azzurra tomorrow, let’s be patient, there’ll be possibilities to get it back later. I haven’t identified my rivals for the KOM yet so it’s too early to make this classification a goal.

 

“I saw I had a chance to take the jersey yesterday and went for it; today we made sure we defended it. I’m riding well and so we’ll try to hold it as long as possible, its good for the Nippo Vini Fantini team. I know I can lose it on the toughest mountain stages but we’ll try to come up with a way of getting back if we lose it. I’ll also target stage victories later on too.

 

"I really have to thank the teammates. Fortunately there was only one GPM after 35 kilometers and for us it was almost easy to control the race. I thanked them one by one. Today we did it and we hope soon to be able to again say that we did well. 

 

"So far everything is well. These were two important days for me, where I collected important points for this ranking. Let's see if we can keep it in the coming days, but it should not become a top priority. If we lose it, we have to be patient. We can get it later by doing well in stages that have many points. We will see day by day.

 

"We'll see how it goes tomorrow. Tonight we will make a small report.  We will see how we are, because we also have to save the energy.”