Australian Kaden Groves (Alpecin Deceuninck) won the 171 kilometer stage 5 of the 106th Giro d’Italia from Atripalda to Salerno, held under incessant rain. The ocean sprinter, who gave his country the second partial success in this edition of the pink race after that of Michael Matthews (Team Jayco AlUla) in Melfi, preceded the conqueror of the first stage, the Friulian Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) with the Danish Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo) who earned the third coin ahead of the Paduan Alberto Dainese (Team DSM). The Norwegian Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) kept the pink jersey maintaining his lead over Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick Step), still second at 28” ahead of yesterday’s winner, Aurelien Paret-Peintre (AG2R Citroen), third at half minute.
As written at the beginning, the dominant theme of the day was the rain which gave the runners no respite. Before the start, news arrived of three withdrawals: Ramon Sinkeldam (Alpecin Deceuninck), Remy Rochas (Cofidis) and Valerio Conti (Corratec Selle Italia) joined Paul Lapeira (AG2R Citroen) bringing the number of those remaining in the race down to 172 . With the wet roads, there was no shortage of falls which, in particular, did not spare Evenepoel who fell to the ground twice: at the start of the race, after 19 kilometres, due to a dog that crossed his road, and 1,900 meters from the arrival in the second general tumble of the group in the last 10 kilometers.
Four of them immediately left at the start: Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ), Stefano Gandin (Team Corratec Selle Italia), Samuele Zoccarato (Green Project Bardiani CSF Faizanè), and Thomas Champions (Cofidis). In reality, Pinot’s interest was limited: having conquered the GPM of Passo Serra, thus reinforcing his leadership in the classification of climbers, the transalpine got up leaving the other attackers alone in advance. The trio quickly extended their lead to three minutes before the inevitable reaction from the peloton produced a slow and inexorable erosion of the lead. With 25 kilometers to go, immediately after the flying finish line in Battipaglia, with the advantage reduced to just one minute, Zoccarato said goodbye to his two former adventure companions and attempted the solo.
The cyclist from Camposampiero managed to resist 18 kilometers, being absorbed by the group in coincidence with the banner of minus seven at the finish line. It was precisely at this juncture that, in a bend, the soaked asphalt caused a crash around the tenth position that shattered the peloton. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), the most illustrious of those who had remained behind, managed to gather the team, forming a train that allowed him, within four kilometers, to mend the rift. The gasps, however, weren’t over. A little less than two kilometers from the finish there was a new tumble which had Evenepoel and Alexander Vlasov (Bora Hansgrohe) the most illustrious victims. Fortunately for both, the accident, having occurred in the neutral zone, did not entail a loss of time in the classification. Meanwhile, in the final head-to-head Groves took his revenge on Milan while Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team), fourth, and Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroen), eighth, crashed immediately after the finish line. For the unfortunate boy from Conegliano, who was quickly loaded into an ambulance, the Giro d’Italia ended in Salerno.
Tomorrow the sixth stage will take place with start and finish in Naples. It is a partial replica of the fraction that the year of the clash recorded a spectacular duel between the undisputed prince of the escape, the Flemish Thomas De Gendt, winner on the seafront of Via Caracciolo, and the Dutch champion Mathieu van der Poel. Instead of the Monte di Procida circuit there will be 162 kilometers along the Sorrento peninsula with the historic Chiunzi GPM at 49 kilometers which will be followed, at minus 65 from the finish line, by Picco Sant’Angelo. Rain is expected in the morning but the sun should shine in the afternoon. We hope the runners want to entertain us.
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