With 2.4 kilometers remaining to the finish, Fabio Aru (Astana) put forth a massive surge and was able to hold off the rest of the lead group to claim his first Tour de France stage victory on La-planche-des-Belles-Filles
A group of eight riders pulled off the front of the peloton from the gun, keen to capture a stage victory and get some TV coverage for their team. The eight-man group included Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors), Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data), Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie), Dylan Van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale), Mickael Delage (FDJ), and Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fortuneo-Oscaro), and was able to create a 3 minute gap between themselves and the field 10 kilometers into the race. Bahrain-Merida rider Tsgabu Grmay also broke off from the pack early in the stage, and found himself in a chase group by himself between the lead group of eight and the peloton.
The stage went out fast, as expected, and the lead group covered 30 miles (48 kilometers) in the first hour. The peloton, headed by a group of BMC riders, slowly reduced the lead group's cushion in the first half of the race, as the gap diminished from 3:30 at the 30 km mark to 2:00 at the halfway point of 80 km. 102 kilometers into the stage came the intermediate sprint, which was captured by Boasson Hagen, who sat in 4th place in the general classification during Stage 5.
Mickael Delage became the first rider from the lead group to be dropped, as the FDJ team member fell off the pace on the category 3 climb up the Cote d"Esmoulieres. Jan Bakelants was able to reach the summit first and took home 2 points in the mountains classification for his efforts, while Pierre-Luc Perichon was given 1 mountains classification point for being the second rider to the top.
Thomas de Gendt was the next rider to be dropped by the lead group, as the pack was whittled down to six riders with 45 kilometers to the finish. With around 20 kilometers left in the stage the peloton began their pursuit of the breakaway pack. Jan Bakelants and Philippe Gilbert saw their opportunity and decided to put in an attack with 14 kilometers remaining, creating a gap from Boasson Hagen, Voeckler, and Perichon.
At the 5 km to go point only Bakelants and Gilbert remained in the lead group, with the rest of the breakaway getting caught by the peloton near the foot of the final climb up to La-planche-des-Belles-Filles. Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) decided to attack on the final climb, but was unable to create enough space and was soon overtaken by the peloton along with Bakelants and Gilbert.
As the peloton made its way up the final climb, Fabio Aru put in an astounding surge 2.4 kilometers from the finish line. Aru committed to his attack, and was able to hold his gap from the peloton to the finish at the summit, capturing the victory on Stage 5. Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors) was the second rider to cross the finishing line, 16 seconds behind Aru, while last year's Tour de France champion Chris Froome finished third, 20 seconds back of the stage winner.
Aru's effort on Stage 5 will put him in third place in the general classification standings, while Chris Froome will take the Maillot Jaune from his Team Sky teammate Geraint Thomas for Stage 6. Arnaud Demare (FDJ), winner of Stage 4, will remain in the green points jersey by a solid margin, while Aru will hold the polka dot mountains classification jersey on Stage 6. Dan Martin currently sits directly behind Aru in both the general classification and mountains classification, sitting in 4th and 2nd place respectively in the classification.
Team Sky's Simon Yates will overtake AG2R La Mondiale rider Pierre Latour in the best youth rider classification, with Team Sky remaining at the top of the team classification.
Stage 6 will be a sprinters' stage, and will take the peloton 216 kilometers from the commune of Vesoul to the city of Troyes in north-central France.
Comments
Post a Comment