Stage 5

The road

At the start

A third sprint day, and a late climb

Jonathan Milan won in Andora off one of the longest sprints of the season and leads the points classification; the general classification has not shifted in three days. Biniam Girmay abandoned yesterday. Today is 177 kilometres from Genoa to Lucca, the third straight chance for the fast men, with the Passo del Bracco early to tempt a breakaway and a short climb at Montemagno inside the last twenty to give one a hope.

How it was won

1. 157 km to go

   The sprinters gamble and lose

   After the intermediate sprint a four-man move slips away, and with the chasing teams all refusing to commit into a tailwind, the escapees are handed the day.

2. 212 km to go

   Over the Montemagno

   Valgren powers the leaders over the final rise at Montemagno with almost a minute in hand, the peloton bleeding lead-out men in a chase that has started far too late.

3. 31 km to go

   Pietrobon jumps too soon

   Inside the last kilometre Andrea Pietrobon attacks his breakmates but goes just a fraction early on the cobbled, twisting run-in.

4. 4At the line

   Benjamin Thomas nicks it

   The track world champion Benjamin Thomas sweeps past Pietrobon in sight of the line for a stunning first Grand Tour win as the peloton arrives just too late.

The result