Giro D'Italia 2016: Full Standings and Highlights After Stage 5 Results
Andre Greipel of Lotto Soudal won a dramatic uphill sprint at the end of Stage 5 of the 2016 Giro d'Italia—in a chaotic finale on the cobblestoned finish at Benevento on Wednesday.
It was the German's fourth stage win as he powered home, punishing the chasing pack behind him. Greipel now has 18 Grand Tour stage wins under his belt.
The Giro's official Twitter account provided a shot of the stage winner as he crossed the line:
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The 33-year-old didn't wait for an attack from an opponent, proving he is one of the fastest finishers in this year's race and on the planet.
Tom Dumoulin held the Maglia Rosa pink jersey, as Sky Sports Cycling confirmed the result and the overall standings and classifications:
Stage 5 turned out to be one of the most dangerous stages of the Giro so far, with hesitation and falls plaguing the race.
Giant-Alpecin took the bull by the horns in the opening gambit of the stage, forcing the pace as other teams sat back. The first 20 kilometers remained steady and controlled, with the riders conserving their energy for the cobbled-street circuit finish in Benevento.
The Giro provided details of the course that clearly favoured the sprint specialists:
Breakaway specialist Amets Txurruka continued his favoured tactic and quickly put space between himself and the peloton at the 60-km point, claiming a five-minute lead and becoming the on-road Maglia Rosa. However, the Spaniard was unable to make an impression at the end of the race, despite his endeavour.
Pavel Brutt joined Txurruka in a continued breakaway, with the gap ballooning up to six minutes.
As the roads flattened out, the natural pace of the competition increased as the stage started to come to life. However, Dimension Data confirmed that Omar Fraile had abandoned the stage due to the injuries he suffered in a crash on Tuesday.
Daniel Oss claimed the points at the second intermediate sprint, placing joint first with Maarten Tjallingii in the sprint classification. There was a mistake from Oss as he fell on a decent, taking a bend at high speed, but he quickly climbed to his feet to carry on.
The peloton struggled to cut the gap as the course once again became hilly, making riding increasingly difficult in the saddle.
As expected, Dumoulin led the chase in the second half of the stage as his Giant-Alpecin team took up a strong position.
Txurruka, Brutt, Oss and Alexander Foliforov maintained their lead at the front as the breakaway riders fought to maintain control over the clock. Giant-Alpecin hauled the peloton back into contention with 60 km remaining.
Lotto-Soudal began a determined move as Greipel came into play, and suddenly the chasing group had cut the gap at the front to two minutes.
A dramatic final stretch saw the cobbled streets present problems for the sprinters as the peloton stretched out. Gianfranco Zilioli fell as the cyclists pushed harder.
As the leaders approached the end, it was Greipel who assumed control with a devastating sprint. The finish was perfect for the German, who favours a quick finish. The uphill attack was too much for many in the field.
Greipel's stage win didn't penetrate the top of the overall classifications, but he once again proved he has the power to attack the sprint finishes better than most.
Stage 6 will be a totally different affair on Thursday as the Giro hits the mountain stage of Ponte Roccaraso. The 157-km stage will change the racing dynamic after Wednesday's sprinting, and Dumoulin will be severely tested as he tries to maintain the Maglia Rosa.
All stats via CyclingNews.com.
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