Giro 2018 Stage 5: Sprint win Enrico Battaglin, still pink for Rohan Dennis

Stage 5 of the Giro is a hilly race with a 900 metres climb at 6% and a rolling last kilometre for a finale. Enrico Battaglin sprints to victory ahead of Giovanni Visconti, while Rohan Dennis holds on the pink jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 5th stage 2018 Giro d’Italia

1. Enrico Battaglin (ita)
2. Giovanni Visconti (ita) s.t.
3. José Goncalves (por) s.t.
4. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) s.t.
5. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
6. Tim Wellens (bel) s.t.
7. Francesco Gavazzi (ita) s.t.
8. Maurits Lammertink (nld) s.t.
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
10. Patrick Konrad (aut) s.t.

53. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 0.41

GC after the 5th stage
1. Rohan Dennis (aus)
2. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.01
3. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.17
4. Tim Wellens (bel) + 0.19
5. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.25
6. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.28
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
8. José Goncalves (por) + 0.32
9. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.34
10. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 0.35

14. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.47
18. Michael Woods (can) + 0.53
19. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.55
20. George Bennett (nzl) + 0.56
23. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.57
24. Sam Oomen (nld) + 1.00
25. Sergio Henao (col) + 1.03
29. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 1.15
35. Wout Poels (nld) + 1.37
39. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 1.57

Race report
Once the flag is dropped Ryan Mullen, Laurent Didier, Eugert Zhupa and Andrea Vendrame open up a gap. They race to a lead of more than 5 minutes before the peloton takes them on a leash.

Vendrame goes alone when the gap has fallen below 2 minutes. Miguel Ángel López crashes with 6 kms to go before the sole leader is reeled in with 3 kilometres remaining.

Domenico Pozzovivo and Diego Ulissi both try to distance the main group on the climb to the flamme rouge, but without succeeding. All favourites, except López, enter the last kilometre. Enrico Battaglin is very well placed just around the last curve 300 metres before the line. He overhauls Giovanni Visconti to sprint to victory, while José Goncalves comes in third and climbs up on GC thanks to a 4 seconds time bonus.

Most other GC-guys finish ‘compatto’, except López who now is almost 2 minutes down on race leader Rohan Dennis.

Tomorrow brings this Giro’s first high altitude finish at the Etna. The last climb amounts to 14.1 kilometres at 6.5%.