Giro 2026: Arrieta wins sensational stage, Eulálio takes pink

fotobureau Cor VosIn a rain-soaked stage, Afonso Eulálio and Igor Arrieta drop their fellow breakaway riders on the hardest climb of the day. They work together excellently, but then each of them takes a turn hitting the deck. Despite that, they still ride into the finale together. Even though Arrieta takes a wrong turn in the final 2 kilometres, he manages to come back and outsprints Eulálio on the slightly uphill arrival. The Portuguese takes the pink jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 5 Results – 2026 Giro d'Italia

1. Igor Arrieta (spa) 5:07:51
2. Afonso Eulálio (por) + 0:02
3. Guillermo Silva (uru) + 0:51
4. Lorenzo Milesi (ita) + 1:29
5. Christian Scaroni (ita) + 1:30
6. Gianmarco Garofoli (ita) s.t.
7. Koen Bouwman (nld) + 3:11
8. Johannes Kulsett (nor) + 3:13
9. Andrea Raccagni Noviero (ita) + 3:29
10. Ludovico Crescoli (ita) + 4:42

- peloton + 7:13

GC after stage 5

1. Afonso Eulálio (por)
2. Igor Arrieta (spa) + 2:51
3. Christian Scaroni (ita) + 3:34
4. Andrea Raccagni Noviero (ita) + 3:39
5. Johannes Kulsett (nor) + 5:17
6. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 6:12
7. Jan Christen (swi) + 6:16
8. Florian Stork (ger) s.t.
9. Egan Bernal (col) s.t.
10. Thymen Arensman (nld) + 6:18

Race report

Luca Paletti attacks from the gun, but he is caught on the flat approach towards the climb to Prestieri. A number of other riders also try their luck, but without success. By the time the riders reach the foot of the climb, it is raining heavily.

On the climb itself, Einer Rubio and Guillermo Thomas Silva are the first riders to open a gap, after which Afonso Eulálio bridges across to them. Victor Campenaerts also gives chase and he regains contact on the descent, before Gianmarco Garofoli makes it five at the front.

They open up a lead of almost 1 minute, but it later comes back down, allowing Ben Turner, Lorenzo Milesi, Manuele Tarozzi, Igor Arrieta, Martin Tjøtta, Christan Scaroni and Jhonatan Narváez to bridge across. Darren Rafferty also wants to join the move, and after a chase of dozens of kilometers he makes the catch.

The lead group opens up a maximum lead of over 3 minutes, but the gap drops to 2 minutes on the approach to Montagna Grande di Viggiano. That prompts Arrieta to continue on his own.

The 23-year-old Spaniard is joined on the climb by Eulálio and they crest 45 seconds ahead of the first chasers, Silva, Scaroni and Garofoli. The peloton is roughly 3 minutes in arrears.

On the plateau after the summit, Milesi manages to rejoin the three chasers, but they do not gain a single second on the duo out front. Meanwhile, the gap with the peloton grows to more than 5 minutes, making Afonso Eulálio the new race leader, as he started the stage 1 minute and 11 seconds down on the pink jersey.

As Arrieta hits the deck in a corner with 13.5 kilometres to go, the 24-year-old Portuguese rider is still the only attacker. He also goes down, with 6.5 kilometres still to go, allowing Arrieta to rejoin.

So they still ride into the finale together, although Arrieta appears to throw that scenario into chaos by taking a wrong turn with 2 kilometres to go. From that point on, the road only rises on a false flat. Eulálio enters that section with a solid lead, but he also becomes a perfect point to target for Arrieta. Inside the final 100 metres, the 23-year-old Spaniard makes the catch and goes on to to win one of the most bizarre finishes in recent years.

Not ideal for Eulálio, but he can take consolation in the pink jersey. He also holds a significant advantage, as the peloton crosses the line more than 7 minutes later

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.