Ruta del Sol 2023: Sprint triumph Fraile, Pogacar seals GC win

image: Cor VosBreakaway rider Dries De Bondt puts down a strong effort before he is caught inside the last 9 kilometres. In the ensuing sprint it is Omar Fraile who takes the spoils, while Tadej Pogacar seals the GC win. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 5th stage 2023 Ruta del Sol

1. Omar Fraile (spa)
2. Alessandro Covi (ita) s.t.
3. Andrea Pasqualon (ita) s.t.
4. Andreas Kron (den) s.t.
5. Nick schultz (aus) s.t.
6. Gonzalo serrano (spa) s.t.
7. Edvald Boasson Hagen (nor) s.t.
8. Damiano Caruso (ita) s.t.
9. Jesús Ezquerra (spa) s.t.
10. Lorenzo Rota (ita) s.t.

Final GC 2023 Ruta del Sol
1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Mikel Landa (spa) + 1.23
3. Santiago Buitrago (col) + 1.28
4. Carlos Rodriguez (spa) + 1.44
5. Enric Mas (spa) + 2.03
6. Tao Geoghegan Hart (gbr) + 2.52
7. Damiano Caruso (ita) + 3.05
8. Lorenzo Rota (ita) + 3.23
9. Andreas Kron (den) + 3.45
10. Pavel Sivakov (fra) + 4.02

Race report
Seven riders attack from the gun. Eenkhoorn, Van Gestel, De Bondt, Van Gestel, Van Hemelen, Colleoni, Fetter and Isasa open a gap of more than 3 minutes gap.

The gap falls below 1 minute on the Alto de los Nuñez and De Bondt heads out alone. The former Belgian champion is almost caught with 30 kilometres to go, but he keeps on pushing until he is caught inside the last 9 kilometres.

In the ensuing sprint it comes down to a Fraile-Covi clash. But at the same time, not really. The Spaniard puts a few bike lengths into the Italian in the dying metres and takes the win.

Tadej Pogacar wins his first yellow jersey of 2023 almost 1.30 minutes ahead of Mikel Landa and Santiago Buitrago.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2023 Ruta del Sol.