Tirreno-Adriatico 2021: Van der Poel solos to victory, Pogacar cements lead

image: Cor VosMathieu van der Poel strikes with 51 kilometres remaining and solos to victory in the 'Stage of the Walls'. Tadej Pogacar finishes in second to extend his GC lead. Wout van Aert still sits in second overall, while Mikel Landa moves up to third. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 5th stage Tirreno-Adriatico 2021

1. Mathieu van der Poel (nld)
2. Tadej Pogacar (slo) + 0.10
3. Wout van Aert (bel) + 0.49
4. Fabio Felline (ita) + 1.26
5. Egan Bernal (col) + 2.07
6. Davide Formolo (ita) s.t.
7. Tim Wellens (bel) + 2.18
8. Alessandro de Marchi (ita) s.t.
9. Mikel Landa (spa) + 2.25
10. Matteo Fabbro (ita) + 2.45

GC after stage 5
1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Wout van Aert (bel) + 1.15
3. Mikel Landa (spa) + 3.00
4. Egan Bernal (col) + 3.30
5. Matteo Fabbro (ita) + 3.54
6. Tim Wellens (bel) + 4.30
7. João Almeida (por) + 4.42
8. Romain Bardet (fra) + 5.03
9. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 5.54
10. Simon Yates (gbr) + 6.58

Race report
After 45 kilometres of hard racing – 57 kph – Bilbao, Ganna, Rickaert, Stannard and Ballerini jump clear. The five carve out a gap of 5 minutes before the peloton takes control.

On the Wall into Castelfidardo – with 65 kilometres remaining – Van der Poel ups the pace. Some 10 kilometres later the lead group is history. Bernal counter-attacks with Van der Poel, Pogacar, Van Aert and Higuita in his wheel.

It’s still 51 kilometres out when Van der Poel goes solo. While the other four are reeled in the Dutchman crosses the finish with a lead of 30 seconds. Van Aert takes a bonus of 2 seconds, Pogacar gains 1.

Higuita can’t follow the pace in the chase group and Van der Poel carves out a lead of more than 3 minutes. Soler and Felline go after him, but without coming closer.

Pogacar strikes in the GC group in the ascent of the Wall of Castelfidardo en rejoins Soler and Felline. A few kilometres later the Tour de France Champion leaves the two behind.

Pogacar closes in on the Dutchman in the last 10 kilometres, while Van Aert is chasing behind the overall race leader.

Despite running on empty in the last few kilometres Van der Poel takes an impressive solo triumph. The Tour de France Champion falls 10 seconds short to win the race, but he does extend his GC lead to 1.15 minutes (Van Aert) and 3 minutes (Mikel Landa), so the overall victory is next to certain.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2021 Tirreno-Adriatico.