Tour of the Basque Country 2022: Rodriguez wins stage 5, Evenepoel new leader

image: Cor VosThe 5th stage traverses the rugged terrain of the Basque Country. Young Carlos Rodriguez leaves his fellow-attacker Marc Soler behind on the last climb and solos to victory, while Remco Evenepoel moves into the GC lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 5th stage 2022 Itzulia Basque Country

1. Carlos Rodriguez (spa)
2. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 0.07
3. Remco Evenepoel (bel) + 0.09
4. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.11
5. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
6. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.13
7. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 0.18
8. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 0.20
9. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.38
10. Fernando Barceló (spa) + 1.07

12. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.
19. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.15

GC after stage 5

1. Remco Evenepoel (bel)
2. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) + 0.02
3. Ion Izagirre (spa) + 0.21
4. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 0.22
5. Pello Bilbao (spa) s.t.
6. Jonas Vingegaard (den) + 0.29
7. Enric Mas + (spa) 0.37
8. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 1.05
9. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.15
10. Marc Soler (spa) + 1.30

Race report
A lot of movement from the start, but it’s only on the Bedarona – after roughly 55 kilometres – that the breakaway takes shape. Sepp Kuss, Pello Bilbao, Marc Soler, Sergio Samitier, Carlos Rodriguez, Lucas Hamilton and Kenny Elissonde open a gap. But it’s only after Bilbao – sixth on GC – sits up that the lead increases to 2 minutes.

Kuss and Samitier drop back later, while Hamilton crashes in the descent of the Gontzagaraigna. Elissonde can’t follow the pace on the Trabakua.

Soler and Rodriguez carve out a maximum lead of more than 4 minutes. Or, Soler carves out that lead with Rodriguez glued to his wheel.

The gap falls below 1 minute on the Karabieta. The Evenepoel accelerates with Martínez, Vlasov, Izagirre, Mas and Vingegaard in his wheel. Bilbao tracks them down.

Rodriguez leaves Soler behind in the last kilometre of the climb. The young Spaniard reaches the summit 35 seconds ahead of the chase group.

The last 500 metres are insane. While Rodriguez struggles to sstay on his bike and win the race, Martínez and Evenepoel battle it out for the vacant leader’s jersey. Martínez comes home in seconds place, 2 seconds ahead of the Flemish rider. Which is enough for Evenepoel to take the race lead, as Roglic finishes 1.15 minutes later and drops to ninth place.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2022 Tour of the Basque Country.