Tour of Valencia 2023: Costa outguns Arensman on the line to win the GC

image: Cor VosRui Costa and Thymen Arensman attack from the GC group in the last kilometres. The Portuguese outsprints the Dutchman to win both the stage and the GC. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 5th stage 2023 Tour of Valencia

1. Rui Costa (por)
2. Thymen Arensman (nld) s.t.
3. Samuel Battistella (ita) + 0.07
4. Marc Soler (spa) + 0.08
5. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 0.21
6. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.23
7. Brandon McNulty (usa) + 0.28
8. Fred Wright (gbr) + 0.30
9. Matej Mohoric (slo) s.t.
10. Omar Fraile (spa) + 0.31

Final GC 2023 Tour of Valencia
1. Rui Costa (por)
2. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 0.16
3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (gbr) + 0.19
4. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.23
5. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) + 0.25
6. Thomas Gloag (gbr) + 0.34
7. Mikel Landa (spa) + 0.40
8. Alex Aranburu (spa) + 0.46
9. Carlos Rodriguez (spa) s.t.
10. Brandon McNulty (usa) + 0.52

Race report
Alessandro De Marchi is part of the breakaway for the third time in five days. Davide Gabburo and Samuele Battistella accompany him this time and the trio opens up a gap of more than 2 minutes.

First Gabburo and then De Marchi can’t follow the pace of Battistella on the Port del Garbí. Meanwhile, Vlasov attacks several times from the GC group and only Ciccone, Geoghegan-Hart, Arensman and Soler follow his moves. Battistella latches on to the five when they overhaul them.

More riders – Bilbao, McNulty and Costa – come across after the descent. Another chase group comes close, but they fail to close it down.

Geoghegan Hart, Bilbao and Vlasov gain 3, 2 and 1 seconds in the intermediate sprint with 9 kilometres to go.

Arensman and Costa attack in the last kilometres and instead of chasing, the others start looking at each other. The two sprint for the win with the former World Champions just a wee bit faster. He also takes the GC win, as Ciccone crosses the line 21 seconds later. The Italian drops down to second place, while Geoghegan Hart rounds out the podium. The Briton crashes in the finale, as does Vlasov, and they are given the samen time as McNulty.

Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2023 Tour of Valencia.