Volta a Catalunya 2016: Wout Poels solos to victory, Quintana retains lead

Results 5th stage Volta a Catalunya

1. Wout Poels (nld)
2. Dario Cataldo (ita) + 0.11
3. Gaetan Bille (bel) s.t.
4. Kanstantsin Sioutsou (blr) s.t.
5. Carlos Verona (ita) + 0.13
6. Simon Gerrans (aus) + 0.33
7. Alexey Tsatevich (rus) s.t.
8. Enrico Gasparotto (ita) s.t.
9. Davide Cimolai (ita) s.t.
10. Ben Swift (gbr) s.t.

GC after stage 5
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.07
3. Richie Porte (aus) + 0.17
4. Daniel Martin (irl) + 0.21
5. Tejay van Garderen (usa) + 0.27
6. Romain Bardet (fra) + 0.32
7. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 0.42
8. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.46
9. Hugh Carty (gbr) + 1.01
10. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.16

Race report
Without Geraint Thomas and David de la Cruz the riders leave Rialp for an extremely fast stage. All bunched with 51 kms done in one hour, so that’s an incredible pace.

Halfway up the Port d’Acer lies an intermediate sprint that’s won by Dan Martin with Contador third, so they take time bonuses at 3 and 1 seconds. De Gendt is first to crest, thus cementing his KOM-lead.

It took a while,, but with 110 kms done a group manages to force a half a minute gap for the first time today. While they are at it Verona, Poels, Cataldo, Van der Sande, Polanc, Siutsou, Bille and Veuchelen power on to enlarge the lead to over 4 minutes.

Wout Poels accelerates at the lower slowes of the last climb. With no one strong enough to follow the Dutch Sky-pilot powers on to the stage victory. Cataldo sprints to second place, while Quintana retains the overall lead.

Volta a Catalunya 2016 stage 5: Route maps, height profiles, etc.

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All stages

Route and profile

profile 5th stage

Route 5th stage

Start in Rialp

Final kilometres

All profiles

Finish in Valls

Start and finish at Google Maps

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