The flavour of the day is Belgium and it comes in the form of the lone shadow of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) on the slopes of the Col de Font de Cere in Le Lioran.
Your new race leader after the 216km stage went out early on Stage 5 in a break that dwindled as the race began to head skyward on the three summits before the finish. Van Avermaet attacked with less than 30km to go and put daylight between himself and the peloton, only Thomas De Gendt was in reaching distance some two and a half minutes back on the line.
Alberto Contador suffered terribly up the climbs, as did World Champion Peter Sagan as temperatures soared. Riders were then forced onto a number of sketchy descents down the other side of the pass where it became more about protecting themselves than closing any gaps that had formed in the peloton.
The top five on the GC list now goes Van Avermaet, Julian Alaphilippe (ETIXX) 5:11, Alejandro Valverde (MOVISTAR) 5:13, Joaquim Rodriguez (KATUSHA) 5:14 and Christopher Froome (SKY) 5:17. Favorites Nairo Quintana and Fabio Aru round out the top ten.
The peloton rounds the last left hand turn off the main highway and onto the final climb of the day. Photo by SirottiThe lone silhouette of Greg Van Avermaet as he rode to the stage victory and into the yellow leaders jersey. Photo by SirottiIt was a one-two Belgium podium with Thomas De Gendt cracking under the immense pressure that Van Avermaet applied on the final climbs, coming across second to him two and a half minutes back. Photo by SirottiThe GC contenders were all hot on each other’s heels as Team Sky rider’s Geraint Thomas and Mikel Nieve led the peloton uphill followed by Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Fabio Aru and Richie Porte. Photo by SirottiGreg Van Avermaet after his solo victory in Le Lioran. Van Avermaet now leads the race after Stage 5. Photo by SirottiGreg Van Avermaet is now leading the Grand Tour in the yellow jersey. Photo by SirottiStage 5 proved to be Alberto Contador’s breaking point as he slid out the back of the peloton. He slumped over his bars leaning noticeably onto his injured right hand side after his crash on Stage 1. Photo by SirottiThe new race leader by five minutes, Greg Van Avermaet from BMC Racing. Photo by Sirotti
Jake Latham
