Tour of the Basque Country 2016: Stage 5 – Huge solo victory Diego Rosa, Sergio Henao new leader

Stage 5 in the Tour of the Basque Country leads over eight peaks to the finish near the Santuario de la Virgen de Arrate. In over hundred kilometres Diego Rosa soloes to an impressive victory. Sergio Henao and Alberto Contador attack at the last climb to finish second and third. Henao is the new leader 6 seconds ahead of Contador, while Kelderman tumbles to eight in the overall. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results stage 5 Tour of the Basque Country

1. Diego Rosa (ita)
2. Sergio Henao (col) + 3.13
3. Alberto Contador (spa) s.t.
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 3.15
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.
6. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 3.40
7. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.41
8. Lawson Craddock (usa) + 3.56
9. Rui Costa (por) + 4.12
10. Serge Pauwels (bel) s.t.

GC after stage 5
1. Segio Henao (col)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) + 0.06
3. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.10
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (spa) + 0.12
5. Samuel Sánchez (spa) + 0.31
6. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.38
7. Lawson Craddock (usa) + 1.00
8. Wilco Kelderman (nld) + 1.07
9. Rui Costa (por) + 1.09
10. Sebastien Reichenbach (swi) + 1.11

Race report
A lot of escapes in the early stages of the race. KOM-leader Stefan Denifl is a prominent guest in alle breakaways and he is the first to crest the Itziar and second at the Kalbario and Karabieta, after Rosa, thus cementing his KOM-lead.

Diego Rosa. That’s the man of the day. When a big break away forms after something like 30 kilometres it takes him a few kilometres to decide to go solo. 125 kilometres later he brings an impressive solo home.

The GC-battle rages at the closing climb with Henao en Contador attacking on the lower slopes. Leader Kelderman can’t cope and the duo gobbles up Landa, who had made a prior move, to climb to second and third in the race and one and second in the overall. Contador is now 6 seconds down on the Colombian, while Thibaut Pinot is waiting in the shades in third at 10 seconds.

Wilco Kelderman tumbles into eight overall after finishing over 1 minute down on Henao/Contador.

Fabio Aru and Simon Yates left the race after crashes, while Dan Martin also abandoned.