Giro d'Italia 2024

Frenchman Thomas celebrates breakaway victory on stage 5

French professional cyclist Benjamin Thomas has surprisingly won the 5th stage of the Giro d'Italia! 

The 28-year-old from Team Cofidis prevailed in the sprint of a four-man breakaway group after 178 kilometers from Genoa to Lucca on Wednesday. The Italian top sprinter Jonathan Milan, victorious the day before, won the sprint of the peloton and had to settle for fifth place, eleven seconds behind.

There were no changes in the overall standings, with UAE star Tadej Pogacar continuing to lead by 46 seconds ahead of Welshman Geraint Thomas (Ineos). The Slovenian survived the flat stage with several minor crashes without any problems.

First stage win in a major national tour for Thomas
For Benjamin Thomas, multiple world champion on the track and Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo in the Madison, it was the first stage win in one of the big national tours, and for Cofidis the first victory this year. Second place went to the Dane Michael Valgren (EF Education) ahead of the Italian Andrea Pietrobon (Polti-Kometa), who started his final sprint too early and was caught.

At the start of the race, a four-man breakaway group broke away, but was caught again on the only difficult climb of the day. Around 80 kilometers before the finish, another group around Thomas tried it out and managed to save a small lead to the finish.

On Thursday, the 6th stage over 180 kilometers from Viareggio to Rapolano Terme is on the program. There are also three gravel sections to tackle, which have already been ridden this year in the Strade Bianche one-day race. Pogacar had won this in March with a demonstration of power.

The result of stage 5:
1st Benjamin Thomas (FRA) Cofidis 3:59:59 hrs.
2nd Michael Valgren (DEN) EF Education
3rd Andrea Pietrobon (ITA) Polti-Kometa - all same time
Further:
35th Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora +11 sec.
80th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin - same time
130th Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +1:45 min.
156th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +7:16

The standings in the overall standings:
1st Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE 19:19:15 hrs.
2nd Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos +46 sec.
3. Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL) Bora +47
Further:
70th Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +22:57 min.
80th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +26:34
105th Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora +34:38
117th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin +38:59