SPAIN’S Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) won stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse yesterday with Bahrain Victorious’ Pello Bilbao also climbing onto the podium behind Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) in the 211km mountainous ride from Fiesch to La Punt.
The long stage featured no less than two Hors Categorie climbs – the Furkapass and the Albulapass – and the Category 1 climb Oberalpass.
Jumbo-Visma’s Wout Van Aert launched a solo attack after 7km of the stage. Later, he was joined by 35 other riders and as they entered the first climb, the front group was reduced to 19 riders.
Beyond Van Aert, the group featured Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Rui Costa (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty), Gorka Izagirre (Movistar Team), and Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates).
With 21km left Powless launched an attack on the Albulapass climb, joined by Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Küng and Oier Lazkano (Movistar Team).
A chase group of five riders – Higuita, Costa, Van Aert, Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo), and Hugo Houle (Israel-PremierTech) – formed behind the front group.
Powless accelerated with 15km left, but Costa and Tiberi were able to follow. Simmons was chasing 20 seconds behind the front trio.
Behind them Ayuso attacked solo from the Van Aert, Felix Gall (AG2R-Citroen), Bilbao, Wilco Kelderman (Jumbo-Visma) group. Ayuso was riding at an impressive speed and closed in on the front trio. Meanwhile, Powless was surprisingly dropped by Tiberi and Costa.
Ayuso had a 29-second lead over the chasers at the top of the Albulapass and won the queen stage in 05:23:02.
Skjelmose had advanced in the final kilometres and crossed the finish line in second place, 54 seconds behind. Bilbao completed the podium, while Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-EasyPost) was fourth across the line. Team DSM’s Romain Bardet finished fifth.
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