Two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar successfully defended his overall lead in the Tirreno-Adriatico long-distance cycling race.
The 23-year-old from UAE Team Emirates finished sixth in the 155km and hilly fifth stage, arriving in Fermo, and remains nine seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) in the overall standings. The Belgian finished ninth at the same time as last year’s winner Pogacar.
The French mountain specialist Warren Barguil from Team Arkea Samsic took the day’s victory. The best German was Emanuel Buchmann from Ravensburg, the 29-year-old professional from the Bora-hansgrohe team finished 1:19 minutes behind in 31st place. Olympic champion Richard Carapaz (Ineos-Grenadiers) had already dropped out before the stage. The Ecuadorian complained of being unwell in the morning.
On Saturday the peloton faces a demanding stage from Apecchio to Carpegna over 215 km with two difficult climbs before the long-distance journey ends on Sunday with the seventh stage in Sen Benedetto del Tronto.