Belgian cycling star Wout van Aert has the fifth stage of the Tour Auvergne Rhone-Alpes won and beat the strong German sprinter Phil Bauhaus.
On the last flat section before the decisive days in the Alps, the 31-year-old from Team Visma-Lease a bike narrowly finished in the bunch sprint and celebrated two months after his triumph in Paris-Roubaix his second win of the season on the road.
First top 3 placement for Bauhaus this year
After 195.3 kilometers, van Aert was in the bird park Villars les Dombeswhere already in 2016 a stage of the Tour de France had ended, just ahead of the Frenchman Hugo Hofstetter (NSN) and Bauhaus. For the Bocholter in the service of the Bahrain team Victorious It was the first top 3 placement in one World Tour-Race in 2026.
Baudin leads the overall standings – for now
After a long, uneventful race, Van Aert had the best legs on the home straight and took revenge for his bad day in the team time trial, in which he was left behind early. The Frenchman Alex Baudin (EF Education Easy Post) probably successful for the last time.
Now we’re heading to the mountains
After the rather moderately difficult first five days, the tour part with a real endurance test character is now coming up. The final three sections from Friday to Sunday are all difficult mountain stages. On Friday it will initially cover 182.3 kilometers Saint Vulbas to the mountain arrival Crest Voland.