2018 Tour de Suisse Stage 5 Results & Recap
Stage 5 of the 2018 Tour de Suisse is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Ulissi wins stage 5
Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) powered to the top of the Leukerbad summit to take first place from Enric Mas (Quick-Step Floors) on stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse. Tom Jelte-Slagter (Dimension Data) rounded out the podium for third place.
After wearing the jersey since the opening time trial five days ago, Stefan Küng was dropped on the last category 1 climb to the line and handed over to his teammate, Richie Porte. Porte now leads the general classification ahead of Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb), who’s 20 seconds in arrears. Best young rider and Kelderman’s teammate, Sam Oomen (Team Sunweb) is third also at 20 seconds.
"The team was absolutely superb,” Porte said. “They were fantastic all day. It was a hectic start and we covered the first 100km super quick and I don't think it was an easy day for anyone. It may not have looked really hard in the final there but we went hard. All of the guys did their part today and I am so happy to have the jersey and keep it in the team. I think when you have such a hard start it's not easy to get going and it wasn't an easy day. So, let's see what the peloton has in store for us tomorrow."\n"I didn't expect it to be as hard at the start. We knew it would be difficult but we got to the top and guys were still attacking. Then, we were then going absolutely full gas down into the valley. I think full credit to our team. They controlled it well. I think I have pretty good form and I think the proper mountain stages will suit me better than today and maybe even tomorrow but I am just happy to be back racing and to have good form. It wasn't a simple day but this jersey is all credit to my team today. It's our DS Fabio Baldato's 50th birthday today so delivering another jersey was the big plan today."\nIt took almost 60 kilometres for the break to final form on the first mountain stage of the Tour de Suisse. When it did, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), and Silvan Dillier (Ag2r La Mondiale) escaped first and were quickly joined by US champion Larry Warbasse (Aqua Blue Sport), Willie Smit (Katusha-Alpecin), and Paul Ourselin (Direct Energie).
When the break hit the second to last climb the HC Montana, Warbasse attacked and left the other breakaway riders splintered down the road. With BMC setting a hot pace in the peloton, Warbasse was contained after Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) attacked out of the main group and went in pursuit of the US National champion. Calmejane quickly blew past Warbasse who didn’t have the legs to follow and went back into the peloton.
BMC quashed the chances of Calmejane with seven kilometres to go. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-First Drapac) and François Bidard (Ag2r La Mondiale) attacked soon after opening up a small 10 second gap. Then Mikel Landa (Movistar) put in a huge move, catching and passing the duo up the road and powering ahead solo.
Things were looking good for the Spanish climber, who was 15 seconds ahead of the group of favorites going into the final kilometre, however when Ulissi attacked in the final moments, Landa quickly went backward and eventually finished 19th on the stage.
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