Volta a Catalunya Stage 5 - Poels takes solo win

Sky's Wout Poels won stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya in Valls, attacking out of the breakaway to win by 11 seconds from Dario Cataldo (AST).

The stage looked set to be one for the sprinters, but Poels had other ideas, timing his attacks to perfection, leaving the peloton trailing.

The breakaway did not get clear until well over halfway through the stage, with Poels, Cataldo, Jan Polanc (LAM), Tosh van der Sande (LTS) and Carlos Verona (EQS) forming the quintet at the front.

With such a late break, the GC leaders were free to contest the first intermediate sprint, aiming to collect some bonus seconds on Nairo Quintana (MOV). Former leader Dan Martin (EQS) took the win, and all three seconds, while second placed overall Alberto Contador (TNK) took third, and one second, closing to within 7.

The break had increased to eight riders by the time they reached the final climb, the Alt de la Lilla. He burst clear of the seven other members of the group, cresting the mountain 26 seconds ahead.

Poels gave it everything on the descent, and while the gap closed, he never really looked under threat as the chasing group fell away down to just three, with Cataldo leading Gaetan Bille (WGG) and Kanstansin Siutsou (DDD) home 11 seconds behind Poels.

The peloton, left fighting for scraps from 5th downwards, still contested the sprint, with Simon Gerrans coming home first of the main group. All the GC contenders came home in that same group, meaning that aside from the bonuses from the sprint, the time gaps remained the same as overnight.

Jon Herranz

Tomorrow's stage into Vilanova i la Geltru could give Alberto Contador more chance to close the 7 seconds to Nairo Quintana, but with only two categorised climbs and a long, largely downhill section towards the end of the stage, he will have his work cut out.

Stage winner Wout Poels (SKY):“I knew the climb from the race last year and that it wasn’t too hard but that it would be my only chance to attack. In the last two kilometres I got a bit nervous when it all began to get a bit closer together but the corners helped me stayed away, it was better than when you had those long straights like immediately before.”

Stage results
1. Wout Poels (SKY) 3:59:03
2. Dario Cataldo (AST) + :11
3. Gaetan Bille (WGG) + :11

General Classification
1. Nairo Quintana (MOV) 23:01:19
2. Alberto Contador (TNK) + :07
3. Richie Porte (BMC) + ;17
4. Dan Martin (EQS) + :21
5. Tejay van Garderen (BMC) + :27
6. Romain Bardet (ALM) + :32
7. Ilnur Zakarin (KAT) + :42
8. Chris Froome (SKY) + :46
9. Hugh Carthy (CJR) + 1:01
10. Rigoberto Uran (CPT) + 1:16

Mountains Classification
1. Thomas de Gendt (LTS) 117
2. Boris Dron (WGG) 81
3. Pieter Weening (ROO) 66

Sprint Classification
1. Thomas de Gendt (LTS) 12
2. Koen Bouwman (TLJ) 6
3. Aleksei Tsatevich (KAT) 4