Michael Kwiatkowski timed a late attack to perfection to win stage five of Volta ao Algarve and seal the overall victory.
Kwiatkowski emerged from a small elite group on the final climb to attack solo leader Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors) with two kilometres to go and pass him to secure a dramatic win. He was pursued by Ruben Guerreiro (Trek-Segafredo) and Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), but they were unable to catch the Polish rider who won from Guerreiro by four seconds.
Geraint Thomas finished in a chase group that was 1’47” behind Kwiatkowski, finishing second overall.
“We had our eyes open at the start and we felt that was the best way to defend yellow and to defend second place and even go for the stage win”, said Kwiatkowski.
“I’m very thankful for the team and especially to G for that opportunity. Nobody expected the race was going to go that way, it was not a typical way to defend a yellow jersey. Massive thanks to Michal Golas – he was amazing today, protecting me in the breakaway and he made this win possible.”
Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgohe) and Stybar were able to get away with 30km to go, but the large group splintered, and Golas and Kwiatkowski worked hard to keep the gap from growing too far, paving the way for the Team Sky rider to complete the stage-winning attack.
“It was very difficult situation out there [in the break], there were so many guys close in the GC and they were putting us under pressure, trying to split the group. I really felt under pressure as I thought that the chance of taking the lead from G was a strange situation, but I thought that I have to do the perfect race.
“The only way I was going to be able to look G in the eyes after the race was going to be if I won the stage and did everything perfectly.”
https://youtu.be/RxbUmXZi-d4
Volta ao Algarve 2018 – stage 5 results (Faro – Malhão):
| 1 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) | 4:18:02 |
| 2 | Ruben Guerreiro (Trek-Segafredo) | +04” |
| 3 | Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) | +08” |
| 4 | Stefan Kung (BMC) | +13” |
| 5 | Cesare Benedetti (Bora-hansgrohe) | +15” |
| 6 | Dion Smith (Wanty – Groupe Gobert) | +17” |
| 7 | Simon Geschke (Team Sunweb) | ,, |
| 8 | Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) | +23” |
| 9 | Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) | +29” |
| 10 | Frederik Backaert (Wanty – Groupe Gobert) | +35” |
Final general classification:
| 1 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) | 18:54:11 |
| 2 | Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) | +01’31” |
| 3 | Tejay van Garderen (BMC) | +02’16” |
| 4 | Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) | +02’22” |
| 5 | Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) | +02’33” |
| 6 | Jaime Roson (Movistar) | +02’49” |
| 7 | Maximilian Schachmann (Quick-Step Floors) | +02’50” |
| 8 | Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) | ,, |
| 9 | Felix Grossschartner (Bora-hansgrohe) | +02’51” |
| 10 | Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) | +02’54” |
