Pantano wins stage 5 as Valverde keeps lead in Catalunya

Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo) held off the chasing peloton in a nail-biter ending to stage five at the Volta a Catalunya to claim his first win since his Tour de France stage victory in 2016.

Pantano and Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates) were the last two standing from the day’s breakaway.

With a two-minute gap and 15 kilometers to go, mathematically the pair looked good. But when Movistar and Team Sky decided to pick up the chase on the gradual climb ahead of a long descent to the finish, the gap fell rapidly. Pantano and Laengen’s lead was down to 1 minute and 25 seconds entering the tunnel with 12 kilometers remaining.

The climb crested in the six-kilometer tunnel where speeds reportedly were over 90km/h. When Alejandro Valverde attacked from the peloton entering the tunnel, it was anyone’s guess who would emerge first.

However, Pantano and Laengen exited still in the lead, but the gap had fallen drastically. With four kilometers to go to the line, they held a precarious 16 seconds.

“We knew that today would be the day for the breakaway to go until the end and we took the opportunity. I know Laengren, we were teammates at IAM Cycling, so we had a good understanding and worked together quite well. After having some problems after Paris-Nice and feeling a bit sick when I came here, I finally could grab a victory! I had a few rough days indeed, but that’s cycling: you have good days and bad days.”

Valverde finished eighth, staying 16 seconds ahead of Egan Bernal in the overall standings going into the final two stages.

https://youtu.be/6XwapvL3JxE

Volta a Catalunya 2018 – stage 5 results (Llívia – Vielha Val d’Aran):

General classification after stage 5: