Lorena Wiebes won the spectacular fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday. The SD Worx-Protime rider defeated her compatriot Marianne Vos in the sprint. Anna van der Breggen did well in the general classification.
The wind played a major role in the last flat stage of this Giro. Due to the crosswinds and the hard riding of SD Worx, a gap formed in the peloton. About twenty riders had a gap on the rest after some time.
Besides Wiebes and Vos, the Swiss leader Marlen Reusser (Movistar), her closest rival Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) and Van der Breggen (SD Worx) were also in the leading group.
The Australian Sarah Gigante, the stage winner of Wednesday and number three in the standings, had missed the split. Just like the German Antonia Niedermaier and the Dutch Pauliena Rooijakkers, riders who were just ahead of Van der Breggen in the standings.
The group stayed ahead, after which Wiebes sprinted to her second victory of this Giro. The European champion already won the third stage on Tuesday.
Van der Breggen back on the podium
Van der Breggen makes a jump in the general classification. The four-time Giro winner rises from sixth to third place. She lost about two minutes on Wednesday and dropped two places in the standings.
The Giro continues on Friday with a hilly stage. The stage race ends on Sunday. Longo Borghini was the best in the Giro last year.