FINAL KM: Tour of The Alps Stage 5

A Tour of the Alps that delivered on the thrills, wrapped up with a final, feisty stage and a hint of rainbows.

Tour of the Alps Stage 5: Rattenberg to Innsbruck, 164.2km

Innsbruck hosts the World Championships this year and today’s stage gave riders and fans a sneak preview of what to expect. Bahrain-Merida’s neo-pro Mark Padun rode away from the favourites with 4km to go to claim his first professional victory. George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Jan Hirt (Astana) rounded out the day’s podium.

Stage 5 #TotA – Winner:

🎙Mark PADUN (TBM): That’s incredible, I felt good after a hour of racing, at the end I was able to stay with the best riders, then I just attacked and finished in solo. I have no words, I’m so happy ! 🎙

📸Pentaphoto pic.twitter.com/BDQs1AgekT

— Tour of The Alps (@Tourof_TheAlps) April 20, 2018

Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) finished with the favourites to claim the fuschia jersey from Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain Merida), who finished second, with Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) on the third step. Dimension Data’s Ben O’Connor was best young rider, Oscar Rodriguez (Euskadi-Murias) King of the Mountains, Pascal Eenkhoorn took the sprint jersey, and Astana go home with the best team trophy.

What a race for #AstanaProTeam at @Tourof_TheAlps :
3 stage wins (@PelloBilbao1990 , @SupermanlopezN , @LLEONSANCHEZ )
2 stage podiums (Sanchez, @HirtJan )
1 final podium (Lopez)
1 team classification win!!!
👏👏👏💪💪💪#TotA #AlgaAstana

📷@bettiniphoto pic.twitter.com/lEzkrZkLGn

— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) April 20, 2018

The stage highlights

Thibaut Pinot loves racing in Italy and he certainly stomped his authority over this attack-friendly parcours. He held his nerve on the descents and didn’t lose time he could not make up.

#TotA @ThibautPinot attacks, @KennyElissonde follows him. pic.twitter.com/53tqniaL9i

— Brain on Wheels 🚲 (@BrainOnWheels) April 20, 2018

The Sky MVP award surely goes to Kenny Elissonde. Good to see him back looking King Kenny-ish.

Thibaut Pinot in Italian stage races since 2015:

6 starts

6 top-5s on GC

2 stage wins

13 top-3s on stages

1 overall victory

Tebaldo Pinò 🇮🇹🇫🇷

— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) April 20, 2018

The other Giro contenders are about where they should be with perhaps the exception of Fabio Aru (UAE Emirates) who blew hot and cold on the climbs. Chris Froome has been full of attack, but didn’t make any of them stick – this time. Let’s see what the Tour of Romandie will show us.

Tour of Alps – you’ve been brilliant!

And also a huge Bravo to the @Tourof_TheAlps organizers for a perfect race with excitement every single day together with impeccable TV production. Another golden example that short and hilly stages give us the best spectacles. More of that please! #TotA

— Mikkel Condé v2.0 (@mrconde) April 20, 2018

Full race report at Cycling News

Race website. Twitter #TotA