Stage 5 of this year’s Vuelta a Espana had the flattest profile of all the stages – a bunch sprint was a sure thing. Cycling fans, teams, and commentators alike, feeling starved of drama and excitement and desperate for a dose of action, had spent time pre-stage hyping up the potential for crosswinds and echelons, which, sadly, came to nothing. The stage, which proved to be an extremely dull affair, marred by a horrendous crash at 11.6km, but which also saw a second impressive stage victory for Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), felt extremely bittersweet. Rein Taaramae (Intermarche Wanty Gobert), caught up in the crash and unable to get sufficiently close to the front group, ended the day losing the red jersey to Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), while DSM’s Romain Bardet‘s grand tour bad luck continued, coming down hard in the crash and finishing the stage battered, bruised and with the biggest loss from all the GC contenders.
The E Word
Pre-stage there was so much talk of the potential for crosswinds on the day’s stage from Tarancon to Albacete
If the Vuelta arrived 3 days ago to Albacete: echelons guaranteed. 😱 #LaVuelta21pic.twitter.com/oWQQpkmhx2
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 18, 2021
there are mad crosswinds outside right now on the drive to the finish #lavuelta21
— kate wagner @ la vuelta 💃 (@mcmansionhell) August 18, 2021
All of #LaVuelta21 twitter are amateur meteorologists today. #CouchPeloton pic.twitter.com/un31zpoCVZ
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) August 18, 2021
So much so, that I had to enforce an embargo on the ‘E Word’!
New rule: the word "echelons" is now embargoed until we actually see some.#LaVuelta21
— Issie 💙 (@IssieAtch) August 18, 2021
An extremely dull affair
Despite the excessive discussion and hype for crosswinds, in typical crosswind fashion, they came to nothing. With this and the pan-flat route, we were locked in for an exceptionally long and uneventful stage.
Straight Story: an aerial, visual representation of today's stage profile… and all that #VueltaFieldArt potential going to waste #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/qD3xuzdnSf
— Felix Lowe (@saddleblaze) August 18, 2021
If you check your #HotMessMaps we are in the very straight section, hoping for diagonals. #CouchPeloton
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) August 18, 2021
#CouchPeloton Very interesting trees through this section.
— SusanMM (@susanmm3) August 18, 2021
A mention should be given to the breakaway boys, Oier Lazkano (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH), and Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi), who had a long stint in the saddle out front.
“Yes he had three top 30 finishes at the Arctic Tour and 56th in his national championships “
— Journal Velo (@JournalVelo) August 18, 2021
So much respect for the usual breakaway contenders (Burgos BH, Euskaltel Euskadi, Caja-Rural). Their hard yakka always shapes the stage. Imagine if there was no one off the front. #CouchPeloton #LaVuelta21
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) August 18, 2021
Worst stage EVER.
— Simon Warren (@100Climbs) August 18, 2021
I don't want to alarm anyone but I think I see a corner coming up. #CouchPeloton
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) August 18, 2021
Might have been a mirage.
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) August 18, 2021
The crosswinds that never were
Crosswinds, crosswinds, wherefore art thou crosswinds?
Most underwhelming crosswind crescendo ever? #LaVuelta21
— Felix Lowe (@saddleblaze) August 18, 2021
Vuelta crosswinds pic.twitter.com/0mEQXpdgd3
— Richard Moore (@richardmoore73) August 18, 2021
There is simply no such thing as crosswind
— jackson roman (@YoungAjax) August 18, 2021
The Crash
If anything, it is highly likely that the long, flat, straight stretches of Spanish terrain contributed to a lack of concentration in the bunch at just under 12km to go.
🏁 – 12 km | Etapa 5 – Stage 5 | #LaVuelta21
💥¡Caída en el pelotón camino de los 10 últimos kilómetros!
😮Big crash in the bunch!
👉https://t.co/zqaO4BeuEa pic.twitter.com/RCqn68nzbx
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 18, 2021
A touch of wheels high up in the peloton caused chaos and devastation
#BrokenCarbon pic.twitter.com/OhdW3G1YQv
— CyclingTips (@cyclingtips) August 18, 2021
Impossible for the peloton to wait for everyone with just 8 km left. The race is on. #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/vV5PRhuFx7
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 18, 2021
Rein Taaramae got caught in the pile-up and determinedly tried to chase back with his teammates. Unfortunately Taaramae ended the stage losing his red jersey to Trek’s Kenny Elissonde who had started the day in second place on GC.
Ouch — Nieve down, Taaramaë also caught up pic.twitter.com/D3DlUW3nyY
— Andrew Hood (@EuroHoody) August 18, 2021
Romain Bardet (Team DSM), who had started this Vuelta strongly with a decent time trial performance, looked to be the worst impacted of all, ending the day out of contention on general classification.
Let’s hope Romain can ride on and try to take a stage win!
Romain continues the race but he's definitely out of the GC fight, he looks badly injured. #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/K4rfqkx7uh
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 18, 2021
The victory
In all the chaos it would be easy to forget the day’s victor. Yet another dominant team performance saw Philipsen take an impressive second stage victory at this year’s Vuelta. Chapeau Jasper and chapeau to Alpecin-Fenix, who seemingly cannot be stopped!
Jasper Philipsen wins Stage 5 🚴♂️💨💨✌️ #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/mpjGqHJ5BB
— pro cycling trumps (@procycletrumps) August 18, 2021
Jasper Philipsen wins stage 5 of @lavuelta in front of Jakobsen and Dainese, continuing Alpecin-Fenix' magical season. 👏 There were no echelons on the road to Albacete, just a big crash which changed the race leader. #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/AEb3lrejF8
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) August 18, 2021
👪Teamwork makes dream work!
El trabajo bien hecho no tiene precio😍
🟦 @AlpecinFenix #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/GQQiOGG4jI
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 18, 2021
Hat Tip to King Kenny
King Kenny finished safely in the bunch at the end of Stage 5 and by rights became the new owner of the red jersey. Not an easy day for anybody – Kenny showed only respect and grace to Rein Taaramae.
#LaVuelta21
It's not an easy situation for Kenny Elissonde.
He is respectful of Rein Taaramae, who lost the jersey to a crash, not the way one wants to lose or win the race lead, and he is respectful to the honor of wearing the red jersey, too. pic.twitter.com/TPG1P1oj3O— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) August 18, 2021
👑 King Kenny (@KennyElissonde) is the new leader of #LaVuelta21!
But he gives his respect to Rein Taaramae first. pic.twitter.com/8hacOoNvLe
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) August 18, 2021
The final word
What #LaVuelta21 is sorely missing is a non-GC style agitator of the WvA, MVDP, Lulu ilk. Even the presence of Tadej would lift it I think. Egan seems reluctant to take the bull by the horns in deference to Yates. And Rogla just playing it safe. Typical Grand Tour of old, really.
— Katy M, La Vuelta Edition (@writebikerepeat) August 18, 2021
All the results
Stage results
1 Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) 4:24:11
2 Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) same time
3 Alberto Dainese (Team DSM) s/t
4 Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) s/t
5 Piet Allegaert (Cofidis) s/t
GC Top 10
1 Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) 17:33:27
2 Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +0:05
3 Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroën Team) +0:10
4 Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +0:20
5 Miguel Angel Lopez (Movistar Team) +0:26
6 Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) +0:32
7 Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) +0:32
8 Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:32
9 Mikel Linda (Bahrain Victorious) +0:44
10 Gino Mader (Bahrain Victorious) +0:45
All the jerseys
🏆 Líderes tras la etapa 5 | Leaders after stage 5
❤️🇫🇷 @KennyElissonde
💚🇧🇪 @JasperPhilipsen
🔵🇪🇪 Rein Taaramäe
⚪🇨🇴 @Eganbernal🚴🚴🚴 @TeamEmiratesUAE
👊🇪🇸 @LazkanoOier #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/Sz5JqmridT— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 18, 2021
Leader’s jersey : Kenny Elissonde (Trek Segafredo)
Points jersey : Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix)
King of the Mountains: Rein Taaramae (Intermarche-Wanty)
Best young rider : Egan Bernal (Ineos)
Best team : UAE Team Emirates
For full race results, go to CyclingNews.com