Adam Yates made up for both family and team disappointment as the brother of fellow Mitchelton-Scott twin Adam, just beaten at Paris-Nice earlier in the day, was a dominant winner of the fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, coming home seven seconds clear of Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), with Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski finishing third and taking the Magalia Azzura.
The break of the day once again went early and with simpler terrain, the peloton were only too happy to Dario Cataldo (Astana), Igor Boeve (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Kristijan Koren (Bahrain-Merida), Steve Morabito (Groupama-FDJ) and Iljo Keisse (Quick-Step Floors) go quickly and they had an advantage of six minutes by less than 30 kilometres.
The break, for the first time since the opening stage, did not feature either Jacopo Mosca (Willier Triestina-Selle Italia) and Nicola Bagioli (Nippo-Vini Fantini) given that they had large leads in the points and mountains classifications respectively, which meant the climbs of the day would not be fiercely contested. The first of those went to Morabito ahead of Boeve, Keisse and Cataldo, and the second to Morabito again, who beat Boeve, Koren and Catalado, who also dominated the four third category climbs.
He was the last man standing, in a fine showing to honour the memory Michele Scarponi, the Astana rider who was killed while out training last April as the led solo over the climb through Scarponi's hometown of Filot-trano. He was caught 10 kilometres from the line, leading to an almighty effort form Mitchelton-Scott to take control, whilst other trains including the large number of riders who had moved up in support of Peter Sagan from Bora Hansgrohe took to the other side of the road.
Sky were there for Michal Kwiatkowski despite a puncture for Chris Froome and Movistar too for Mikel Landa as the climb hit, but when it did the first serious attack came from Adam Yates, who ground away as others stayed in formation and soon had an 18 second lead.
Landa attacked out of impatience but the pace back was high and Bora took the reins, with Oss and Majka on the front, and from that pace, Lutsenko then managed to put in a serious dig that at one point looked enough to join Yates.
However, Yates was gone and took a deserving victory ahead of the majority of the leading contenders.
General Classification
1 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 21:31:28
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team 00:00:03
3 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team 00:00:23
4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 00:00:29
5 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 00:00:34
6 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 00:00:36
7 Davide Formolo (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:37
8 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 00:00:39
9 George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL-Jumbo 00:00:41
10 Jaime Roson (Spa) Movistar Team 00:00:47
Stage Top 10:
1 Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 04:16:35
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:07
3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky
4 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
5 Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
6 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky
7 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team
8 Jaime Roson (Spa) Movistar Team
9 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team
