Giro d'Italia

The 151km route of the fifth stage took the Corsa Rosa from Ceglie Messapica to Matera, marking the race’s return to the city five years after its last visit. The 2019 European Capital of Culture came with a tricky finish, the last three kilometers featuring a 10% before a short descent and another uphill part that concluded just before the final kilometer, where the only obstacles were two left-hand bends.

For a brief moment, after the breakaway was caught, there was some GC action, but the fight for victory eventually had in the spotlight the fast men who managed to overcome all these hurdles. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) took the victory in Basilicata, extending his buffer at the top of the overall standings, while Gianmarco Garofoli was the first Soudal Quick-Step rider home, just like on stage three.

Giro d’Italia continues on Wednesday with a complicated stage to Napoli: the first part of the day comprises several climbs, including two classified ones, before a flat second part which should give those distanced a chance to make it back in the peloton and fight for the win.

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