As it happened: The sprinters take the honours as a crash mars the final at stage 5 of the Vuelta Femenina

Good afternoon, we're back for stage 5 of the La Vuelta Femenina, welcome along for our live coverage.

We've headed east, leaving Galicia for Castile y León, for a slightly earlier start. We're due to roll out of León at 13:55 for 6.9km of neutral before the 119.6km stage to Astorga.

Sign on is well under way in León. UAE Team ADQ lead the teams classification.

Before we get going, how exciting was stage 4? A nail-biting, will-they-won't-they pursuit of the day's breakaway.
Lotte Kopecky finally won, bonus points helped her claim the race lead.

Today is arguably the easiest of the whole week, but things never work out that way.
The climbing starts to ramp up before the final weekend onslaught.

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The neutralised start was delayed by five minutes for stage 4, so maybe it will be today.

After finally winning a stage, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) is the overall leader. But who's close behind? And what about the other jerseys?
Who is leading what after stage 4?

And we're rolling for 6.9km of neutralised riding.

No rain in the forecast today, sunshine and highs of about 17º for the stage. The wind is blowing from the south, but for now it's only around 11km/h, so it shouldn't affect the race, though the final 60km will be mostly headwind, making it hard for a breakaway.

We're on our way, stage 5 of the Vuelta Femenina is underway.

The flag drops!

118 riders took the start and some of them are attacking from the get go.

Marine Allione (Mayenne-Monbana My Pie) is wearing the polka-dot jersey of the mountains classification leader, and she's trying to get away.
With her is her team mate Justine Gegu.

Allione will be hoping to harvest a few more mountains points to consolidate the jersey, but she tried too soon, the pair are caught.

Today might have been described as the easiest of the entire week, but there are two third category climbs through the day, as well as another late intermediate sprint, with 6, 4 and 2 bonus seconds available.

Each of the classified climbs have 6, 4, 2 and 1 points, so if Allione were to win just won of them she'd be safe in the jersey.

The attacks keep coming, but nothing is sticking just yet.

We have another attacks up the road, Spanish champion Sara Martín (Movistar) has around 10 second on the chasing peloton.

110km to go

Martín was being chased by two riders but they're caught and the Movistar rider's lead is out to about 15 seconds. We're flying at the moment, the average speed is 45km/h, and yes, we are going slightly uphill.

Martín has been joined by Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) and Marina Garau (Vini Fantini-Bepink), the three of them have a 20 second lead.

Martín, Eraso and Garau are being chased by Aniek van Alphen (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Alice Coutinho (Mayenne-Monbana My Pie) who are 10 seconds behind the leaders, while the bunch are almost a minute down now.

Van Alphen and Coutinho have caught Martín, Eraso and Garau, so we have five at the front with a lead of one minute.

The breakaway is formed

This situation will suit the Mayenne team and Allione's polka-dot jersey as all the points are currently up the road, though if the same woman takes maximum points on both today's climbs they could take the jersey.

100km to go

In the breakaway, Coutinho is Allione's team mate and the French rider is another strong climber, maybe she can defend the jersey, or even take it herself.
They'll have to stay away from the bunch yet, they're still chasing.

The gap is coming down now, it's just 35 seconds, someone in the peloton is not happy with those up the road.

Now the gap goes out again. Maybe the peloton is happy after all.

Sara Martín (Movistar), Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) and Marina Garau (Vini Fantini-Bepink) Aniek van Alphen (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Alice Coutinho (Mayenne-Monbana My Pie) have increased their lead to 2.05.
This is the day's break. Probably!

90km to go

Despite being caught so close to the line on stage 4, Lauretta Hanson (Lidl-Trek) wasn't happy, though other breakaway riders were celebrating.
"To come so close is a bit heartbreaking," said Hanson.

We're approaching the start of the day's first classified climb, Collada de Olleros de Alba. It climbs 236m over 6.6km, and, at an average gradient of 3.6%, it's not too tough.

With their deficit to the breakaway now out to 2.45, the peloton begin the day's first classified climb.

The race has now settled, Martín, Eraso, Garau, Van Alphen and Coutinho on the climb with a lead of 2.50 on the peloton.

80km to go

Marina Garau is not stranger to the breakaway, she was up the road on stage 3, part of a three woman group chasing a leading duo. They never quite got there, so she has bettered that ride today.

Alice Coutinho is the best placed rider in today's breakaway though she's unlikely to manage to take the virtual - or real - over all lead as she began the day 8.24 behind Lotte Kopecky.

Kopecky's SD Worx-Protime team are doing the work on the front of the peloton, not only are they defending the red jersey but they'll probably want another sprint when they reach Astorga.

Martín and Coutinho have forged on ahead as the top of the climb approaches, they're probably fighting for the mountains points. They lead the other three escapees by 20 seconds at the top.

Coutinho takes maximum points, Martín second, Eraaso third and Van Alphen fourth.
That means it's very highly likely the mountains classification will stay in the Mayenne-Monbana My Pie team.

Off the descent from the Collada de Olleros de Alba there's another kicker before the race reaches the next classified climb.
Martín, Eraso, Garau, Van Alphen and Coutinho lead by 1.58.

70km to go

Allione continues to lead the mountains classification, but if Coutinho wins the next climb the Mayenne team mates will be level on points, with Maëve Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) also on 12.
Both MAyenne riders would have won two climbs each, so the leader would dbe decided by their GC placing.
Coutinho started the day in 68th place, eahd of Allione, so she would inhert the jersey.

We're half way though today's stage and Martín, Eraso, Garau, Van Alphen and Coutinho lead by 2.20.
The average speed is still above 40km/h and I wouldn't expect it to drop much.

60km to go

The bunch are racing through some really stunning countryside in north-western Spain today.

The pace seems to be up in the peloton, SD Worx bringing the gap to the breakaway down a little bit was they descend to the base of the final classified climb.

Despite the loss of some of their lead, Martín, Eraso, Garau, Van Alphen and Coutinho continue to work well together.

Martín, Eraso, Garau, Van Alphen and Coutinho are now losing time to the SD Worx-Protime led peloton. Julia Kopecký and Valentina Cavallar are doing the damage.

50km to go

Julia Kopecký might be Czech, but she grew up in the Netherlands. Both her brothers, Tomas and Matyas, are professionals, riding for Unibet-Rose Rockets, and all three rode at Paris-Roubaix last month.

We're heading straight for the second climb now. The Alto de la Garandilla ramps up 49.3km from the line, but the gradient is only4.9% over the 3.4km.

Close to the top of the climb and Garau is struggling now, the Spanish rider from the Italian Vini Fantini-Bepink team is dropping off the back of the breakaway.

The climb is taking its toll on the break, but the peloton remains largely together, the gap is down to less than a minute now, though.

Coutinho takes first place at the top of the climb, so, if she stays with or ahead of her team mate, Allione, Coutinho will wear the mountains jersey for tomrrow's stage.

On the descent now and SD Worx are still on the front. Despite the presence of classy sprinters like Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Letizia Paternoster (LIv-Alula-Jayco), Koppecky's squad are likely to be leant on for all the work.

Martín, Eraso, Van Alphen and Coutinho lead by only 50 seconds while Garau has been caught by the peloton.

The gap is really coming down now, we're on one of the numerous short, unclassified climbs and Martín, Eraso, Van Alphen and Coutinho are shedding time, their lead only 35 seconds now.

40km

Much of the remaining 38km is downhill and it seems the race is descending into darkness, as rain clouds are looming large.

The descent has taken its toll on Coutinho, the Frenchwoman a few metres of the back as Visma-Lease a Bike lead the bunch. They're keeping their GC duo of Marion Bunel and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot safe, but they have Canadian Sarah Van Dam for the sprint.

Job done for Coutinho, the mountains jersey is secure in the Mayenne team and she is caught.

Interestingly SD Worx have disappeared from the front and the gap has extended slightly, Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen leading by 56 seconds.
If you catch the breakaway too early you invite more attacks, SD Worx don't want that.

30km to go

Sara Martín (Movistar), Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) and Aniek van Alphen (Fenix-Premier Tech) are going to work now, they know the gap is going out and they want to stay away.

And here comes the rain. Northern Spain is very much a maritime climate and it often rains even when it's not forecast.
The gap is at 45 seconds.

The intermediate sprint is coming up soon, SD Worx might want the bonus seconds to go to the breakaway, Kopecky's overall lead is only six seconds.

We've had a crash which has taken vital team mates from both the Liv-Alula-Jayco and AG Insurance-Soudal lead outs. They're ok, but crashing hurts.

SD Worx are back on the front, Kopecký leading the way with only 24km to go, and 5km to the sprint. the gap is down to 39 seconds.

The gap is settling again at 40 seconds, it seems they want the break back, but not quite yet.

In one kilometre it's intermediate sprint time. Coming in Castrillo de Cepeda, it's very slightly downhill on a straight section of road.
Paternoster was one of the riders down in the crash, a huge blow to the Italian.

20km to go

Looks like Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen will contest the sprint, though with a reduced advantage.

The bunch are fighting for points, not time as Eraso crosses the line first, Van Alphen second and Martín third.
The lead is just 13 seconds after the peloton sped through the sprint.

And breathe. The peloton back off, allowing Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen's lead to extend to 20 seconds.

With the pace in the peloton knocked off slightly, Paternoster is able to get back in, with a lot of help from team mate Josie Talbot.
Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen lead by 227 seconds.

15km to go

The bunch is spread across the road now, all the big teams represented on the front.

Visma-Lease a Bike are all at the back, we've seen them do this before, staying out of trouble and plotting their next move.

SD Worx return to the front row again and instantly five seconds are lopped off the leaders' advantage.

Into the final 10km. It's mostly flat with the odd rise and fall and just a couple of bends. There's a sharp right hander 3.4km from the line, then it's left at a roundabout with 1,400m to go.

10km to go

Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen lead by just 10 seconds.

The bunch are flying now, Martín, Eraso and Van Alphen are caught.

The pace is very high, some riders are struggling to hold the wheel on what is a narrow road at a time when positioning is key.

The leadouts are in place as the race prepares for the final. Expect some attacks.
Movistar sweep to the front, Liane Lippert was strong yesterday, today suits her better.

5km to go

SD Worx take their place, so do Liv-Alula-Jayco, Visma are there too.

Former race leader, Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) are positioned on the back of the SD Worx train, Kochh trails Kopecky by 6 seconds on GC.

It's raining now and the tight, narrow roads disrupt the teams' trains, it's time to get them back together with 3km to go.

LIv-Alula-Jayco dominate the road for Paternoster, she must be feeling good after that crash.

The roads are wide, but they're wet, the sprinters' teams are spread across, each doing their own thing.

2km

Flamme rouge now, 1,000m to go! At 500m there's a roundabout they can pass on both sides, then another uphill sprint, the gradient in the final 200m average.

A crash in the middle of the bunch has split the race.

SD Worx are looking for Kopecky. UAE Team ADQ lead the way.

Bredewold leads out her team mate, pulls off for Kopecky, but it's Bredewold who wins the stage.

The rest of the peloton rolls in in dribs and drabs after the crash.

Bredewold takes the win and SD Worx take a 1-2 for the second stage running, Kopecky finishing second. Paternoster took an incredibly impressive third place.

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It was another near-perfect performance from SD Worx, such was their dominance it was almost cocky. Throughout the day they judged their presence on the front perfectly, pulling when the break needed closing disappearing when they were too close.
Bredewold opened her sprint so early it looked like a lead out, and Kopecky could have come through, but she just monitored, taking second place

The concern for the Dutch squad will be their GC leader, Anna van der Breggen, who was taken down in the late crash, crossing the line in 100th place. The big mountains are where the team will hope she would excel, though they may need to reassess when any injuries are known.

Bredewold came close to victory at last year's race and was relived to get the win.
"It's really nice," she said. "Actually I said before, this finish is really similar to the one from last year where I became second, but we have, of course, a luxury position today with the red jersey and I'm just so grateful to the team that I had the freedom to share my ambitions about sprinting.
"Of course I am here with Lotte for the sprints, so we need to puzzle a bit with the stages, especially today a bit with the red jersey, you don't want to throw that away it would be really stupid.
"So we made a dream, ideal plan to do it like this, and I get the freedom to sprint with Lotte in my wheel and she would come over if she had to. I'm super happy to finally get the first victory."

You have to feel sorry for Letizia Paternoster, with two third places and another brace of top 10 finishes, the Liv-Alula-Jayco is having a great race and might have won Thursday's stage had she not crashed earlier in the stage.
Not only dod she have the consequent injuries to deal with, but the effort taken getting back to the bunch.
She's not a big winner, but she is often up there in fast but gnarly finishes and she'll be rueing her luck.

Friday's sixth stage is where the tough really get going.
The 106.6km stage between Gijón and Nava might be the shortest of the week, and the 2,138m of elevation isn't much more than the opening four stages, but the majority of it comes on the final climb to Les Praeres is brutal.
Just 3.7km, the average gradient is 13.4%, with early ramps over 20%.

Until then, thanks once again for joining us, and we'll see you on Friday for the first of two race defining days.