As it happened: Breakaway succeeds as race lead changes yet again on stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2026
MIchael Valgren holds off a rapidly finishing Isaac Del Toro and Matteo Jorgenson with Del Toro retaking the race lead
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Race Situation
Valgren took the win from the breakaway with the GC carnage seeing the race lead change hands yet again.
Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live report on stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2026.
It is the first real day for the GC riders, although, saying this the second and fourth stages have seen the race blown apart as well. Today's stage between Marotta-Mondolfo to Mombaroccio with 186km of racing on a jagged profile.
It was an amazing sprint yesterday by Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) to take six bonus seconds and vaulted Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to take the race lead...
It was an incredibly comanding performance by Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) yesterday to take his second stage win of the week...
One abandon to tell you about is that Soudal-QuickStep's GC man, Ilan Van Wilder, will not start today due to an illness.
The riders have started the neutralised zone.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are having a superb race. They sit in first place on GC with Pellizzari but also have former champion, Primož Roglič, in third at just 21 seconds down. They have cards to play and even have Jai Hindley at one minute and 45 seconds to go long range.
It's a sunny start for the riders with 8.5km of neutral this morning.
Another abandon to announce it of Slovenian super-domestique, Jan Tratnik (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). A big blow for Pellizzari and Roglič.
Multiple attacks coming out of the peloton after a steady first 10 minutes.
Van der Poel caught but it appears the pace in the peloton is causing splits.
Almost all of the GC riders are said to be in the front group. As more riders try attacks.
It is a very hill stage today with 3900 metres of elevation gain.
Champoussin has been brought back, more likely he sat up.
The attackers are caught once again.
Split in the peloton! There are around 20 riders off the front including points leader, van der Poel.
The split is stitched back together yet again. What a chaotic start!
In all of this chaos there was a moment where Remy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ United) tried to get away. He sits second in the KOM standings and with Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti-Visit Malta) emptying himself yesterday, today could be a good day for the Frenchman to take points on his rival.
The average speed so far sits at just under 49kph. It has been a rapid start.
The brief hiatus turns into a longer pause in hostilities. Maybe riders are just catching their breath. Then again, they've been on a descent for a few kilometres and may resume attacks once on the flat and uphill again.
One move that was completely missed was this brutal attack by Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)
Mechanical for Flynn in the break! That may be his chance to get away gone.
Flynn is, indeed, caught by the peloton led by Bardiani CSF-7 Saber.
Multiple attacks
Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost)}
Georg Zimmermann (Lotto-Intermarche)
Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor)
Group two:
Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF-7 Saber)
Ethan Hayter (Soudal-QuickStep)
and on his own:
Emiel Verstrygne (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
The first group joins the leaders to make a group of seven as Verstrynge joins Hayter and Marcellusi in the chase 16 seconds behind the leaders.
The gap to the lead group is at one minute and 42 seconds and growing.
The gap hasn't really moved for quite some time with the chase group also just stuck a few seconds off the back of the leaders as well.
The chasing trio appear to be fading as their gap grows to 36 seconds from the leaders.
Puncture for Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-CMA CGM)
The chase group have suddenly been given a new time gap of 18 seconds.
Emiel Verstrynge has been dropped by the chase group and is said to already be back in the peloton.
The gap to Hayter and Marcellusi goes back out to 40" as it appears they won't be making it across. The peloton are now almost four minutes behind the break.
Only one rider in the breakaway today has already got points in the KOM standings, Joan Bou. He took second place on the only climb on stage 1 and has six points to show for it. There is a maximum of 30 points on offer today. The first climb holds half of those with 15 points up for grabs for the first rider across the line. He will need a great day to challenge Diego Pablo Sevilla's 33 points.
Marcellusi appears to have dropped Hayter. Either the Italian has dropped the former British road race champion or Hayter has decided that this isn't going to work and he's dropping back to the buch.
Either way, Marcellusi and his Bardiani CSF-7 Saber team won't give up in trying to make it across.
The peloton are now over four minutes down on the breakaway.
We're not too far away from the all category climb of the Monte delle Cesane, almost 8km of climbing with an average gradient of around 7%.
On the Monte delle Cesane climb and the break have added another minute onto the peloton with over five minutes splitting them.
Hayter has been caught by the peloton at the base of the climb.
It seems that the climb has completely shot the legs of Marcellusi as his gap to the leaders is growing and he appears to be slowly heading back to the peloton again.
Marcellusi now two and a half minutes behind the leaders.
Marcellusi has finally given in and is caught by the peloton.
Another DNS this morning...
Puncture for Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermarche)
1km from the top of the Monte delle Cesane.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe lead the peloton ahead of Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Just a quick correction as we see that Verstrynge is actually in the breakaway. He made the bridge which Hayter and Marcellusi couldn't.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Visma-Lease a Bike are lined up alongside Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe on the front of the peloton as they prepare for the descent for the Monte delle Cesane.
Bou is now on 21 points in the KOM standings, just 12 points behind Sevilla now with 15 points still available. Realistically, five point, maybe 10.
It is tight, twisty and undulating roads for the peloton today.
Despite reports, Tratnik is very much still in the race and sits on the front.
The intermediate sprint in Saltara coming very soon.
2.5km to the intermediate sprint in Saltara.
Van Poppel has gone from driving the peloton to now struggling to hold on to the back of it just a few kilometres later.
The riders will soon be on the uncategorised Santuario San Pietro e Paolo. 2.4km with an average gradient of 6.5%.
They're now climbing up to the Santuario San Pietro e Paolo.
Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates-XRG now take over the front of the peloton and the pace rockets with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe getting swamped.
Alaphilippe is the best placed rider in the breakaway at just one minute and 20 seconds with a three second bonus at the intermediate sprint as well.
The mountains jersey, Sevilla, has been dropped by the peloton.
Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) just loses touch with the back of the peloton.
The leading group of eight riders are working really well together with Alaphilippe leading the charge...
The gap is beginning to come down thanks to the new impetus by Visma-Lease a Bike, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Bahrain Victorious, but not by much. Three minutes and 43 seconds split the break and the peloton.
The race is now on the Monte della Mattera, 6.5km long with an average gradient of 5% with 5, 3, 2 and 1 points available in the KOM classification. After this the riders cross the finish line for the first time and enter the circuit.
Bou, who will be desperate to get points on this climb, is struggling to hold onto the wheel of Alaphilippe at the back of the break. His shoulders are rocking a bit now.
Rear puncture for Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Premier Tech).
Mechanical for Anders Foldager (Jayco-AlUla). Looks like his chain jammed when trying to change cog.
Filippo Ganna dropped by the peloton.
NSN are very present at the front of the bunch just around the UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Their GC man, Alessandro Pinarello, has been having a superb race so far in 11th place at 51 seconds.
Bou has been dropped by the break and now Bax is starting to struggle under the pace of Alaphilippe.
They go through what will be the final kilometre and cross the finish line for the first of three times on a very technical descent then a bit of a kick to the line in the final few hundred metres. Bax lost touch on the descent and is struggling to get back on.
Just under three minutes back to the peloton led by Visma-Lease a Bike.
Bax lost touch due to a puncture! Bou rides passed him and gets a bike change. He is now behind the Spaniard and is unlikely to see the front of the race again.
The peloton has been decimated on the last climb with only about 20 riders present.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG led by Benoit Cosnefroy is absolutely destroying the peloton on this uncategorised climb. The peloton is in bits.
Just two minutes and 27 seconds between the peloton and the break.
There is about 35 riders left in the peloton with riders scrambling to get back on including Andrea Vendrame (Jayco-AlUla), Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ United).
Tiberi and Vendrame are trying to sprint across the gap to get back onto the peloton. Lapeira is out of the back for Decathlon-CMA CGM.
Tiberi and Vendrame do rescue their race for now. They seemed to be caught out by poor positioning rather than lacking the form.
Bahrain Victorious are hammering the pace in the peloton with Pello Bilbao on the front now that Tiberi leads the way.
Zimmermann and Planckaert are dropped from the break with the former riding himself into the ground for teammate, Verstrynge.
Alaphilippe is making an acceleration with everyone just about able to follow as Zimmermann is yoyoing off the back.
Onto the first of two ascents of the Santuario Beato Sante climb which is 4.3km at 6.2%.
Two riders who have had awful luck in recent years after being two world class riders a few years ago. Both looking really strong today. They have seven seconds on the chasers and just over two minutes on the peloton led by UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Planckaert caught by the peloton.
Haig, Zimmermann and Verstrynge are hurting a lot and are losing time to Valgren and Alaphilippe now after the 15% section of the Santuario Beato Sante climb.
The profile is peppered with short and sharp climbs on tight and twisty roads before coming to the final ascent of the Santuario Beato Sante. 14km before they get to that climb.
These uncategorised climbs are short but absolutely brutal.
Vermaerke is absolutely hammering the pace in the peloton.
Verstrynge is dropped by Zimmermann and Haig in the chase.
Tiberi losing touch with the peloton yet again.
Vendrame also starting to lose touch. An excellent race by him so far but today is a step too far.
Verstrynge rides his way back onto Haig and Zimmermann again.
Johannessen has a gap on the rest of the GC riders but not by much at all and he is soon caught.
With 13km to go Alaphilippe and Valgren have 45 seconds on the chasers and one minute 40 seconds on the peloton.
Valgren and Alaphilippe are working really well but the peloton are still closing with one minute 38 seconds splitting them. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe back on the front now Vermaerke is done.
Hindley is leading the peloton for Pellizzari and Roglič.
Bahrain Victorious come to the front again with Bilbao working for Santiago Buitrago as they're about to start the final ascent of the Santuario Beato Sante.
6km to go and they are climbing.
Cosnefroy comes back to the front of the peloton for UAE Team Emirates-XRG with just one minute and seven seconds up to Valgren and Alaphilippe.
Onto the Santuario Beato Sante for the final time.
Valgren has looked superb all day and is goes clear right at the bottom of the climb.
Van der Poel dropped by the peloton as Roglič goes to the front of the peloton.
Del Toro goes to the front now with Pellizzari a few wheels back.
Johannessen, Buitrago, Jorgenson, Roglič, Pellizzari, Ciccone, Carapaz and Healy left with Del Toro.
Carapaz and Ciccone lose touch with the GC group.
Just 2km to the top of the climb for Valgren.
Carapaz makes it back to the GC group yet again. 44 seconds up to his teammate, Valgren.
Everyone is watching Del Toro with an ever growing group joining him including Alan Hatherly (Jayco-AlUla).
Carapaz caught as Del Toro accelerates.
Roglič is leading a group of Pellizzari, Joahnessen and Ciccone.
2km to go and Del Toro is going solo as he is slowly gapping Jorgenson. But he is still 25 seconds behind Valgren.
Valgren goes over the top of the climb with 1.7km to go. He surely has it in the bag.
Jorgenson and Del Toro just 100 metres behind Valgren.
Pellizzari was starting to recover but then looked in trouble and Johannessen has dropped them with Pellizzari, Roglič and Ciccone losing 17 seconds to Del Toro and Jorgenson now.
500 metres to go for Dane
Michael Valgren wins stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico 2026!
Del Toro takes second ahead of Jorgenson with Johannessen taking fourth just ahead of Ciccone, Pellizzari and Roglič.
Pinarello, Storer and Buitrago take the minor places ahead of Romo, Healy, Sheffield, Quintana and the rest.
Stage 5 top 10
1. Michael Valgren (DEN) EF Education-EasyPost 4:43'33"
2. Isaac Del Toro (MEX) UAE Team Emirates-XRG +11"
3. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike S.T.
4. Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility +24"
5. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek +28"
6. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe +30"
7. Primož Roglič (SLO) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe S.T.
8. Alessandro Pinarello (ITA) NSN +40"
9. Michael Storer (AUS) Tudor +41"
10. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious S.T.
General Classification Stage 5
1. Isaac Del Toro (MEX) UAE Team Emirates-XRG 20:10'40"
2. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe +23"
3. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike +34"
4. Primož Roglič (SLO) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe +44"
5. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek +1'05"
6. Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility +1'08"
7. Alessandro Pinarello (ITA) NSN +1'24"
8. Ben Healy (IRE) EF Edcuation-EasyPost S.T.
9. Magnus Sheffield (USA) Ineos Grenadiers +1'27"
10. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious +1'28"
It was an emotional victory for Valgren today after so any set backs. Make sure to read our race report for his reaction and more!
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