HTV Cup: Nguyen Hoang Giang wins stage 5

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Nguyen Hoang Giang claimed the first stage victory for the Loc Troi team in the 32nd HTV Cup Vietnam as he bettered his four breakaway companions in Da Nang. 

The 23-year-old moved up in the overall standings as he was only 26 seconds down prior to stage 5, but no major change occurred on the general classification, with Nguyen Tan Hoai retaining the yellow jersey for the third straight day.

"Hoang Giang was my teammate in 2018 so I know that he’s a protagonist for the general classification," Spain’s Javier Sardá Perez told Cyclingnews. 

"But the final results will depend very much on the team time trial on stage 13 and the mountainous queen stage to Da Lat [stage 15]."

Stage 5 was the first mountainous stage and it put Sardá in the lead of the King of the Mountains competition as he crested the Hai Van pass in first position. 

The Zamora-born rider, who missed on that day the first birthday of his son due to the postponement of the HTV Cup from April to May, confirmed to his opponents that he’s not only the defending champion but also the hot favourite of the 32nd edition of Vietnam’s oldest and longest stage race.