Tirreno - Adriatico 2013: Stage 5

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January 1 - March 12, Ortona, Italy, Road - WorldTour

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Stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico, 230km from Ortona to Chieti.

65km remaining from 230km

Even though there were 230km on rolling roads to come, there was a very brisk pace from the outset this morning. The eight escapees (a ninth, Cesare Benedetti of Endura-NetApp, lost contact after narrowly avoiding a crash) covered 43.9km in the first hour of racing.

After 60km, their advantage was . On the subsequent climb to Forchetta di Palena, the lead stretched beyond seven minutes and Agnoli found himself the blue jersey on the road.

Cunego led over the top of the Forchetta di Palena after 91km, and the gap at that point was up to 8:15, but on the descent the Omega Pharma-QuickStep team of overall leader Michal Kwiatowski and the Sky team of favourite Chris Froome began to organise the pursuit.

Cannondale have also since put their shoulders to the wheel at the head of the peloton. They may no longer have any hopes of winning the race outright (Moreno Moser lost over six minutes at Prati di Tivo yesterday), but the men in lime green will certainly fancy their chances of claiming a stage win in Chieti this afternoon. Last year, one Peter Sagan took a rather insouciant victory in the hilltop town and he will fancy his chances of repeating the feat today.

The finale is cobbled and the climb to the line is a difficult one: 1.5km in length with an average gradient of 10.2% and stretches of 19%. With time bonuses of ten, six and four seconds on offer, it is the last realistic chance of a shake-up of the general classification ahead of the concluding time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto on Tuesday.

The general classification this morning was as follows:

52km remaining from 230km

On paper, the Passo Lanciano is the toughest climb of the race - 12km in length, and an average gradient of 8.6% with stretches at 13%. However, its summit comes some 40km to the finish, and any gains made on the way up might well be cancelled out on the long descent that follows.

50km remaining from 230km

Cunego has some previous on the Passo Lanciano. In 2006, he was the last man to be dropped by a turbo-charged Ivan Basso on this climb at the Giro d'Italia. Basso would go on to wear pink in Milan and his name remains in the record books to this day. But of course, his dog's name appears in Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes' records from around the same time, which somewhat overshadows that Giro win, no?

47km remaining from 230km

That main peloton has already been whittled down to just 40 riders by the forcing of Team Sky's men in black. It looks like a case of deja vu all over again after yesterday's startling exhibition.

The remnants of the break are scattered across the mountainside between Cunego and the Sky-led peloton. Devolder is battling to stay within sight of Cunego, Flecha et al are 30 seconds back, while Oscar Gatto has sat up and been swept up by the bunch.

Andy Schleck (RadioShack Leopard) has lost contact with the main peloton. He finished 12 minutes down in 74th place yesterday, but the Luxembourger will be happy simply to finish Tirreno-Adriatico and get some badly-needed racing miles in his legs. Schleck hasn't finished a stage race since the Circuit de la Sarthe last April.

43km remaining from 230km

42km remaining from 230km

39km remaining from 230km

Dario Cataldo, Sergio Henao and Chris Froome lead the peloton over the summit of the Passo Lanciano two minutes down on lone leader Damiano Cunego.

Incidentally, Sep Vanmarcke (Blanco) was an early faller on today's stage and was forced to abandon the race. The Belgian will have a scan in Antwerp tomorrow to assess the damage and to see if his classics campaign is in doubt. The pictorial evidence he posted on Twitter certainly does not look promising. "First news is that the bursa of my knee is torn. First days will decide if operation is needed. Tomorrow new research in Antwerp," Vanmarcke wrote. "The only thing I'm hoping is that the classics aren't over. Last 5 months were all focus and dedication, and then this shit happens..."

Oliver Kaisen (Lotto Belisol), Martin Reimer (MTN-Qhubeka) and Francesco Failli (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) have also abandoned today.

Meanwhile, Damiano Cunego's lead has been cut to 1:25 on the descent of the Lanciano, as Sky continue to control affairs in the main peloton.

That peloton is increasing in size once again, however. Peter Sagan (Cannondale) and yesterday's surprise package Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) were distanced on the way up the Lanciano, but both men have since latched back on.

22km remaining from 230km

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was another man dropped on the way up the Lanciano, but he also appears to have made his way back up to the Froome group, which contains around 30 riders.

Race leader Michal Kwiatowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) is safely ensconced in the Sky group, sitting tightly on the wheel of Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) are also in there.

The pace has relaxed slightly in the Sky group, and Peter Sagan and Vincenzo Nibali are locked in conversation. Sagan is pointing at his calf, but he doesn't seem unduly concerned.

Joaquim Rodriguez, Dani Moreno (Katusha) and Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) are all in the blue jersey group, and all three men have shown their ability on steep finishes such as today's in Chieti. Chris Horner (RadioShack-Leopard) is also there.

17km remaining from 230km

This is the fourth year in succession that Chieti has hosted a stage finish at Tirreno-Adriatico. Michele Scarponi won in 2010 and 2011, while Sagan was triumphant twelve months ago.

Sky have some local knowledge on today's stage, of course. Dario Cataldo is a native of the province of Chieti and in fact hails from Lanciano itself, so he is very familiar with the roads this afternoon.

12km remaining from 230km

Cataldo leads Henao, Uran and Froome at the head of the chase group, while Tony Martin sits directly behind them with race leader Michal Kwiatowski on his wheel. Nibali has Paolo Tiralongo and Valerio Agnoli for company in the group.

10km remaining from 230km

9km remaining from 230km

Cannondale have three riders and two options in the chase group. Damiano Caruso will ride in support of Peter Sagan and Moreno Moser.

7km remaining from 230km

6km remaining from 230km

6km remaining from 230km

Contador and Nibali are out of the saddle and the Sky tempo is beginning to cause problems. Peter Sagan is dropping down the line of riders.

5km remaining from 230km

Sagan was dropped on a steep section, and while the road has flattened out slightly since, the Slovak looked to be in real difficulties.

5km remaining from 230km

5km remaining from 230km

Kreuziger and Horner have also come across. These five riders will fight it out for the bonus seconds.

4km remaining from 230km

3km remaining from 230km

2km remaining from 230km

Henao and Uran are taking up the chase in the group of favourites, however, and the gap is melting.

1km remaining from 230km

1km remaining from 230km

1km remaining from 230km

Nibali has been dropped by the Froome group.

1km remaining from 230km

Rodriguez has a lead of 100 metres over a six-man group that includes Contador and Froome. He is set for stage victory.

Contador accelerates from the group behind but Froome follows.

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) wins stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico.

Bauke Mollema (Blanco) out-sprints Contador for second, 9 seconds later. They were just ahead of Froome, Santambrogio and Horner.

Nibali crosses the line a couple of seconds behind Froome and Contador. Froome will move into the overall lead tonight as Kwiatowski was distanced on the final climb and lost almost 40 seconds.

Rodriguez timed his effort perfectly there. He attacked on the steepest section of the climb with 1400 metres to go after Froome and Contador had attempted to crack one another in the finale, and then he stretched out his advantage as the road flattened out in the final kilometre.

It was a successful day, too, for Team Sky, who managed - finally - to shed themselves of Kwiatowski in the finale. Contador pegged back a few seconds on Froome in time bonuses, but it looks as though Froome will go into the final two days with 20 seconds in hand on Contador and Nibali at the head of the general classification.

Result:

General classification:

General classification:

Thanks for joining us for today's live coverage of Tirreno-Adriatico. We'll be back with more tomorrow, but in the meantime, stay tuned to Cyclingnews for a full report, results and pictures here and for all the Tirreno news from our man in Italy, Stephen Farrand. And of course, you can also follow the finale of Paris-Nice with Dan Benson right here. Slán go fóill.

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