Volta a Catalunya: Pantano wins on Vielha

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Jarlinson Pantano (Trek-Segafredo) beat Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates) to win stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya after both emerged from the break of the day during the long ride through the Pyrenees.

The Colombian got a gap on Laengen on the fast descent to the finish in Vielha Val d’Aran and held him off to win with his arms in the air.

Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida) used his descending skills to jump from the peloton to the remains of the break and then powered clear. He celebrated at the finish, thinking he had won the stage but was third.

"It was a desperate, high-speed finale," Pantano explained, happy to have won a road race for the first time since his 2016 Tour de France stage.

"I had a good partner with me, I don't know about the others but I knew our breakaway was a very strong one. It's just wonderful to come home with the victory. The descent was very technical, it was good to have Laengen for company, but in the end, I pulled it off."

How it happened

With 212km of racing deep into the Pyrenees, the stage started early Llivia but the riders were greeted with more sunshine. They would again spend much of the stage riding above the snow level with only several long tunnels giving them respite and helping them avoid the highest mountains.

There were seven non-starters after the fatigue began to bite, with Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) also retiring during the stage.

The racing started with a bang, when Egan Bernal (Team Sky), who took on Movistar almost single handily on stage 4, aggressive again today. He won the first intermediate sprint after just five kilometres and so took back three seconds on Valverde with a show of pride and defiance.

The early break of the day formed soon after, with 15 riders in the move before they became 12. The adventurers for the day were Danilo Wyss (BMC), Pantano, Laurent Didier (Trek-Segafredo), François Bidard (AG2R-La Mondiale), Laengen (UAE Team Emirates), Maxime Monfort (Lotto-Soudal), Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida), Sergei Chernetckii (Astana), Jordi Simon (BH Burgo) and Jetse Bol (Manzana Postobon).

The first hour was covered at 52km/h thanks to the gradual descending profile, but the race was alive as the break raced for a day of glory, hoping Movistar and the peloton would let them stay away.

Simon was first to the summit of the Port del Canto after 85km, as the break held a steady lead of 3:00. The break continued to work hard together as the race headed east, passing below Andorra, with Pantano first to the top of the Port de la Creu de Perves with 55km to go. The gradual climb up to the Tunel de Vielha and the long day in the saddle gradually shook out the break and the peloton began to close the gap and tempt some attacks. Pantano and Laengen got a gap, with the Norwegian using his power to drive the duo along.

Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) tried to use his time trial skills on the wide, gradual climb. He was joined by Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic) but the French rider was soon spat out as Movistar drove hard behind. Jungels was also reeled in by a merciless Movistar.

As the start of the five-kilometre Tunel de Vielha neared other riders tried to attack. However, Valverde responded and even jumped clear, to impose his authority on his rivals.

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