Robert Forster (Gerolsteiner) has won Stage 5 of the Giro d?Italia. Forster took a bunch sprint to win the rolling, 173-km run from Teano to Frascati in 4:17:02. Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) finished second, and Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) took third. Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) remains the maglia rosa.

The stage was ridden under partly cloudy skies with mild temperatures. As has been the case throughout the first week of the Giro, Tinkoff animated the day?s racing. At about 15 km, Mikhail Ignatiev sallied off of the front, and Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis) joined him. At 20 km, the pair led the field by 1:00, and at 35 km, the break led the bunch by 5:30. At that point, the peloton began to get serious.

At Cassino (40 km), the gap was down to 5:00. At Frosinone (96 km), 3:45 separated the break from the Liquigas-led bunch. At the feed zone (110 km), Ignatiev and Buffaz led the bunch by 3:00.

After lunch, Ignatiev dropped Buffaz. With 40 km left, he led the peloton by 2:40. Milram and Predictor went to the front and began to hammer.

With 18 km left, the bunch caught Ignatiev. Frantisek Rabon (T-Mobile) countered but was reeled in. Emanuele Sella (Panaria) tried to escape but was caught with 10 km remaining. Other moves were made, but Milram chased down all of the breaks.

Credit Agricole led the field into the last km. Milram brought Alessandro Petacchi to the front, but Petacchi got boxed in, as did Robbie McEwen (Predictor). Hushovd charged into the lead on the right, but Forster overtook the Norwegian on the left for the win.

In the overall, Di Luca leads teammates Franco Pellizotti and Andrea Noe by 0:26 and 0:35, respectively. Stage 5 will be a 177-km ride from Tivoli to Spoleto that will feature the Category 1 climb up Monte Terminillo, the Category 3 Forca Capistrello, and the Category 2 Forca di Cerro. The stage is one suited to a group escape. Who will be in it? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!