Stage 5 of Tour de Suisse 2024 was designed by the race organizers as a 148.5-kilometer ride from Ambri to Cari. While starting with a Category Two climb and continuing with a Category One climb shortly thereafter, the middle section of the stage was a combination of a descent and a long flat stretch. The stage would conclude with a longer climb to Cari (Category One).

A group of breakaway hopefuls escaped from the Tour of Switzerland peloton shortly after the start of the stage. The riders were Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Ben Zwiehoff (Bora-Hansgrohe), Damien Howson (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Stephen Williams (Team PremierTech), Simone Velasco (Astana), Johan Price-Pejtersen (Bahrain Victorious), and Team Jayco-Alula’s Lawson Craddock. 

Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-QuickStep) and Nans Peters (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) later attacked from the main peloton and managed to bridge the gap to the front breakaway group. They clearly wanted to join the fun on the roads of Switzerland – or some sports directors were angry their teams were not represented in a breakaway in today’s stage.

Most attackers were, however, caught by the chasing peloton towards the top of the Category One Cari climb (7.7 km; 9.8 percent average gradient). Only Lutsenko pressed on solo and was clearly hoping to stay away on the descent that followed.

Ineos-Grenadiers riders were spearheading the main peloton, but for now Lutsenko kept a small lead of fifteen seconds with 112 kilometers left of the stage. The descent was tricky and dangerous, but Lutsenko is an experienced rider.

Williams and Peters tried their attacking luck again on the descent and were joined by Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) and Johannes Staune-Mittet (Team Visma – Lease a Bike). The four riders made the leap to front man Lutsenko. With 85 kilometers remaining, the front quintet had a lead of 01:35 minutes and had reached the flat section of the route.

The front quintet pressed on. They were working well together and had established a lead of 01:40 minutes with 45 kilometers left of today’s stage 5 of this year’s Tour de Suisse. UAE Team Emirates riders were leading the main peloton for their race leader Adam Yates. Other teams, including Movistar and Lidl-Trek, were also near the front. Lidl-Trek was riding for its defending Tour de Suisse Champion Mattias Skjelmose – but UAE Team Emirates was the stronger team on paper.

Rubio attacked with Staune-Mittet shortly before the Tissot intermediate sprint with twenty kilometers left. They were both eager to secure the beautiful Tissot watch that was the prize to the winner. Rubio took the win with a powerful uphill effort in the final hundred meters leading up to the Tissot intermediate sprint. The two riders then regrouped with fellow breakaway optimist Lutsenko.

The remains of the breakaway optimists were caught approximately eleven kilometers from the finish line. UAE Team Emirates and Ineos-Grenadiers were now setting a fast pace up the final Category One climb to the finish line in order to deter any riders from launching attacks.

Matthew Riccitello (Team PremierTech) and Matteo Badilatti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) attacked approximately eight kilometers from the finish line. Badilatti was caught shortly thereafter, while Riccitello proved more durable. Approximately 20-25 riders now remained in the favorites group. 

Riccitello was caught with five kilometers of today’s challenge remaining. Lidl-Trek’s defending Tour de Suisse Champion Skjelmose (Denmark) was suffering. UAE Team Emirates’ Joao Almeida was now leading the favorites group for his race leader Adam Yates.

Four kilometers remained and only five riders now remained in the front group. Egan Bernal (Ineos-Grenadiers), Enric Mas (Movistar), Adam Yates, Almeida, and Riccitello.

Almeida increased the pace with three kilometers remaining. Was he preparing an attack from Yates?

Yates attacked with two kilometers left. Bernal tried to stick to his wheel as did Mas.

Adam Yates left all other riders behind in the final kilometer and soloed across the finish line as winner of stage 5 of Tour de Suisse 2024. By winning today’s stage five, Yates also increased his lead in the General Classification.

Almeida finished second, while Bernal completed the stage podium.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional coverage from Tour de Suisse 2024.

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