Downing bests Miyazawa in bunch sprint

Image 1 of 19

Rapha Condor rider Dean Downing took an unexpected stage victory on what should have been a climber's day on the 157km fifth stage of Tour de Taiwan. Downing narrowly beat double stage winner Takashi Miyazawa in the dash to the line.

"It was perfect for me and in the last 250 metres," said Downing. "I rode off the rider from CCC and went in for the finish. I thought it wasn't going to be enough but when I saw the line, I knew that I had it."

"This year's race has been fantastic for us as the ban on using radio communication has allowed us to come together as a team better. We communicate more and we sit in the peloton together. It has helped us to be a unit."

David McCann of the Giant Asia racing team finished in the front group to hold onto his yellow jersey, with Philip Gaimon (Kenda p/b Geargrinder) overtaking William Clarke for the second spot on GC.

Gaimon escaped on the third climb of the day, going clear with new mountains classification leader Choi Ki Ho (Hong Kong), and the pair stayed away through the last intermediate sprint on the road, where Gaimon was able to nab the three seconds available to move into second overall.

The American now sits just eight seconds behind McCann with two stages to go in which the bonus sprints will be critical.

The second place of Miyazaway today moved the Japanese rider six seconds closer to McCann's lead, but he remains in fourth place behind Clarke. The Australian crashed in the finale of the stage but was awarded the same time as the lead group and stays at 11 seconds behind McCann on GC.

The sixth stage of the Tour de Taiwan will see the peloton going through two category 2 climbs at Huaien and Wanli and two intermediate sprints around Taipei County.