As it happened: More shuffling of the pack as the favourites battle it out at stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia Women
The peloton heads into the Dolomites for four categorised climbs and virtually no recovery sections over 146 kilometres with 3,200 metres of elevation gain
Good morning, and welcome again to the Cyclingnews coverage of stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia Women.
While people are rightly looking at Saturday's eighth stage and its iconic climbs, with 3,330m of vertical ascent, today has more climbing than any other stage this week. We roll out at 12:55CET.
Niamg Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) isn't the only rider warming up before the stage.
They're in Longarone for today's stage, and on the cards is 146km to Santo Stefano di Cadore. We're still in north eastern Italy, in the Alps, east of Bolzano. We'll pass through the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Another GC shake-up expected on mountainous day with 3,400 metres of elevation.
Barbara Malcotti is Human Powered Health's climbing hope for today's stage, but first some stretching.
Race leader, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) heads to sign on ahead of the stage.
Here we go then, we're uphill from the line today, though only after 6.4km of neutral.
A maximum forecast temperature of 21º today, and while there'll be some sunshine, there's a weather alert for storms too. Anything could happen!
The stage is a proper beast, starting with two 1st category climbs before two ascents of the same 3rd category climb. The Passo Trio Croci comes first, the Passo di Sant'Antonio next, then a loop including the double ascent of the Costa climb.
The start town of Longarone has hosted four starts of the men's Giro d'Italia, but the town has a tragic past. In 1963 the village was destroyed in the Vajont Dam disaster and almost 2,000 people were killed.
Here we go, the attacks have started. There'll many trying to get away for the chance of victory or for the breakaway's sake, but Van der Breggen's GC rivals might want to pressure her and the SD Worx-Protime team, weakened by the loss of two riders. They start with only five in total, remember.
The first categorised climb is Passo Tre Croci is the day's first climb, but that begins in Cortina d'Ampezzo after 48.3km, but the riders will have climbed over 900m by then.
First up is the unclassified climb to Pieve di Cadore is 5km at 5.4%. We'll be there in just over 10km.
We're at the base of PIeve di Cadore with a complete peloton.
After such a tumultuous day yesterday, who's wearing which jersey?
Major shake-up to overall standings after tough uphill TT with big time gaps.
Visma-Lease a Bike are on the front of the bunch. They'll be looking to the ir young French climber, Marion Bunel for a big day. She put time into Van der Breggen on the final day of the Vuelta Femenina, on the slopes of l'Angliru. There's nothing quite so brutal today, though.
But what about yesterday, the stage 4 time trial certainly rearranged the general classification
130km to go
Still all together as we approach the top of the unclassified climb. It's almost 30km from the top unit they reach the bottom of the Passo Tre Croci and, while it's a gentle false flat, it could be the perfect place for a break to go clear.
Isabella Holmgren was the first of the Lidl-Trek riders home yesterday. and is the best young rider in this year's race.
The Canadian rider is "nervous but excited" about her GC role.
Anna van der Breggen is onto something in the leading part of the peloton, instead the maglia rosa is 55 seconds behind, with a group of around 30 at the front.
We're not yet sure whether she has been dropped or whether a huge breakaway has been allowed to form.
The group at the front consists of around 30 riders, including Lauren Dickson, a FDJ United-SUEZ team mate of Demi Vollering. The British rider started the day 1.38 behind Van der Breggen, in sixth place.
Having her in the break puts hige pressure on Van der Breggen and her SD Worx squad.
100km to go
The clever thing SD Worx have done is allow Valentina Cavallar into the leading group. the Austrian is 14th on GC, 2.53 behind team mate Van der Breggen and 1.15 behind Dickson.
This gives FDJ and SD Worx a fascinating strategic decision to make; do they allow their second ranaked riders to fight for the race win? Do they let the jersey ride up the road?
As it stands the Dickson group lead the race, a second group of four are a minute behind, while the Van der Breggen group are at 2.30.
Who blinks first?
After her spectacular win yesterday Anna van der Breggen was certainly in reflective mood.
"The road to victory is not always immediate," she said.
Of the breakaway the following riders started the day within five minutes of Van der Breggen's overall lead.
Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) @ 1.38,
Nadia Gontova (Liv-Alula-Jayco) @ 2.44,
Valentina Cavallar (SD Worx-Protime) @ 2.53,
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon-Sram) @2.44,
Mie Bjørdal Ottestad (UNO=X Mobility) @ 2.57,
Mereia Bentio (AG Insurance-Soudal) @3.22,
Viktória Chladaňová (Visma-Lease a Bike) @3.55
Maya Kingma (Aromitalia Vaiano) @4.27 and
Emilie Morier (ST Michel-Preference homes-Auber93) @4.49.
95km to go
The breakaway are now on the first 1st category climb, the Passo Tre Croci and lead the GC group by 4.55.
In theory, now the breakaway is the GC group, but we'll call them the breakaway.
There's been some confusion in the information coming from on the ground. The race is on the the first major climb of the day.
The Passo Tre Croci is 8km in length with a fairly even gradient of 7.3% and by the time they reach the top they'll be over 1800m so the altitude could be an issue for some.
On the climb the gap has dropped to 4.05, with SD Worx and Movistar lead ing the bunch.
Movistar started the day with Marlen Reusser second place and while they have Mareille Meijer in the leading group, she is 22.04 down. The Spanish squad will need to work to salvage Reusser's GC.
90km to go
Almost at the top of the Passo Tre Croci and the breakaway's advantage has tumbled down to only 3.21.
Over the top of the Tre Croci and the gaps are unlikely to change too much on the descent. It'll be fast as it's not too technical, with few hairpins, though it is long, almost 30km.
The group of four, which had been a steady minute behind the leaders, has splintered on the climb and onto the descent, with the four women spread about 40 seconds on the road.
One of them is Picnic-PostNL's former British champion, Pfeiffer Georgi.
The Van der Breggen group are now less than three minutes behind the leaders, but what a day it is with such a group of hitters up the road.
Both Dickson and Cavallar came to the sport late.
Dickson a former runner who joined FDJ this year, aged 25.
Cavllar was a left field signing for SD Worx this year, joining after two years with Arkea-B&B Hotels where she won the Alpes Gresivaudan Classic and performed very well in other mountainous races.
A former rower, she represented Austria athe Tokyo Olympics.
80km to go
The breakaway's lead over the Van der Breggen group has increased to 3.20, while we have no information on the chasing group.
There's still a fair bt of descending to go, the next climb begins with 61km to go.
70km to go
Caroline Andersson won the maximum points at the top of the Passo Tre Croci, while Van der Breggen's favourites' group remains 3.28 behind the day's breakaway.
The race has been following the Ansiei river for a while now, but will reach the bottom of the Passo di Sant'Antonio in the village of Auronzo di Cadore. There they turn left off the main road and start climbing.
60km to go
We're onto the climb now. At 7.5km, Passo di San'Antonio is shorter than the Tre Croci, but is steeper, averaging of 8.4%. The route takes the riders through the woods, all the way to the top.
On the very lowest slopes of the climb the breakaway are 3.18 ahead.
Amber Kraak has been off the front for a while, but now the FDJ United-SUEZ rider is back in the bunch she's taken over at the front of the peloton.
The gap is already coming down, it's just a touch above three minutes.
The break is starting to fall apart on the climb, but Van der Breggen's group really have taken chunks out of their advantage, it's way under two minutes now, Eva van Agt (FDJ United-SUEZ) pulling very hard.
With Van der Breggen's group is down to only 17 riders. They're at 1.52, so Lauren Dickson is still the virtual maglia rosa in the road.
While her team mate, Van Agt is banging away at the front of the GC group, Dickson is on the front of the break, which down to just a handful of riders now. Van der Breggen will be relieved Cavallar is still there.
Now FDJ send Célia Gery off the front of the favourites' group. She began the day 4.28 behind Van der Breggen.
Just five riders in the leading group, Dickson, Cavallar, Benito, Gontova and Marion Bunel.
A huge attack from Marlen Reusser in the favourites' group. She's hugely strong but could be firing too many bullets here.
Vollering catches her, but Van der Breggen is distanced.
Vollering and Reusser were with Antonia Niedermaier too, but Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) towed Van der Breggenback to the front.
Vollering goes to the front of a reduced favourites' group, Longo Borghini is out the back and desperately trying to get bacon with with World Champion, Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly).
They're back on and the favourites' group contains 11 riders.
Vollering, Vallieres, Van der Breggen, Reusser, Trinca Colonel, Longo Borghini, Fisher-Black and Holmgren (Lidl-Trek), Neidermaier too. but not for long.
Vollering goes again and once again the group spilts, Longo Borghini again one of those dropped.
At the front Bunel is beginning to struggle, while Dickson still grinds on on the front.
Seems FDJ are riding two races, one at the front and one in the favourites' group, where Reusser has Movistar team mate, Mareille Meijer on the front.
Closing on on the top of the climb and the favourites' group has reformed a little and is back to 11 riders.
Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv-Alula-Jayco) regains contact with the favourites, as does Urška Žigart (AG Insurance-Soudal).
Meanwhile Žigart's team mate, Benito is dropped from the leading group.
Dickson takes maximum points at the top of the Passo di Sant'Antonio and the break take a lead of 1.27 onto the descent.
This is quite technical, with plenty of bends and some hairpins too.
50km to go
The favourites are on the descent too. It's around 9km downhill, with a plateau in the middle. Technical again at the bottom, they start the next climb 43km from the line.
The favourites picked up some of the dropped breakaway riders on the descent, so that group is swelling as the deficit to the breakaway group drops below one minute.
The breakaway is splitting on the descent, with Cavallar and Gontova distanced slightly, but the favourites are closing in very quickly.
At the front Bunel and Dickson are off the front on that decent, but they're about to hit the next climb.
We've joined the closing loop, but it's straight uphill for the climb to Costa. This is a 3rd category ascent, covering 4.3km at average of 8.6%. And yes, they do ride it twice.
At the bottom of the climb and the favourites' group is quite large, though Trinca Colonel has got off the front and is trying to catch the break which has re-formed, including her team mate, Nadia Gontova
Trinca Colonel and Gontova are together, just off the back of the Dickson group.
Van der Breggen leads the favourites' group which is less than 20 seconds behind the leaders and has thinned out considerably.
Attack from Vollering on the climb. Her group had swollen very quickly as the pace dropped, but it'll thin now with the European champion on the front.
Longo Borghini is struggling with these attacks, though it must be remembered that she lost a chunk of the spring to illness.
Vollering still leads, while Bunel has been caught from the breakaway.
Best young rider, Isabella Holmgren was dropped with Longo Borghini, but her Lidl-Trek team mate, Niamh Fisher-Black is still with Vollering.
All change. Dickson drops back the 10 seconds from the front and paces team mate Vollering. This ups the pace and Van der Breggen is dropped with Reusser.
Van der Breggen is back with the front group, led once again by Dickson. Both Longo Borghini and Reusser are off the back of that group. Of course Reusser is another rider whose spring has been disrupted by injury.
40 km to go
Reusser is dropped, or at least preserving her energy, while Longo Borghini is doggedly fight her way back to the leaders' group.
Dickson has been dropped so it's Vollering taking up the pace on the front of the group, Van der Breggen is still there as is Holmgren, Niedermaier and Cavallar.
Vollering is nailing this over the summit, but the group remains intact.
Longo Borghini is one of the great descenders, so may get back on. Reusser, though is 40 seconds back.
The ascent of Costa might be full of hairpins, but the descent isn't technical, partly because it's so shallow, just an average of -2.7%, including a plateau.
The shallow descent will help Cavallar stay in contact, we saw on the last downhill that she struggles a little, but if she can stay in she can help Van der Breggen.
Vollering leads an expanded front group on the plateau after the top of the climb, the descent begins shortly.
Longo Borghini is one of the riders to have caught that group. Reusser, however, is almost a minute behind.
There are some real heroic rides out there, Nadia Gontova and Lauren Dickson are certainly two.
Dickson is back on the front working for Vollering. Remember, Dickson wasn't even racing bikes two-and-a-half years ago.
The pace has really dropped at the front and the Reusser group is about to regain contact.
Through the village of Costalta and this is the final technical section of the descent. This will be ridden again, 8km from the finish.
30km to go
Trinca Colonel has attacked on the descent and gained a gap. She might have been better advised to keep that car up her sleeve until the next tie round, but she still may stay away.
Trinca Colonel started the day in fifth place overall, only 1.31 behind Van der Breggen'ss lead.
Trinca Colonel has a good gap here and Van der Breggen is forced to lead the chase, with Longo Borghini, Vollering, Niedermaier and Holmgren on her wheel. And now they knock the pace off, allowing Trinca Colonel to increase her lead to 32 seconds.
Lore De Schepper (AG Insurance Soudal) gets to the front and attacks. Cavallar takes control of the chase, bringing De Schepper back.
And once again Reusser's group gets back on, Dickson going to the front and to work.
Trinca Colonel crosses the finish line in Santo Stefano di Cadore 36, seconds ahead of the chasing group.
23.2km to go.
20km to go
Up hill again, onto the Costa climb, with Trinca Colonel still 40 seconds up the road. She'll take the maximum six bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint in 500m.
Dickson leads the chase
On the steep lower ramps of the Costa climb Vollering goes hard, Niedermaier follows with Holmgren and Van der Breggen.
Trinca Colonel is quickly caught and straight out of the back. Four riders lead, but, as we've seen, the 16.3km from the top is easily enough for the entire race scenario to change.
Niedermaier is now on the front, Van der Breggen on the back of the quartet. Niedermaier is looking very strong and in control, the German rider on the German Canyon-Sram team.
Van der Breggen goes to the front, out of the saddle she takes control of the group, with just 2km to the top of the climb.
It wasn't Trinca Colonel who took the bonus at the intermediate sprint, it was Vollering.
Van der Breggen, Vollering, Niedermaier and Holmgren are well ahead, but it's almost certain that Longo Borghini and Fisher-Black will get back on over the top, they're only 20 seconds behind.
Vollering doesn't appear to have quite enough punch to drop the others in the group, she comes to the front, lifts the pace, but the same names follow.
Van der Breggen with two bottles on her bike while riding an 11% gradient.
Top of the final climb
Van der Breggen takes maximum points on the final climb, with Vollering, Niedermaier and Holmgren on her wheel. Longo Borghini and Fisher-Black are 43 seconds back, with Reusser's group at one minute.
Over the top we have a plateau and a small extra ascent, before we go downhill to the line. There's that short technical section at the bottom.
Can anyone make a difference? Or will it be a four-up sprint? Or even more?
Niedermaier makes a little move, but there's nothing doing so Vollering takes over at the front.
Longo Borghini and Fisher-Black have taken a handful of seconds back.
In this group Vollering has the best sprint, but have all those unsuccessful attacks taken the sting from her finish?
10km to go
Vollering leads over the small climb but it's all down hill from here.
Longo Borghini is still 30 seconds back, so maybe she can't get back to the front.
Van der Breggen leads on the descent, while Holmgren has dropped back very slightly.
Longo Borghini reamins at 25 seconds.
Van der Breggen is descending really well, gapping the others asn she flies down the last of the steeper slopes.
5km to go
We've already seen the final 5km, it's along the valley of the Piave Valley. Long, straight and all downhill at an average gradient of -1.6%. The group will do better than Longo Borghini dragging Fisher-Black along.
Only Holmgren has not regained Van der Breggen's wheel so far.
The young Canadian is back on now, Van der Breggen leads the group, while Longo Borghini remains 30 seconds behind. She's really unlikely to get back on.
Way back, Reusser is at 1.14, so will drop down the GC rankings.
3km to go
It'll be a four-up sprint from this group, despite Niedermaier trying to up the pace, when that doesn't work Vollering gets back on the front.
Holmgren tries her luck now, but nothing's doing for the Canadian. Vollering is looking to launch a flyer from the back, though surely her sprint is her best weapon. If she still trusts it?
1km
Niedermaier tries again but ends up leading out into the final 500m, Van der Breggen on her wheel as holgrena goes long.
Vollering opens it up and wins, taking a crucial 10 bonus seconds, Van der Breggen is second, taking six extra seconds. Niedermaier is third.
Vollering has not quite looked herself so far this Giro, lacking the punch on climbs which has previously created gaps her huge engine can consolidate upon.
However, the FDJ United SUEZ rider is still probably the best overall rider in the women's peloton and, while she couldn't get away, she was never anywhere near ibeing dropped. And when it came to the final, four-up sprint there was only one winner.
She benefited from extraordinary team work, with Amber Kraak and Eva van Agt doing work, however Lauren Dickson was nothing short of brilliant. The Scotswoman found her way into the break and was then able to put some huge turns in for her leader, getting in the break, being able to work for her leader. Perhaps the most impressive thing was her ability and willingness to keep coming back and do it some more.
There were some tactically odd moments, though. Van Agt attacking the favourites while Dickson was hammering on the front of the breakaway, then when Vollering was in the leading group she kept on putting in similar attacks with the same results.
"I'm very happy to take the victory her, it's my first stage in the Giro so it's a nice one,"Vollering said.
"It was a really long and hard day, we started racing already very early. We wanted to have some riders of our team in the breakaway and we managed already with Amber and Lauren, like the plan it was perfect.
"They did such an amazing job, at one point before came here on the the last climb I still had Lauren in front of me, and she did amazing work after on the flat and on the first part of the last climb again.
"I maybe went a little bit too early, so in the end I could not take the difference on the climb but yeah, it was a really nice day, we really raced with everything we had and it was a real battle out there."
Van der Breggen appeared to have a couple of almost imperceptible shaky moments, but she and the SD Worx team played a blinder, especially getting Valentina Cavallar in the break to nullify Dickson's GC threat.
There are a couple of less challenging days coming up now, but whether SD Worx can defend at the weekend, especially on Saturday's stage over Colle delle Finestre to Sestriere remains to be seen.
Whatever happens, we'll be here with more live coverage, so please join us. Thanks for your company today, stage 6 rolls out at 13:50CET, see you then.
