As it happened: Breakaway success as Ganna keeps Tirreno-Adriatico lead despite late mechanical

Hello and welcome to the CyclingNews live report for the fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico 2025. 

Today's stage goes between Ascoli Piceno and Pergola with a 205km route that tackles several short sharp climbs. A stage that has become a tradition in Tirreno-Adriatico and is known as the Tappa dei Muri, which literally translates as 'Stage of Walls'. 

The likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Tom Pidcock (Q36.5), Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and others must be very excited by today. 

Before looking at today's Tirreno-Adriatico news, the big story out this morning is that Jonas Vinegegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) has abandoned Paris-Nice after crashing yesterday. To read more on the story click the link below...

>>> Jonas Vingegaard will not start stage 6 of Paris-Nice after Thursday's early stage crash 

Read all the reaction from yesterday's crosswind action in Tirreno-Adriatico...

>>> Rare Italian echelon racing lights up Tirreno-Adriatico but Olav Kooij and Derek Gee survive the day 

Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) reveals he aims for Milan-Sanremo after impressive stage win yesterday...

>>>> 'This year I'm feeling even better' - After Tirreno-Adriatico sprint win, Olav Kooij takes aim at Milan-San Remo 

It was a very hard day for some of the GC rider yesterday with Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) arguably having the worst of days...

>>> 'You feel bad when your own mistake makes your teammates ride that hard' - Derek Gee learns a lesson but stays in Tirreno-Adriatico GC fight 

The neutralised start is scheduled to begin in around 10 minutes. 

Yesterday saw a all Dutch podium with Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), Rick Pluimers (Tudor) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alppecin-Deceuninck).

This is the first all Dutch podium in the whole of Tirreno-Adriatico's 60 year history. 

Neutral start

The riders have set off in the neutralised zone of the stage. There are 4.4km before the official race start. 

205km to go

The official start is given and the racing on stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico has begun. 

The riders will be over the moon this morning (did you see the Lunar Eclipse this morning?) as the sunshine is shining!

There is a 17kph wind today that is expected to almost be entirely a tailwind, so today could be fast. 

200km to go

There have been multiple attacks off the front of the peloton. 

Attack!

Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

Breakaway formed

An update comes through and we have a seven man breakaway holding a gap of 2'42" on the peloton...

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility)
Francisco Muñoz (Polti-VisitMalta)
Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane)
Paul Ourselin (Cofidis)
Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)
Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

The time gap has now gone over three minutes as the race heads onto the first uncategorised climb of the day up to the village of Croce di Casale. 

190km to go

The time gap continues to go out to this strong breakaway. Could this be the day for the break or will the peloton come out on top yet again?

There is still over 110km to the first classified climb of the day, the Santa Marciana.

Abandon

Johan Price-Pejtersen (Alpcin-Deceuninck) has left the race. He put in a very strong performance in the opening time trial taking third on the day but has been placed in the hundreds ever since. 

The riders will be so thankful to be in short sleeve jerseys and short bibs today after two days wrapped up in multiple layers of winter and rain kit. 

The last confirmed time gap up to the breakaway was 3'08". The peloton seem keen to control the gap for the moment. 

Ineos Grenadiers are sharing the workload on the front of the peloton with Q36.5 and UAE Team Emirates-XRG. 

170km to go

After an hour of racing the riders have covered 35km. The time gap to the break of seven riders has jumped up to 3'30". 

A reminder on who is in the breakaway...

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility)
Francisco Muñoz (Polti-VisitMalta)
Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane)
Paul Ourselin (Cofidis)
Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)
Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Abandon

Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost) has left the race. The Portuguese national champion and former world champion was up at the front of the race supporting Ben Healy yesterday. He leaves the race due to knee pain. 

The gap between the peloton and breakaway has extended to over four minutes. 

The seven man break seem to be working well together in the early stages of today.

The time gap to the breakaway is now just under five minutes. 

150km to go

The average speed so far is 34.2kph. They are not pushing the pace at all today after the rapid stage yesterday. 

The breakaway's positions on GC coming into today...

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) +1'22"
Francisco Muñoz (Polti-VisitMalta) +1'55"
Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane) +15'28"
Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +16'50"
Paul Ourselin (Cofidis) +19'25"
Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +22'32"
Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) +24'10"

140km to go

The gap between the chasing peloton led by Ineos Grenadiers, Q36.5 and UAE Team Emirates-XRG and the seven man breakaway is just over five minutes. There is now just 65km until the top of the first categorised climb of the day, the Santa Marciana. 

Abandon

Wout Poels (XDS-Astana) has left the race. The Dutchman lost over 13 minutes yesterday and hasn't been near the front of the race throughout. 

His season started strongly with a good seventh place in GC at the Tour of Oman, but hasn't had a good time at this race. 

130km to go

The break have almost six minutes on the peloton now as the race goes over the two hour mark. Average speed has risen a touch to 36.5kph. 

Almost immediately after there was an update that the break had reached almost six minutes, the largest gap they've had all day, the gap is updated again and it has dropped to just over five minutes again. 

120km to go

The pace has gone up to an average speed of 40kph with both the breakaway and peloton battling for the stage. Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane) in particular will want this break to at least make it to the first categorised climb which is now just over 40km away. 

A new time gap between the break and peloton is now over six minutes! The leading group of seven are pushing hard to stay away. 

100km to go

The gap is over six and a half minutes to the breakaway as the riders go over the halfway point today. The peloton is still being led by the trio of teams, Ineos Grenadiers, Q36.5 and UAE Team Emirates-XRG. 

Gianluca Brambilla (Q36.5), Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Salvatore Puccio (Ineos Grenadiers) are doing the majority of the work in the peloton with 90km to go. The gap up to the break is at 6'39".

80km to go

Onto the first categorised climb of the day The Santa Marciana. 4.4km with an average of 6.1% with a maxi heading up to 14%.

Several teams come to the front of the peloton as the fight for position to get to the bottom of the Santa Marciana begins. 

Francisco Muñoz (Polti-VisitMalta) dropped from break.

KoM (Santa Marciana)

1. Manuele Tarozzi (ITA) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane 5pts
2. Paul Ourselin (FRA) Cofidis 3pts
3. Fredrik Dversnes (NOR) Uno-X Mobility 2pts
4. Xandro Meurisse (BEL) Alpecin-Deceuninck 1pt

Dropped from peloton

Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotels)

It is going to be a very long day for them.

Bahrain Victorious hit the front of the peloton and dramatically up the pace. On the Santa Marciana the peloton took over a minute out of the break with the gap now at 5'37". 

Several riders struggling to stay in the peloton. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) all at the back. 

70km to go

Ineos Grenadiers come back to the front with Lucas Hamilton doing the majority of the work. 10km to the intermediate sprint in Barbara. Over 40km to the next KoM.

Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar) and Valentin Ferron (Cofidis) both lose touch with the peloton. Two riders expected to be involved at the pointy end today. Clearly not on good days. 

Connor Swift is pushing very very hard on the front of the peloton. It looks like they are trying to split the race in the strong winds and twisty undulating roads. 

60km to go

The peloton has reduced the gap to the break to under five minutes. Quite a lot of riders losing touch as Francisco Muñoz (Polti-VisitMalta) is caught by the peloton. 

Intermediate sprint (Barbara)

1. Xandro Meurisse (BEL) Alpecin-Deceuninck 5pts 3"
2. Manuele Tarozzi (ITA) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane 3pts 2"
3. Fredrik Dversnes (NOR) Uno-X Mobility 2pts 1"
4. Dries De Bondt (BEL) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale 1pt

50km to go

Domen Novak (UAE Team Emiates-XRG) doing a lot of the work on the front of the peloton. The gap up to the break is now down to 4'34" between the peloton and the breakaway. 

Puncture

Jan Maas (Cofidis)

The mechanic brought the wrong wheel at first then gets the right wheel but took a very long time and is well out of the back now. That was a very poor change by Cofidis. 

Nickolas Zukowsky is doing a lot of work on the front of the peloton for his Q36.5 leader, Tom Pidcock. They're alongside UAE Team Emirates-XRG's massed ranks as Ineos Grenadiers take a break from the front. 

Attack in break

Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R)
Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane)
Paul Ourselin (Cofidis)
Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) was at the team car getting a bottle but managed to follow. Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has been dropped. 

Abandon

Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotels)
Gianluca Brambilla (Q36.5)

Verre was dropped earlier today with Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) but the Italian climber shouldn't be dropped there. Brambilla is a big surprise as he was on the front of the peloton working hard not so long ago. 

40km to go

The breakaway's gap drops to 3'40" as the peloton now look like they have comfortable control over the race. 

The riders have started the second of three climbs, the Salita di Barbanti which is 6.2km with an average gradient of 4.6%.

Crash!

Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla)
Florian Stork (Tudor)

Dunbar was on his feet but has sat down again and looks in some discomfort. The rider in seventh overall with a nightmare moment after a superb start to the race. 

Abandon

Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla)

That is a huge shame for the Irishman who looked to be in brilliant form. 

30km to go

Several teams have dragged their leaders up to the front including Soudal-QuickStep, EF Education-EasyPost, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Bahrain Victorious and Groupama-FDJ. Just 2'33" up to the break now. 

Mark Donovan (Q36.5) working very hard on the front of the peloton with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's massed ranks on his wheel. 

David De La Cruz (Q36.5) takes over the pacing on the front of the peloton but went a bit too hard and no-one followed so he had to sit up and adjust his tempo as Movistar replace him on the front along with UAE Team Emmirates-XRG and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. 

The breakaway now have a gap of just under two minutes. 

Attack in peloton

Chris Hamilton (Picnic-PostNL)
Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

Behind, the chase is stalled for the moment as Hamilton is +1'25" down in GC and Prodhomme at +1'40".

KoM (Salita di Barbanti)

1. Manuele Tarozzi (ITA) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane 5pts
2. Dries De Bondt (BEL) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale 3pts
3. Gal Glivar (SLO) Alpecin-Deceuninck 2pts
4. Fredrik Dversnes (NOR) Uno-X Mobility 1pt

15km to the top of the final climb of the stage, the Monterolo. Bahrain Victorious leading the peloton down the descent as the tile gap is shrinking significantly now with 1'40" between the break and the bunch. 

20km to go

 Leaders:

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility)
Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane)
Paul Ourselin (Cofidis)
Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)

Chasers +1'18":

Chris Hamilton (Picnic-PostNL)
Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) 

Peloton +1'40"

Quite a few riders have lost touch at the back of the peloton including Johannes Staune-Mittet (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) who continues to have a tough week on the bike. 

The breakaway keeps on splitting and coming back together again. This time Tarozzi pushed and opened a gap as Glivar really struggled to follow but Dversnes drags it all together again. 

Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) attacks and drops Chris Hamilton (Picnic-PostNL) who is about to be caught by the peloton. 

Hamilton is caught by the peloton led by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Soudal-QuickStep.

Attack

Esteban Chaves (EF Education-EasyPost)

Interesting move from the Colombian who could be used as a satellite rider for Ben Healy and Richard Carapaz. He quickly joins Prodhomme.  

Rafał Majka (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) hits the front of the peloton for Juan Ayuso. 

10km to go

The race is on the final climb of the Monterolo now. The break have 41" on the Chaves and Prodhomme duo and 48" back to the peloton. 

Attack in peloton

Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

This is a vintage Quintana move. Chaves and Prodhomme are caught as the Colombian hero gets a gap on the bunch as Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leads the peloton. 

Gal Glivar (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Paul Ourselin (Cofidis) have been dropped by the break. 

Quintana caught by the peloton. Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) dropped out of the back of the peloton. 

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) goes solo and drops Dries De Bondt (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane) as Glivar and Ourselin are caught by the peloton. 

Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Tom Pidcock (Q36.5), Laurens De Plus (Ineos Grenadiers) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) right up towards the front of the peloton led by Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).

Dropped from peloton

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost)

Not a great day for the Irish stars today after Dunbar abandoned. Now Healy is distanced. 

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) is still in the peloton. Also, fast rider, Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane) is still in contention for the stage. 

Attack

Tom Pidcock (Q36.5)
Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)

They don't get a gap, though. But Pidcock leads onto the descent. This will be a worry for the other GC riders. 

Tom Pidcock goes clear on the descent with Juan Ayuso being the only rider able to follow absolutely glued to his wheel but Filippo Ganna is unable to stay with the duo. 

5km to go

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) still leads with about 10" on the GC favourites as Pidcock and Ayuso are caught. 

Suddenly, Filippo Ganna is at the back of the group. Not sure if he has had a mechanical or not. 

3km to go and Dversnes has about 3" of a gap on the bunch with Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) floating off the front but Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) dragging him back. 

Attack

Alex Aranburu (Cofidis)
Einder Rubio (Movistar)

But that is shut down by Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) with Dversnes still leading as the chase hesitates. 

Attack

Mattia Cattaneo (Soudal-QuickStep)

But Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) drags him back as Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) moves back to the front. 

Attack

Mattia Catteneo (Soudal-QuickStep)
Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech)
Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility)

The Norwegian marking moves and ruining the cooperation to try and help Dversnes hold on. 

Attack

Tom Pidcock (Q36.5)
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

Dragged back again, though. 

500 metres to go

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) has it!

Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) wins stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico 2025 from the breakaway! 

Mechanical

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)

He has a broken rear mech and will not get the same time as the group he was in. He should lose his leader's blue jersey. We will see what the jury decides. 

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) led in the peloton for second on the day. 

Top 10

1. Fredrik Dversnes (NOR) Uno-X Mobillity 5:04'56"
2. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Deceuninck +7"
3. Roger Adrià (ESP) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl-Trek
5. Alx Aranburu (ESP) Cofidis
6. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5
7. Romain Grégoire (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Tobias Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Mobility
9. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victrious
10. Simone Velasco (ITA) XDS-Astana, all S.T.

Race leader, Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) ended up finishing on a Shimano neutral service bike after a late mechanical saw him drop out of the peloton but the jury has decided that he will keep the leader's jersey. 

General classification after stage five

1. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers 21:19'03"
2. Juan Ayuso (ESP) UAE Team Emirates-XRG +22"
3. Antonio Tiberi (ITA) Bahrain Victorious +29"
4. Derek Gee (CAN) Israel-Premier Tech +34"
5. Mattia Cattaneo (ITA) Soudal-QuickStep +36"
6. Kevin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkea-B&B Hotels +41"
7. Laurens De Plus (BEL) Ineos Grenadiers +45"
8. Romain Grégoire (FRA) Groupama-FDJ +48"
9. David De La Cruz (ESP) Q36.5 +54"
10. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious S.T.

Nine confirmed abandons today...

Eddie Dunbar (Jayco-AlUla)
Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers)
Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious)
Gianluca Brambilla (Q36.5)
Alessandro Verre (Arkea-B&B Hotels)
Johan Price-Pejtersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost)
Wout Poels (XDS-Astana)
Simone Consonni (Lidl-Trek)

Tomorrow's stage is the Queen Stage with a summit finish. Starting in Cartoceto the riders will ride over 163km to the mountain top finish of the Frontignano. This will decide the general classification of the race with the final stage being a day for the sprinters.