Benjamin Thomas wins stage five of Giro after breakaway holds off peloton

Team Cofidis' French rider Benjamin Thomas celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia between Genoa and Lucca. Photograph: Luca Bettini/AFP via Getty ImagesFrench rider Benjamin Thomas outsprinted his breakaway colleagues to win the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, giving the Cofidis team their first victory this year.

The four-man break escaped the peloton after the final intermediate sprint of the day, with 80km left to ride, and held off the chasing pack despite the best efforts of the main sprint contenders' teams. Italian Andrea Pietrobon looked set to reach the line first after the 178km ride from Genoa to Lucca, but his push for victory inside the last kilometre came too early, and he was caught before the finish.

Pietrobon had to settle for third place, with Denmark’s Michael Valgren coming in second behind Thomas who wins his first Grand Tour stage. Tadej Pogacar still holds the overall lead.

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