Giro d'Italia Women Stage 5 LIVE - Wiebes takes the sprint for SD Worx as Movistar's Marlen Reusser holds onto pink

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) proved once again the fastest woman on two wheels as she won the Stage 5 sprint at the Giro d'Italia Women, with Marlen Reusser (Movistar) finishing safely just behind to maintain her hold on the maglia rosa.

But that did not tell the full story of a stage that most had expected to end in a big bunch sprint. 

Instead, the smallest of crosswinds with 53km to go combined with a perfectly timed push from UAE ADQ broke the peloton in two, with plenty of big names in the lead group but a fair few missing out.

Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE ADQ) was safely in the lead group, as was Lotte Kopecky and Anna vander Breggen (SD Worx) and Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike).

But yesterday’s stage winner Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) missed out, and with the lead group full of talent, there was no chance for the peloton to ever catch back on.

In the end, Wiebes was expertly led out by her team-mates to cross the line for yet another Grand Tour stage win, with Vos second and Liane Lippert (Movistar) third.

There were a few crashes back in the peloton, which had further confused their chase and in the end they crossed the line 1’41’’ behind the leaders to jumble up the GC standings. 

But with Reusser safely in the lead group, she maintains her 16’’ lead over Longo Borghini heading into a hilly stage tomorrow. 

And as for Wiebes, she once again showed she is the class of the field when it comes to a fast finish - taking the last sprint stage of this year’s Giro with relative ease.

"It’s nice, I was afraid a bit of this stage as it was expected to be a bunch sprint with a lot of tight roads and corners, it is not what I like to do in life. But when we were in that small group, everyone was working nicely together which was super cool," said Reusser at the end of that stage. 

"I guess it is mainly between Elisa [Longo Borghini] and me, but as you could see today was not expected like this, so you can see in this sport you never know.

"In terms of temperature, I like it - I have less of a problem with the hot [weather] than others. The next days are going to be very exciting. Who wants to win has to attack me and I like this situation!"

"We were hoping to hold onto third in the GC, we weren’t expecting that split but my team worked so hard to minimise that time gap. Of course it isn’t what we wanted," says Gigante.

"I'm from Australia, so the hotter the better," was her take on the fact the temperatures are supposed to rise tomorrow...

Brausse was part of the original breakaway and briefly went off the front by herself.

She managed to stick with that lead group when they swallowed her up, and went with them all the way to the line - impressive stuff.

This is what tomorrow looks like, 145km of lumps so it should be one for the climbers unless a breakaway can get clear.

It looks set to be another hot day though, so it could be a tough one - especially with more mountains on the cards for Saturday.

At the moment, you just wouldn't bet against Wiebes in any sprint would you?

1. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) 12:17:14

2. Elisa Longo Boghini (UAE ADQ) +16''

3. Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx) +1’53

4. Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) +2'07''

5. Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) +2’16’’

6. Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) +2'45''

7. Silvia Persico (UAE ADQ) +3’21’’

8. Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) +3'30''

9. Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) +3’36’’

10. Isabella Holmgren (Lidl-Trek) +3’39’’

"The whole team did really good, as first we had the breakaway and we controlled it," said Wiebes.

"And then with UAE, we put it in the gutter and the peloton broke. We had to finish it again, and the girls did amazing with the lead out. We can be really happy with today."

1. Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) 2:39.08

2. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) ST

3. Liane Lippert (Movistar) ST

4. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) ST

5. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) ST

6. Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE ADQ) ST

7. Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx) ST

8. Franziska Brausse (Ceratizit Pro Cycling) ST

9. Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health) ST

10. Silvia Persico (UAE ADQ) ST

The time gap is the crucial bit - and it is 1'41'' behind the winners.

A lot of time lost today for a fair few of the top 10 int he GC - which we will fill you in on.

Reusser will remain in pink though heading into tomorrow. She came across the line safely in fourth, Longo Borghini was sixth.

There was no stopping here. SD Worx delivered the perfect lead out, and no one was catching Wiebes there.

She wins the fifth stage, to go with her win on Tuesday.

She is by far and away the best sprinter right now, and what a lead out she had.

One left-hand 90 degree turn negotiated. There is one more to survive.

Kopecky is leading out Wiebes, and Vos is right behind...

They are starting their lead out here for Wiebes... Kopecky is just ahead of Wiebes right now. Vos is surfing around just behind that train.

The peloton have well and truly ended any attempts to catch the lead group, this is all about how much time they will lose today.

The front group are headed for a sprint finish, there is no chance of anyone sneaking away for a late solo effort.

Vos? Wiebes? Reusser to go for a late attack? Longo Borghini to try and steal some seconds?

All to play for here, on a hot and sunny day in Italy.

The bonus seconds are 10'' for the winner, 6'' for the second rider across the line and 4'' for the third.

With the peloton now 1'32'' back, a number of riders looks set to lose a chunk of time - including yesterday's stage winner Gigante.

All the big guns in the lead group have a team mate to protect them here, and they remain all together as the clock winds down on the stage.

There are a few corners and bends to negotiate here, not so much road furniture though. The finish itself is a straight 450m slog for the line.

The break are on the tiny climb, and everyone is out of their saddles and pulling hard. The speed is such that no one can attack just yet and make a break for the line.

The peloton remain 1'24'' back as a few team mates who have taken their turns now start to drop off the front group.

This has been a surprisingly frantic stage, and it isn't over yet. Just over 10km to go, and Reusser and Longo Borghini are set to take time out of their GC rivals today.

There are also bonus seconds available for the first three over the line too - 10'' for the winner, for starters.

The peloton is now 1'27'' behind. As a result, there are going to be some big GC changes tonight - not something that was expected.

The break has just taken the bell, so they have one lap of this circuit to go.

SD Worx managed to get quite a few riders into this front group, so they will be able to form a lead out train for Wiebes - if it ends up a sprint for the line, and doesn't break up before that.