In the 125 km leg of Stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia the real action took place in the last 25 kilometres up the steep Alpe di Siusi to the finish. Ivan Basso and the Liquigas riders set a fast pace as riders dropped off the bunch including Armstrong with 6km to go. Basso, Di Luca, Menchov, Leipheimer, Sastre, Arroyo, Horner and the pink jersey, Lovkvist lead the way to the finish.
Sastre attempted a break away with 500 metres to go though was trailed and the Russian Menchov (Rabobank) broke away at 100 metres to win the stage closely followed by Di Luca, second, L?vkvist, third, then Basso, Leipheimer and Horner. Yesterdays stage winner Di Luca now takes the pink leaders jersey knocking L?vkvist back to second while Australian Michael Rogers is steady at third.
Tomorros stage from Bressanone crosses into Austria to Mayrhofen (Zillertal) and features 248 kilometres of uphill and downhill.
Top Ten Results on Stage 5
1 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 3.15.24 (38.382 km/h)
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes – Farnese Vini 0.02
3 Thomas L?vkvist (Swe) Team Columbia – Highroad 0.05
4 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.09
6 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana
7 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0.19
8 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 0.22
9 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia – Highroad
10 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto
General Classification after Stage 5
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes – Farnese Vini 16.20.44
2 Thomas L?vkvist (Swe) Team Columbia – Highroad 0.05
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia – Highroad 0.36
4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.43
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.50
6 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 1.06
7 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 1.16
8 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 1.17
9 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1.27
10 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 1.41
