Cycling news – Tadej Pogacar takes Stage 5 victory, Adam Yates keeps GC lead

ByBen Snowball

Updated 27/02/2020 at 12:58 GMT

Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) snatched victory from Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) on Stage 5 at the UAE Tour as Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) defended his lead in the General Classification.

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Pogacar dived up the outside of Lutsenko on the line, with his Kazakh rival left red-faced after celebrating a fraction too early.

Yates finished third to protect his overall lead. He leads Pogacar by 1:01.

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"It was amazing," said Pogacar.

"We went really fast into the corner, so I lost a bit of speed, and Lutsenko passed me. It was a full sprint to the finish and I threw the bike on the line to get five [more] centimetres. I’m really happy."

A bruising game of cat-and-mouse unfolded between the GC’s key players on the final climb, with hesitancy from Yates and Pogacar inviting Lutsenko, David Gauda (Groupama – FDJ) and Ilnur Zakarin (CCC) back into the front group.

Lutsenko looked set to win the five-way sprint but he lifted a hand off the handlebar moments before the line, allowing Pogacar to swoop in.

Chris Froome (Team Ineos) was again distanced by the front pack as he continues his rehabilitation from an eight-month injury lay-off.

Pogacar: 'I threw my bike on the line'

Stage 5 results

1	Tadej Pogacar	UAE Team Emirates	3:48:53
2	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	"
3	Adam Yates	Mitchelton-Scott	"
4	David Gaudu	Groupama-FDJ	0:00:04
5	Ilnur Zakarin	CCC Team	0:00:07
6	Davide Formolo	UAE Team Emirates	0:00:23
7	Alejandro Valverde	Movistar Team	"
8	Wilco Kelderman	Team Sunweb	0:00:24
9	Victor de la Parte	CCC Team	"
10	Rafal Majka	Bora-Hansgrohe	0:00:27

General Classification

1	Adam Yates	Mitchelton-Scott	20:35:04
2	Tadej Pogacar	UAE Team Emirates	0:01:01
3	Alexey Lutsenko	Astana Pro Team	0:01:33
4	David Gaudu	Groupama-FDJ	0:01:48
5	Rafal Majka	Bora-Hansgrohe	0:02:11
6	Wilco Kelderman	Team Sunweb	0:02:34
7	Ilnur Zakarin	CCC Team	"
8	Davide Formolo	UAE Team Emirates	0:02:39
9	Diego Ulissi	UAE Team Emirates	0:02:47
10	Victor de la Parte	CCC Team	0:02:51

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