Caleb Ewan of Australia charged to the front in the final 100m to win the fifth stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Wednesday, while Tom Dumoulin did enough to pass Colombian Esteban Chaves to claim the overall lead.
Dumoulin gained the leader’s red jersey by finishing just five spots ahead of Chaves as the peloton crossed the line, enough for a one-second lead heading into yesterday’s stage of the three-week race.
The 21-year-old Ewan got past pre-race favorite John Degenkolb of Germany in the closing stages of the mostly flat 167.3km leg from Rota to Alcala de Guadaira to secure his first major victory in 3 hours, 57 minutes, 28 seconds.
Photo: EPA
Peter Sagan of Slovakia, another pre-race favorite, tried to make a move as the leaders approached the finish, but it was only good for third.
“This is by far the happiest day of my career,” Ewan said.
“To beat some of the best sprinters in the world, especially guys like Sagan and Degenkolb, it really means a lot to me,” he said.
Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Britain made up some ground on the leaders, but was 35 seconds back.
Nairo Quintana of Colombia was 39 second behind.
Nicolas Roche of Ireland remained third in the overall standings, 16 seconds back, with countryman Daniel Martin fourth, 27 seconds behind Dumoulin.
Dumoulin managed to finish in a pack in front of Chaves, gaining the six seconds he needed to move into the overall lead.
Chaves had taken the red jersey on Sunday’s second stage, the first that counted toward individual times.
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