Igor Arrieta triumphs in chaotic Giro d’Italia stage to Potenza

Igor Arrieta produced one of the most remarkable rides of this year’s Giro d’Italia to claim victory on Stage 5 in Potenza, overcoming crashes, a wrong turn in the finale and brutal weather conditions to deliver back-to-back stage wins for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

 
The 203km stage from Praia a Mare to Potenza was one of the longest and toughest of the race so far, raced under relentless rain and cold conditions from the opening kilometres. The difficult weather and the early category 2 ascent of Prestieri created an aggressive battle for the breakaway, with attacks continuing for more than 40km before the decisive move finally formed.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG were immediately active, with both Igor Arrieta and Stage 4 winner Jhonatan Narváez making the front group after a hectic opening phase. The 13-rider breakaway also included dangerous GC contenders such as Afonso Eulálio, Einer Rubio, and former pink jersey Thomas Silva, forcing Lidl-Trek to maintain a hard pace behind to defend the maglia rosa of Giulio Ciccone.
As the race progressed through the rain-soaked roads of southern Italy, Arrieta emerged as one of the strongest riders in the move. With 62km remaining, the Spaniard attacked solo on the gradual approach to the final categorized climb, quickly opening a gap over the breakaway. Only Portugal’s Afonso Eulálio was able to respond, bridging across to Arrieta with 51km to go as the pair began a thrilling two-man battle for both the stage victory and the pink jersey.
Behind them, the peloton gradually lost cohesion, with the gap ballooning to almost seven minutes entering the final 15km, effectively placing Eulálio into the overall race lead.
The finale then descended into chaos on the wet roads approaching Potenza. With 14km remaining, Arrieta crashed heavily on a slippery downhill corner while leading the race, forcing a rapid bike change from the UAE team car. Initially appearing out of contention, the Spaniard fought his way back toward Eulálio – only for the Portuguese rider to also crash on the treacherous roads inside 7km remaining.
The pair regrouped for the final kilometres, visibly exhausted after spending the entire day at the front in brutal conditions. Yet the drama was far from over. Inside the final two kilometres, Arrieta accidentally took the wrong side of a road split and briefly rode into the taped-off section of the course, appearing to lose his chance at victory once again. Somehow, however, the Spaniard recovered his composure, accelerated back onto the correct route, and launched one final effort on the uphill finishing straight.
Despite being seemingly beaten multiple times throughout the finale, Arrieta surged past Eulálio in the final few hundred metres to complete an extraordinary victory in Potenza – the biggest success of his young career and the second win of the Giro for UAE.
Igor Arrieta:“I don’t really know what to say. I’m really, really happy to achieve this victory, it means a lot for me, because of the crash in the opening days and all the teammates who went home. I didn’t think it was lost after crashing – I needed to try until the end. After such a hard stage, you never know.

I was completely empty in the last kilometres but I knew Eulálio was also suffering.
When I lost him after taking the wrong turn in the final two kilometres I thought: ‘it’s not possible’. But I just kept pushing. When I got back to his wheel, I started to believe maybe I could still win the stage.”
The victory marks a major milestone for the 23-year-old Spaniard, who takes his first win at World Tour level.

Stage 5 results

1.Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 5:07:51

2.Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain-Victorious) +2”

3.Thomas Silva (Astana XDS) +51”

General Classification after stage 5

1.Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain-Victorious) 21:27:43

2.Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +2’51”

3.Christian Scaroni (Astana XDS) +3’34”

Meanwhile, on the opening stage of the Tour de Hongrie, Sebastián Molano sprinted to second place for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

The result marks a fine start to the five-day stage race for the Emirati squad, who delivered a brilliant display in support of Molano on Wednesday afternoon.

On the stage between Gyula and Békéscsaba, a two-man breakaway was brave enough to go up the road for Lidl-Trek, but the pan-flat parcours was always suited to a sprint finish. As such, the six-man UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad rallied around the hopes of their sprinter, Molano.

Vegard Stake Laengen, Benoît Cosnefroy, Adrià Pericas and Mohammad Almutaiwei all traded turns in pulling on the front of the peloton, ensuring that the day’s honours would be contested in a sprints. Thanks to their efforts, the breakaway was caught some 11km from the finish line.

With that first job accomplished, all eyes turned to Molano’s trusted lead-out man, Rui Oliveira, who came to the fore and acted as the Colombian’s pilot fish on the run to home.

Inside the final kilometres, UAE Team Emirates-XRG strung out the pack on the approach to Békéscsaba. It was then Oliveira’s turn as the race passed under the flamme rouge, with the Portuguese rider leading Molano on his wheel.

With a surge of speed, Oliveira was at the front of the race and with Molano in the ideal position. Choosing his moment wisely, the Colombian sprinter unleashed his own acceleration some 220m from the finish line, and made his bid for home.

For a moment, it looked as though the 31-year-old would add to his victory from the Tour of Oman earlier in the season, but it was in the last gallop that Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step stole a march.

Looking in fine shape as he builds towards his ultimate goal at the Tour de France, Merlier reserved a great turn of pace and ultimately won stage 1 of the Tour de Hongrie. Molano, after opening up the sprint, was forced to settle for second.

It was not the result he hoped for, but it was a great indication of strong legs, for Molano and all of his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates. With a great show of teamwork through the opening 143km of racing, the Emirati squad looks well set for a positive week in Hungary.

 

Tour de Hongrie stage 1 results:

1. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) 2:52:56
2. Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t
3. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) s.t

Tour de Hongrie general classification after stage 1:

1. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) 2:52:46
2. Kristian Egholm (Lidl-Trek) +1″
3. Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +4″