Pogačar holds on to White Jersey Ahead of Mt. Baldy Showdown

Another top 10 for UAE Team Emirates in the Tour of California, with Tadej Pogačar finishing ninth in a reduced bunch sprint, behind winner Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain Merida).

Jasper Philipsen was very active on the stage, infiltrating the day’s breakaway and showcasing UAE Team Emirates’s jersey for nearly 150 km.

There were no changes in the overall classification, with Tadej Pogačar still sitting just sixteen seconds off the lead heading into the queen stage tomorrow.

Tadej Pogačar: “It was another long day today. We had a Jasper in the breakaway so we could stay calm in the peloton. Before the last climb of the day, my teammates did a fantastic job so I was in the front.  After the climb into the finish I didn’t want to waste any energy so I was waiting for a sprint but unfortunately I was not in the best position, so I took ninth.”

Stage six tomorrow takes the peloton to the slopes of Mount Baldy (8.2km at 8,4%), where the overall race is likely to be decided.

Stage 5 results:

1 Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Baharain Merida  4:56:11

2 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Deceuninck – Quick Step  s.t.

3 Sergio Higuita (Col) EF Education First  s.t.

9 Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates s.t.

General Classificatio after stage 5:

1 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) EF Education First  26:13:01

2 Kasper Asgreen (Dan) Deceuninck – Quick Step  +4″

3 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team INEOS  +6″

4 Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates  16″