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2018 Tour de France stage 5: Sagan sprints to stage win

Cycling, Olympic Sports

Peter Sagan won stage 5 of the 2018 Tour de France after another dramatic sprint finish.

The wearer of the green jersey and world champion Sagan was fastest on the uphill final sprint, pipping Sonny Colbrelli to the line. It was the Slovakian's second stage win of this year's tour. 

Belgian Greg Van Avermaet was 7th across the line and retains the overall leader's yellow jersey. Team Sky and defending champion Chris Froome had quickened the pace of the peleton with 5 km remaining but couldn't get into a good position ahead of the twisting, uphill finish in Quimper. 

A seven-rider breakaway hit the front off the start but the peleton didn't let their lead go out to over four and a half minutes.

The lead of Elie Gesbert (Fortuneo-Samsic), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Soudal), Lilian Calmejane and Sylvain Chavanel (both Direct Energie), Tom Skujins (Trek-Segafredo) and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) remained until the bottom of the first climb of the day, a category four climb. 

Chavanel attacked at the bottom and by the time he descended the second climb of the day, another category four climb, he had opened up a 45 second lead over the chasing breakaway, who had been reduced to five chasers after Elie Gesbert dragged himself through a hedge on the side of the road after losing his balance.

On a slight gradient Skujins broke the chasing group from five down to three with Edet and Calmejane, Chavanel's teammate, joining him.

Skujins beat Calmejane to the top of the final climb of the day to secure the polka dot jersey, as the pair pushed on further with only 20 km of the stage remaining. 

But the breakaway group were eventually caught with around 12 km remaining, as the race headed towards a sprint finish for the second consecutive day.

AG2R's Axel Domont -- who finished yesterday's stage with a fractured collarbone -- Tiesj Benoot, whose shoulder was in a sling and needed stitches on his head after a crash yesterday -- and Michael Matthews -- who fell ill overnight with a stomach pain -- withdrew before the start of the day's stage while Robert Kiserlovski dropping out having crashed shortly after the start. 

Top 5:

1. Peter Sagan (SVK) BORA - hansgrohe 4:48:06

2. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA) Bahrain - Merida "

3. Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Quick-Step Floors "

4. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team "

5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Quick-Step Floors "

Greg Van Avermaet retains the yellow jersey.

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