Volta a Catalunya stage 5 LIVE: Giulio Ciccone solo on the final climb

Gall goes again and is really testing his rivals. Lipowit and Martinez are tempoing back to the Austrian with Lopez dropped back to the peloton.

2026-03-27T14:38:22.459Z

The Movistar rider in this move is Juan Pedro Lopez!

2026-03-27T14:37:57.328Z

Kuss is leading the chase in the peloton.

Felix Gall (Decathlon-CMA CGM)
Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)

Plus a rider from Movistar.

2026-03-27T14:36:27.524Z

9km to go and Ciccone has 56 seconds.

2026-03-27T14:36:13.197Z

Eulalio goes to the front while on the radio. Lipowitz slots into his wheel as a few riders are dropped out of the back.

2026-03-27T14:35:25.777Z

Ineos Grenadiers completely disappear with just Oscar Onley left out front.

2026-03-27T14:34:58.377Z

That attack is pulled back.

Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep)
Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious)
Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious)
Felix Gall (Decathlon-CMA CGM)

2026-03-27T14:33:04.511Z

Piganzoli caught by the peloton.

2026-03-27T14:31:34.991Z

Ciccone extends his lead to 58 seconds over the peloton that is still led by Ineos Grenadiers’ Laurens De Plus.

2026-03-27T14:30:06.860Z

Soler goes straight out of the back of the peloton.

2026-03-27T14:29:42.009Z

Soler caught by the Ineos Grenadiers led peloton. Victor Langellotti is the man leading the way.

2026-03-27T14:26:36.364Z

Pidcock has been dropped on the early ascent of the climb. He is about 20 seconds behind the peloton. He allegedly crashed on the descent.

2026-03-27T14:22:49.228Z

Soler and Piganzoli are about 10 seconds off the back of the lone leader, Ciccone. The peloton has new leaders, Ineos Grenadiers and Decathlon-CMA CGM.

Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)

The Italian accelerates clear and leaves Soler and Piganzoli behind as they appear to sit up and wait for the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T14:18:07.486Z

Onto the final climb of the day! The Coll de Pal is 16.7km long with an average gradient of 6.7% with a maximum kick of 12.6%.

1. Ciccone (LTK) 3pts 3″
2. Piganzoli (TVL) 2pts 2″
3. Soler (UAD) 1pt 1″

2026-03-27T14:15:38.962Z

The break went into a tunnel with cars, coaches and vans all driving towards them. The security on the race looking frantic as someone somewhere wasn’t paying attention. Thankfully, all clear for the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The gap dips inside a minute as the peloton continues to work hard to bring the break back.

2026-03-27T14:11:45.664Z

João Almeida and Brandon McNulty of UAE Team Emirates-XRG were the two riders who came down in the second crash. They get to the back of the peloton as they come back together again and form a group of around 50 to 60 riders.

2026-03-27T14:10:33.769Z

Ciccone has been rejoined by Soler and Piganzoli. They have just over a minute on what is left of the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T14:08:06.079Z

Pidcock has missed the split along with Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) and a few others as well. They’re about 20 seconds behind the main GC group.

2026-03-27T14:06:33.161Z

The peloton is now made up of maybe 20 riders now after a very difficult descent.

2026-03-27T14:05:42.728Z

Every single rider who crashed is back riding, fortunately.

A UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider down.

Jorgen Nordhagen (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost)

Plus another Visma-Lease a Bike rider.

The riders are flying down the road with a gap just sat at one minute and 13 seconds. Ciccone has sped off down the road and has left Soler and Piganzoli behind on this very dangerous descent.

2026-03-27T14:00:28.207Z

The riders now have a descent all the way to the only intermediate sprint of the day, which takes place in Bagà. Immediately after that the riders start the Coll de Pal all the way to La Molina.

1. Ciccone (LTK) 10pts
2. Piganzoli (TVL) 8pts
3. Soler (UAD) 6pts
4. Hindley (RBH) 4pts
5. Evenepoel (RBH) 2pts
6. Svestad-Bårdseng (IGD) 1pt

Ciccone now just four points behind Veistroffer in the KOM standings.

2026-03-27T13:56:50.505Z

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe now down to their big three riders on the front with Jai Hindley leading the way ahead of Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz.

2026-03-27T13:52:21.416Z

Inside 2km from the top of the Collada de Sobirana. Soler, Ciccone and Piganzoli are riding hard to really push Tuckwell and his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammates to keep them controlled.

2026-03-27T13:50:43.622Z

Three hours in and the average speed is over 38kph.

2026-03-27T13:49:39.710Z

Rubio has just been dropped by the breakaway. He’s been drifting off the wheels at the back for some time but he can do no more.

2026-03-27T13:44:18.858Z

5km from the top of the Collada de Sobirana. Just over a minute between the break and the peloton.

2026-03-27T13:41:37.932Z

Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) was briefly off the back. He seems to have got back on for now, though.

The gap has plummeted on the previous descent and on the valley. Onto the climb the gap is just one minute and 16 seconds.

2026-03-27T13:38:33.503Z

Onto the climb they go.

2026-03-27T13:38:03.888Z

The riders are not far away from the bottom of the penultimate climb of the day, the Collada de Sobirana. This one is 7.1km at 6.5% with a max kick of 15%.

2026-03-27T13:35:31.739Z

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Luke Tuckwell is doing a terrific job of keeping the break’s gap low.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T13:31:45.570Z

Maybe only 30 riders in the front part of the peloton.

2026-03-27T13:31:29.787Z

Lecerf has just been caught by the peloton with the gap shrinking and the peloton splitting. The leading four now have one minute and 46 seconds.

1. Ciccone (LTK) 10pts
2. Soler (UAD) 8pts
3. Piganzoli (TVL) 6pts
4. Rubio (MOV) 4pts
5. Lecerf (SOQ) 2pts
6. Tuckwell (RBH) 1pt

2026-03-27T13:21:25.753Z

The descent is about as steep as the ascent with the riders taking on the rapid plunge to the valley again.

Lecerf is now 40 seconds behind the leaders. The peloton are still at two minutes and 10 seconds but with significantly less riders.

2026-03-27T13:14:17.837Z

Godon is amongst several other riders who have lost touch again as the gradients really bite.

2026-03-27T13:13:26.178Z

The young Belgian should be able to get back on over the top with just around 700 metres left to climb.

2026-03-27T13:12:33.625Z

Lecerf has been distanced by the rest of the break on the steepest gradients.

2026-03-27T13:06:50.342Z

The gap has dropped to two minutes and 10 seconds as they got onto the steepest slopes of the climb.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T13:02:04.350Z

Inside 4km from the top of the Coll de Fumanya.

2026-03-27T12:54:53.642Z

Onto the Coll de Fumanya goes the break.

2026-03-27T12:50:29.273Z

They’re about 5km from officially starting the third climb of the day, the Coll de Fumanya. It is 6.7km long with an average gradient of 7% and a rather nasty max kick of 15%.

2026-03-27T12:49:12.031Z

The gap is just drifting up ever so slightly now with two minutes and 20 seconds splitting the peloton and the break at roughly the half way point on the stage.

2026-03-27T12:45:30.529Z

The gap continues to grow with another 15 seconds added on to it.

The breakaway now have a gap of two minutes but the peloton led by Ineos Grenadiers and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are keeping a keen eye on that time gap.

1. Ciccone (LTK) 5pts
2. Soler (UAD) 3pts
3. Piganzoli (TVL) 2pts
4. Rubio (MOV) 1pt

Ciccone is closing that gap to Veistroffer and may even take the lead before the final climb of the day.

2026-03-27T12:31:16.112Z

The break go over the top of the Coll de Josa with a gap of one minute and 50 seconds on the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T12:24:17.108Z

Just over 1500 metres of climbing done. Over 2600 metres still to do!

2026-03-27T12:19:59.143Z

At the start of the Coll de Josa the fiva man break has just under two minutes on the peloton.

2026-03-27T12:03:08.992Z

Godon also had a mechanical issue along with Onley. However, both are safely back in the peloton again. The leaders now have a minute and a half gap.

2026-03-27T11:55:23.261Z

Mechanical for Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers).

Rather poor timing as the race is on some tight and twisty roads. It may be difficult for the riders from Kelso to get back on quickly.

2026-03-27T11:53:37.218Z

The riders are now already climbing towards the next climb of the Coll de Josa. However, the categorised climb is only 4.7km long with an average gradient of 5% and a max kick of 8%, making it a category 2. The lowest classified climb of the day.

2026-03-27T11:47:59.606Z

The best placed riders in the break are Soler and Piganzoli who both sit at 26 seconds behind Godon. Ciccone is almost four minutes down with Rubio at nine and Lecerf and 13 minutes respectively.

2026-03-27T11:46:02.682Z

Godon has made it back into the peloton. Exceptional riding from the race leader to return so soon on the descent.

1. Ciccone (LTK) 10pts
2. Soler (UAD) 8pts
3. Piganzoli (TVL) 6pts
4. Rubio (MOV) 4pts
5. Lecerf (SOQ) 2pts
6. Tuckwell (RBH) 1pt

That sees Ciccone jump straight up to third place in the KOM standings and a becomes a very dangerous rival for Veistroffer with the Italian now 29 points behind with a maximum haul of 61 points available.

2026-03-27T11:41:26.578Z

The leaders have one minute and 25 seconds on the peloton.

2026-03-27T11:41:09.977Z

They completed the 15.3km climb of the Port Colldarnat with its average gradient of 5% and max of 12% in 33 minutes 30 seconds with an average speed of 27.4kph.

2026-03-27T11:39:32.704Z

The expected teams are controlling in the peloton with Ineos Grenadiers and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe doing the bulk of the work. UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Visma-Lease a Bike are also on the front, despite having riders in the break. This is likely to help their GC favourites to be well positioned for the descent.

2026-03-27T11:37:44.483Z

The riders go over the top of the Port Colldarnat.

2026-03-27T11:36:22.185Z

Despite his best efforts, it looks like Veistroffer will not be taking many KOM points today and may find his lead in the classification under threat.

2026-03-27T11:33:52.011Z

Piganzoli and Rubio join Ciccone, Soler and Lecerf out front as the rest of the break are dragged back by what remains of the peloton. The gap between the front and the bunch now sits at just over a minute.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T11:29:25.852Z

The race leader, Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), has already been dropped and is well out of the back.

2026-03-27T11:28:48.244Z

Piganzoli and Rubio are just 10 seconds off the three leaders. The 17 man chase group are 20 seconds off and the peloton is 50 seconds back.

Soler, Ciccone and Lecerf are not happy with the composition and kick on with Piganzoli and Rubio chasing.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T11:27:23.768Z

Rubio, Uriarte, Engelhardt, Svarre, Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost), Jan Hirt (NSN), Ben O’Connor (Jayco-AlUla) and Damien Howson (Pinarello-Q36.5) complete the group.

2026-03-27T11:25:42.639Z

The group continues to grow with Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious), Luca Vergallito (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) and about 5 others join.

2026-03-27T11:24:41.836Z

Joining Ciccone and Leonard are Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike), Cristian Rodriguez (XDS-Astana), Junior Lecerf (Soudal-QuickStep), Davide Piganzoli (Visma-Lease a Bike), Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-QuickStep), Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon-CMA CGM), Embret Svestad-Bårdseng (Ineos Grenadiers) and four others.

Ciccone and Leonard seek to form a new move. They are joined by 13 other riders.

2026-03-27T11:19:11.474Z

The peloton is going at such a rate that a split has formed. Will any of the big GC names have been caught out on the first ascent of the day?

But all that effort comes to naught as the peloton has caught the breakaway with just over 10km to the summit of the Port Colldarnat.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T11:17:13.445Z

Adria Pericas (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Antoine l’Hote (Decathlon-CMA CGM), Michael Leonard (EF Education-EasyPost), Einer Rubio (Movistar) and Simone Gualdi (Lotto-Intermarche) and Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma) have joined Engelhardt, Veistroffer, Lecerf, Svarre, Gonzalez, Wenzel and Stites.

2026-03-27T11:14:51.466Z

The break are pushing hard and two riders have been dropped back to the peloton.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T11:11:34.324Z

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is one of the riders who has bridged to the leading group.

2026-03-27T11:11:04.949Z

All change at the front yet again as the group swells to 16 riders on the Port Colldarnat.

2026-03-27T11:06:30.523Z

The leading group of nine riders have 30 seconds on a new chasing group of three riders with the peloton a further 10 seconds behind them.

2026-03-27T11:05:03.560Z

Josh Burnett (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) desperately tried to bridge the gap but has been swallowed up at the base of the first climb of the day, the 15.3km long Port Colldarnat which has an average gradient of 5% with a max kick of 12%.

2026-03-27T11:03:20.686Z

The lead group looks to have settled down to nine riders:

Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarche)
Junior Lecerf (Soudal-QuickStep)
Tobias Svarre (Uno-X Mobility)
Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-AlUla)
David Gonzalez (Pinarello-Q36.5)
Mats Wenzel (Kern Pharma)
Samuel Fernandez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Tyler Stites (Modern Adventure)
Samuel Florez (Modern Adventure)

The lead group has split! Multiple riders all over the road as they try and form the day’s break.

2026-03-27T10:57:14.251Z

The lead group grows dramatically with 15 riders in the front!

2026-03-27T10:56:58.179Z

The leading trio are joined by one more rider and have a gap of 10 seconds.

Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarche) *Obviously
Mats Wenzel (Kern Pharma)
Tyler Stites (Modern Adventure)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Racing is underway after Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) and a couple of NSN riders had an issue and delayed the start.

2026-03-27T10:54:08.734Z

La Seu d’Urgell looks like an absolutely gorgeous place to start a bike race!

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T10:48:57.292Z

Pidcock had some very excitable family time before the start of the stage. The Yorkshireman looks like a different man this season with some superb performances. Will he continue to surprise today?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-03-27T10:44:44.101Z

The riders have started the neutral zone.

2026-03-27T10:44:25.084Z

Two non-starters today:

Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek)
Noah Hobbs (EF Education-EasyPost)

The Canadian national champion hasn’t been feeling well all week and yesterday’s crash was the final straw. Whereas, Hobbs has been sprinting really well, but he now has no stages that suit him so has left the race.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

High winds continue to plague the race with the route being altered yet again. However, the riders will still race up La Molina but finish 2.2km lower down the mountain at the Sant Jordi refuge.

2026-03-27T10:16:46.061Z

The GC fight is a tight one at the moment with Pidcock just 13 seconds off Godon’s lead. Evenepoel is a second behind the Brit on 14 seconds while Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) is on 24 seconds.

The rest of the GC riders are all on 26 seconds. These gaps will surely be much larger by the end of today on La Molina.

2026-03-27T10:04:41.565Z

It was a very good day for Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) as he took nine bonus seconds over the course of the stage, jumping above Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) in the GC to sit in second overall behind race leader, Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers) by 13 seconds.