Itzulia Basque Country 2024 Stage 5

April 5, 2024 The stage was incredibly fast and aggressive with the main contenders out from Stage 4 and a route that offered opportunities for attacking riders. A group of nine got away just outside of 50KM to go but it was all together as the group crested and descended a category 3 climb with 30KM remaining. A new group of five got away almost immediately and got a lead of half a minute but as the race circled back around to the category 3 climb, those riders were caught, It was a single bunch at the front with 12KM to go as they started the descent. Brandon McNulty of UAE attacked as the pace went out on the flat road. He got a nice gap but Tao Geoghegan Hart of Lidl-Trek rode incredibly well to pull McNulty back a few kilometers later. More attacks went but they were all covered immediately. Carlos Rodríguez of Ineos led the through the last corners at 500M with ten to fifteen bike lengths lead. Max Schachmann of Bora-Hansgrohe got a run and started his sprint early, catching Rodríguez. Behind Schachmann, Quentin Pacher of Groupama-FDJ did a great leadout for his teammate Romain Grégoire. Grégoire launched and passed Schachmann. A flying Orluis Aular of Caja Rural came on the barriers in a seated sprint. It was three across the road on the finish line. Grégoire had just enough to hold on for the win, Orluis was in second by the depth of a rim and Schachmann was third by the same margin.