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Ciccone leads Vingegaard down the descent in the rain. They are 3:00 down on Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), so it is a big ask for Ciccone to stay in pink.
40km to go
Of course, Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) still has a long way to race out front with Igor Arrieta (UAE).
So far Giulio Ciccone and Lidl-Trek have managed to defend the maglia rosa bur now they have to chase Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious), who is only 1:11 down on GC.
The riders face 23km of rolling, twisting roads on a high plain before a descent to Potenza.
Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious), Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) reach the summit of the Montagna Grande di Viggiano climb.
Most of the GC riders climbed with their capes on but open. Now, as the riders enter the clouds near the summit, they are getting ready for the descent.
There are only 30 or so riders in the peloton. We can see Vlasov, Hindley and Pellizzari for Red Bull.
Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) has ridden across to Arrieta and pushes on.
The break has split on the climb, with the strongest riders chasing Arrieta.
Arrieta starts the climb with a lead of 45 second on the break and 1:45 on the peloton.
Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is the first to attack from the break to up the speed and make a selection. That has pushed the gap up to 2:10 but this break seems doomed.
Groupama captured the vibe in the rain-soaked stage.
On n’est pas bien, là, dans le sud de l’Italie ? 🫠☔️𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. 𝘐𝘵’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. pic.twitter.com/w7p7fM8l7LMay 13, 2026
The tension is rising as the kilometres tick down to the climb. The GC teams are now visible near the front of the peloton. Visma are on the right for Vingegaard, with Netcompany on the left for Arensman and Bernal.
There are around 80 riders in the main peloton, everyone else is either in the attack or the gruppetto.
As the road rises but the rain falls again, Red Bull are on the front and driving the chase.
Is 3:00 enough of a gap for the break to stay away from the GC group?
This is the stage profile.
The Montagna Grande di Viggiano is detailed as 6.6km long at an average of 9.1%, with one point at 15%.
Ben Turner drops back to his Netcompany team car for food and a tactical chat.
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier leads the peloton with the Red Bull riders lined out behind them.
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier is doing a huge amount of work on the front today. Behind him other riders can roll along in the slipstream.
The break is more compact now and working together in a double pace line.
What happened here?
🏎️ Could have sworn DRS was banned now, no? @fia📺 Follow the #Giroditalia on TV, and on socials, wherever you are 🌐 pic.twitter.com/WimnYTAvmbMay 13, 2026
After a brief moment of sun, the rain is back. It’s time to cape up guys.
The breakaway group is faltering again. Some riders perhaps doubt they can survive over the steep climb.
Oops the UAE team car has a smashed rear window. It seems a rider went into the back of the car.
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier is doing a lot of work for Lidl-Trek.
Incredibly the roads are drying out.
This was the moment Felix Gall stopped to dress-up. Now the sun is out, sao he may soon need to shed a layer…..
Avec cette météo difficile, Felix Gall s’est arrêté au bord de la route pour enfiler une nouvelle couche, aidé par le staff de son équipe Decathlon CMA CGM ! 🥶pic.twitter.com/142tFpckZ7May 13, 2026
The riders pass through a feed zone, with the Lidl-Trek riders taking musettes to load up with food.
With Darren Rafferty (EF) in the attack, there are 13 riders up the road.
They are: Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Lorenzo Milesi, Einer Rubio (Movistar), Ben Turner (Netcompany Ineos), Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step), Victor Campenaerts (Visma | Lease a Bike), Igor Arrieta, Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Martin Tjøtta (Uno-X Mobility), Christian Scaroni, Thomas Silva (XDS Astana), Darren Rafferty (EF).
The sun comes out for a brief moment but this is a hard day in the saddle and the rain will surely soon return.
Rafferty makes it into the team cars of the break. He can catch his breath after a big effort and deserves to sit on for a while to recover.
Ciccone has two teammates to help the chase but the break is going away from them.
It’s wet and 14C out there but riders are suffering. Felix Gall (Decathlon) opts to stop and put on a new cape and thick gloves.
Darren Rafferty is just 20 seconds from the break. It’s going to cost him but he should make it across.
Ciccone seems to be suffering in the cold rain. He was happier at the start.
Before the rain jackets went on! 🥹🩷#GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/lEV2gO5WWMMay 13, 2026
The riders are now on the flat valley road in the depth of the Basilicata region. They face similar roads until the climb with 50km to go.
This kind of catches the vibe at the Giro today….
Meanwhile at the #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/AK31JckDMpMay 13, 2026
Campenaerts rubs his cheeks to try to find some warmth. He’s still working in the attack to force the chase behind and so help Vingegaard.
🏁 156 KM – 1′ 🇧🇪 Victor Campenaerts (TVL)🇨🇴 Einer Rubio (MOV)🇪🇨 @NarvaezJho (UEX)🇪🇸 Igor Arrieta (UEX)🇮🇹 Cristian Scaroni (XAT)🇮🇹 @gianmarcogarof5 (SOQ)🇮🇹 @Lorenzo_Milesi (MOV)🇮🇹 Manuele Tarozzi (BCS)🇳🇴 Martin Tjotta (UXM)🇵🇹 Afonso Eulalio (TBV)🇬🇧 @Benjeturner (IGD)… pic.twitter.com/l1n3NOu5aWMay 13, 2026
150km to go
The peloton is now bigger as riders catch back on. Paul Magnier is amongst them and so it is likely that Ciccone has more Lidl teammates with him.
He has placed Campenaerts in the attack as a so-called ‘satellite’ rider.
The counter-attacks have lead to 12 riders forming the front group.
The 12 are: Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious), Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Lorenzo Milesi, Einer Rubio (Movistar), Ben Turner (Netcompany Ineos), Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step), Victor Campenaerts (Visma | Lease a Bike), Igor Arrieta, Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Martin Tjøtta (Uno-X Mobility), Christian Scaroni and Thomas Silva (XDS Astana).
The peloton is at 1:00.
These were the five attacks. Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious), Einer Rubio (Movistar), Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step), Victor Campenaerts (Visma | Lease a Bike), Thomas Silva (XDS Astana).
This could be the break of the day, at least until the steep Montagna Grande di Viggiano climb, with 50km to race.
Milan Menten (Lotto Intermarché) did not start due to his recent illness and Timo de Jong (Picnic PostNL Raisin) has also now abandoned the stage.
On Sunday, De Jong crashed at around eight kilometres to go and in the fall aggravated a previous wrist injury. Further checks on Monday’s rest day cleared him medically to race, but unfortunately the pain in De Jong’s wrist was too much for him to continue on stage five.
“It’s a real shame to lose Timo from the race,” Picnic PostNL Raisin coach Matt Winston said.
“He was an important member of our sprint train and someone that can be strong on a variety of terrain.
“We hope that he recovers well and we’ll see him back racing when ready. The rest of the squad here will continue to chase stage results for the remainder of the race.”
The peloton is at 35 seconds as the rain pours once again.
Narvaez is there, Scaroni too for XDS, while the presence of Rubio is a problem because he is only 10 seconds down on GC.
And just like that… There are 10 riders in the break.
It’s great to see Ben Turner up front and in the action after his hard work for Bernal yesterday that cost him huge energy and a chance in the sprint for the stage win.
The five attackers are giving it full gas but others riders are attacking to cross to them.
The rain reminds us of this video, where young riders drop back to the team car in the cold and their DS reminds them they have to show some ‘grinta’ and says: ‘il ciclismo e’ un sport di merda’.
Garofoli took some risks on the descent but is about to join the attack.
Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal) is trying to join the attack. The ever-active Victor Campenaerts is already with the trio up front.
Lets hope everyone stays safe on the descent.
Currently raining cats, dogs, aswell as elephants, rhinos, flamingos, t-rexes, and all types of animals. But here are your leaders 👀🇨🇴 Einer Rubio (MOV)🇵🇹 Afonso Eulalio (TBV)🇺🇾 Thomas Silva (XAT)📺 Follow the #Giroditalia on TV, and on socials, wherever you are 🌐 pic.twitter.com/BIrtlonAUfMay 13, 2026
A tunnel offers some respite from the rain.
Our photographers are also out in the rain capturing more great shots of the race.
Jan Christen is at the back of the group, trying to put on his cape under the pouring rain.
No dolce vita today at the Giro.
They’re swimming in it! 🤿🌊🏊Torrential rain at the Giro d’Italia is making for even tougher conditions. pic.twitter.com/pVveLzh0EkMay 13, 2026
Einer Rubio (Movistar) has joined Solva and a Bahrain rider is also coming across as the rain pours once again.
Thomas Silva is on the attack, trying to fightback after losing the maglia rosa on Tuesday.
These are the conditions out on the road.
Grazie, @LidlTrek 💖 pic.twitter.com/f5qH78jeJ9May 13, 2026
The peloton reforms but lots of riders are hurting with this pace and in the rain.
There are perhaps 25 riders in the front group, as behind the gruppetto forms behind.
Ben O’Connor is also up front in the surge. They are joking and smiling but other riders are coming across to them.
Ciccone is also there, with Derek Gee-West, as Lidl-Trek try to control and dissuade big attacks.
It’s interesting to see Victor Campenaerts up front, setting the pace and controlling attacks.
The rain is draininm from the road but there is also significant rain wash at points along the road.
More attacks, with riders attacking to also keep warm.
Riders are already being dropped.
And yet the attacks keep coming as the Prestieri climb officially starts.
Riders are putting on capes and gilet, to layer up for the cold conditions they face high-up and on the descents.
A tunnel offers some respite but the riders are soon back in the pouring rain.
The rain is pouring down now.
Five riders are clear, including the USA’s Magnus Sheffield (Netcompany).
The first attack was pulled back but Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello Q36.5) has sparked another.
The pink party before the racing began.
The riders are on the valley road for now and it is dry but every rider has a rain cape on or in their pocket.
Ciccone in pink has a nice vibe.
They’re off! the flag drops and the race director’s car accelerates away.
Ciccone blows a kiss to someone in the crowd and smiles but the race is about to kick-off.
The riders are tucked up close to the race director’s car. As is Cicocne and other Lidl riders.
That would be fascinating to see.
This is a clear sign of what to expect today.
Getting those legs turning ahead of stage five at the #GirodItalia 🔜We’re going straight uphill from the off in Praia a Mare, before a second-category climb to spice up the run-in later on. pic.twitter.com/1ja0QK3D9yMay 13, 2026
3-2-1, the local mayor drops the flag the riders roll out of Praia a Mare on the coast.
Ciccone is dressed up in pink, with a special black Trek bike with pink decals.
The riders are lined-up on the line but are waiting for Giulio Ciccone to take to the front of the grid with the other classification jersey wearers.
The early climb offers a perfect point to attack and for a strong break to form and go clear.
The umbrellas are out at the start as the rain starts to fall.
The riders can see the grey clouds on the hills as they sign on.
The rain is expected in 15km or so, when the stage climbs high into the hills. Team mechanics are quickly lowering the tyre pressures for wet conditions.
Lidl-Trek also know they face a tough day in the saddle if they are to chase the attacks and defedn the maglia rosa.
The fears for rain ands bad weather are evident at the start. Riders and teams are preparing for the worst.
And this is the stage map.
This is the stage profile.
Patrick Fletcher highlighted how the Giro “ramps up another notch on Wednesday’s stage 5, which should see a big breakaway battle and maybe even some GC skirmishes.”
This is our detailed stage 5 preview.
It’s grey and cloudy at the start in Praia a Mare on the Calabrian coast. Rain and even thunder storms are likely later.
It’s another stage in the south of Italy and another day for attacks and possible maglia rosa changes and attacks.
Buongiorno and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 5 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia.
We are 45 minutes from the stage start and teams are signing on.