Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) claimed victory in the 5th stage of the Vuelta a España, covering 177 kilometers from Fuente del Maestre to Seville in a sprint finish. The 21-year-old Czech cyclist outpaced Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), who initiated the sprint. Kaden Groves from Alpecin-Deceuninck took third place in the stage.
Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) maintains his lead in the overall standings, followed by Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) and Enric Mas (Movistar).
This is how the 5th stage of the Vuelta a España 2024 unfolded
As usual, the day began with a similar routine. In the fifth stage, riders from two wildcard teams also took off, aiming to gain airtime as there was no other way for them to succeed today. Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) managed to break away within the first kilometer and quickly established a significant lead.
At one point, their advantage swelled to over five minutes. However, the main field had no reason to panic. On this hot day, it was crucial to avoid overheating and to stay hydrated with drinks and ice.
The breakaway riders were allowed a large lead by the pursuing teams, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike, which remained around two and a half minutes with 70 kilometers remaining.
With just under 50 kilometers to go, the peloton increased their speed, causing the gap to close rapidly. The duo, who had led the race for 140 kilometers at that point, was caught just before the intermediate sprint.
The intermediate sprint was the first competitive highlight of the day. Wout van Aert and Kaden Groves engaged in an exciting battle. Van Aert initiated the sprint, but Groves overtook him in the final meters.
With the team of leader Primoz Roglic, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, at the forefront, the last kilometers were raced at high velocity. The wide roads facilitated this speed, although there was a crash. Rui Costa and Owain Doull (both EF Education-EasyPost) fell 10.5 kilometers from the finish, with Costa having to abandon the race as a result.
While Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike held back, other teams like DSM-Firmenich-PostNL took the initiative. It was only 1.6 kilometers from the finish when Kaden Groves’ Blue Train advanced, setting up an exemplary sprint for the Australian rider. However, van Aert opened his sprint early, similar to his tactic in stage three, which caught Groves off guard. Meanwhile, Pavel Bittner benefitted from van Aert’s slipstream and surged past him with an impressive burst of speed. Although van Aert tried to regain his ground, he was unable to overtake Bittner before the finish line.
This victory marks the first WorldTour win for the 21-year-old from DSM-Firmenich-PostNL, bringing his total to three career successes after his initial two victories at the Burgos Tour a few weeks ago.
Interview with Stage Winner Pavel Bittner
“It’s incredible! Just a few weeks ago, I had my first professional wins, so I still can’t believe I’ve won my first Vuelta. When I reflect on this year and the previous ones, I think we have accomplished so much development work with many people at DSM, and today, everyone worked really well in the finale. Wout [van Aert] is one of the best sprinters in the world, and to beat him in a long sprint is just amazing! I told the guys: ‘Today, I believe we can do it, and I have faith in myself.’ When the opportunity presented itself, I went all out, and somehow it worked,” Bittner said immediately after his victory.
Results of the 5th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
Daily Ranking
1. Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL)
2. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) s.t.
3. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.
Red Jersey | Overall Ranking
1. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
2. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) + 0:08
3. Enric Mas (Movistar) + 0:32
White Jersey | Youth Ranking
1. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious)
2. Lennert van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) + 0:03
3. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) + 0:20
Green Jersey | Points Classification
1. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) 158 points
2. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 145 points
3. Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) 81 points
White and Blue Jersey | Mountain Classification
1. Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny) 16 points
2. Filippo Zana (Team Jayco AlUla) 11 points
3. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) 10 points
Photos: Photonews.be
Stage 5 Highlights of the Vuelta a España 2024
This is how the 5th stage of the Vuelta a España 2024 went
Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) clinched victory in the 5th stage of the Vuelta a España 2024, a grueling 177-kilometer race from Fuente del Maestre to Seville. The 21-year-old Czech rider overtook Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in a thrilling sprint finish, followed closely by Kaden Groves from Alpecin-Deceuninck in third place.
The overall standings remain dominated by Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who continues to lead ahead of Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) and Enric Mas (Movistar).
Stage Breakdown
From the outset, two wildcard team riders, Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), ignited the action by creating a substantial early breakaway, which expanded to over five minutes at one point. However, as the hot day progressed, the chasing teams—including Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike—kept their composure, understanding the importance of hydration and maintaining energy.
The breakaway duo’s lead dwindled to two and a half minutes with just 70 kilometers remaining as the peloton increased their pace. The intermediate sprint showcased an intense battle between Wout van Aert and Kaden Groves, with Groves ultimately claiming victory as he edged ahead in the last meters.
Carnage in the Final Kilometers
A major incident unfolded 10.5 kilometers from the finish line, involving Rui Costa and Owain Doull (both EF Education-EasyPost), leading to Costa’s unfortunate abandonment from the race. As the pace heightened, DSM-Firmenich-PostNL seized control in the final stretch, setting an intense sprint for Kaden Groves. However, it was Pavel Bittner who delivered a masterclass in timing and speed, overtaking van Aert just before the line.
Interview with Stage Winner Pavel Bittner
“It’s incredible! I mean, only a few weeks ago I had my first professional wins, so I still can’t believe I won my first Vuelta. If we look at the whole year and the past years, I think we have done a lot of development work with a lot of people at DSM and today in the final everyone worked really well. And Wout [van Aert] in a long sprint… He’s one of the best sprinters in the world. It’s crazy! I told the guys: ‘Today we can do it, I really believe in myself.’ When the opportunity arose, I just went full throttle and somehow it worked out,” expressed Bittner after his victory.
Results of the 5th Stage of the Vuelta a España 2024
| Daily Ranking | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pavel Bittner | DSM-Firmenich-PostNL |
| 2 | Wout van Aert | Visma-Lease a Bike |
| 3 | Kaden Groves | Alpecin-Deceuninck |
Overall Standings After Stage 5
| Jersey | Rider | Team | Time/Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Jersey (Overall) | Primoz Roglic | Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00 |
| Joao Almeida | UAE Team Emirates | + 0:08 | |
| Enric Mas | Movistar | + 0:32 |
Additional Standings
- White Jersey (Youth Classification): Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious)
- Green Jersey (Points Classification): Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) – 158 points
- Mountain Classification (White and Blue Jersey): Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny) – 16 points
