Brilliant Benjamin Thomas ends Cofidis wait for win as breakaway upset sprinters on stage 5 of 2024 Giro d'Italia

There was no third bunch sprint in succession as an incredible effort by a four-man breakaway upset the sprint trains. In the end, it was Benjamin Thomas who took the win to end Cofidis' long wait for success this season.

With four riders, Simon Geschke (Cofidis), Lewis Askey (Groupama - FDJ), Mattia Bais (Team Polti Kometa) and Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè) forming the day's breakaway, the peloton kept the attackers on a tight leash in the early part of the day with the gap sticking around the one minute mark. 

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Alpecin-Deceuninck were setting a fierce pace on the early climbs to keep the breakaway in touching distance and with 130km still to go, Fabio Jakobsen was already feeling the effects of the pace and dropped from the peloton. Although Jakobsen was easily the first sprinter out the back, he wasn't the only one struggling. Tim Merlier, Fernando Gaviria and Caleb Ewan were all in trouble with kilometres left of climbing, all due to the pace-setting of Kaden Groves' team.

On the descent, the breakaway quartet saw their day out front ended with over 100km still to go. As things finally calmed down on the flat afterwards though, the dropped sprinters began to work their way back into the peloton. With 88km to go, even Jakobsen was safely back in the bunch.

With no breakaway, maximum points were on offer at the first intermediate sprint. Kaden Groves took the win at the sprint ahead of Olav Kooij and Jonathan Milan. The main talking point however, was a crash for Christophe Laporte in the leadout. Following the sprint, a second four-man breakaway of the day formed out ahead. Riders in this one being Benjamin Thomas, Michael Valgren, Enzo Paleni and Andrea Pietrobon.

By the time they reached the second intermediate sprint, the leading four had stretched their lead 1:17. With those attackers sweeping up most of the points, Kaden Groves again was the best of the sprinters from the peloton behind.

As a pair of crashes then slowed the peloton somewhat, with the likes of Michael Woods, Tobias Foss, Attila Valter and more hitting the deck, the breakaway were still holding an advantage of 54 seconds heading into the final 15km. Sensing an upset might be on the cards, Lidl-Trek, who were doing the most of the chasing were beginning to more and more desperately ask for help.

Despite the likes of Team Jayco AlUla, Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Soudal - Quick-Step sending a rider forward, the quartet out front had managed to limit their losses somewhat and with 5km to go, the leaders were still 43 seconds clear. As the INEOS Grenadiers led the peloton through 3km to go, that advantage was 30 seconds.

Into the final kilometre, the four had a little buffer for gameplaying as they led by 24 seconds. Pietrobon was the first to attack, stealing a march with 900m to go, as he began to tie up though, Valgren countered before Benjamin Thomas came around to give Cofidis their first victory of the season in style.

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