Results Tour de Wallonie 2026 Stage 5 - Ben Oliver takes sensational stage victory to seal general classification win

Ben Oliver struck a double victory as the New Zealander picked up an emphatic Tour de Wallonie stage win on Friday's final day saw him also pick up the general classification honours. A dramatic final sprint saw him best Killian Théot and Lotto–Intermarché fast man Arnaud De Lie in Aubel.

After De Lie's heroics on Thursday, a fascinating final stage offered an Ardennes feast for a closely contested general classification. 176.5 kilometers to Aubel featured the legendary Cote de la Redoute mid-way through the stage, made famous as the main battleground for riders in their attempts to win spring monument Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

The riders would enter a tough Aubel circuit with around 70 kilometers to go, passing the finish line twice as contenders size up their chances of making an overall classification heist. It was a brutal day as the peloton pushed a hard pace, keeping an eleven-rider breakaway in check and trimming down to just around 40 riders with 85 kilometers remaining.

The peloton ended the breakaway's day with 76 kilometers to go and the race would reset itself right as they hit the local circuit. In a high-paced circuit, a bonus points sprint with 35 kilometers to go saw Riley Sheehan take three seconds and Laurence Pithie take two in the general classification tug of war.

As the attacks continued, Pim Ronhaar and Alvaro Sagrado pulled out a small gap that reached 24 seconds with just 16 kilometers to go. Their partnership was short lived as Sagrado was dropped by Ronhaar with the peloton closing in fast with less than 10 kilometers to go. The Belgian rider was also caught just over two kilometers later.

Bonus seconds were the big appetite for the peloton as riders knew that the placings on the line could decide the general classification. Sheehan, Ben Oliver, De Lie and Pithie were all separated by just ten seconds before the day's racing.

By the final kilometers, roughly 25 riders remained in the bunch as the likes of Tobias Foss and Jordi Meeus came through to the front. Adrian Boichis was a constant pace-driver up front and he stretched out the bunch in the finale. The riders would take on an uphill drag before a slightly downhill run to the finish line.

Movistar's Natnael Tesfatsion struck late with 3 kilometers to go as he forced a small gap over the bunch. Boichas ensured he wouldn't get away as his attack was short-lived, setting up a frantic race to the line between those that remained.

Liam Slock prepared to launch De Lie inside the final kilometer but the Belgian was denied a second stage win in a row as it was Oliver who came around him with around 50 meters to go to throw his hands up ahead of an impressive Théot in second place.