Results Tour of the Alps 2026 Stage 5 | Giulio Pellizzari solos to first GC victory of his career with decisive final-stage attack

Giulio Pellizzari sealed overall victory at the Tour of the Alps 2026 with a decisive solo attack on the final stage, turning a four-second overnight lead into a race-winning move on the slopes of Montoppio.

The Italian attacked inside the final 20 kilometres and never looked back, riding clear of his closest rivals before extending his advantage on the descent to secure both the stage win and the general classification.

The final stage opened at a relentless pace, with repeated attacks before a large and dangerous breakaway finally established itself at the front of the race. Among those driving the move was Tom Pidcock, joined by stage winner Lennart Jasch from the previous day, as well as Sam Oomen and Koen Bouwman.

The group quickly built an advantage of over two minutes, forcing Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe onto the front foot in defence of Pellizzari’s narrow lead. With Juan Felipe Rodriguez also present and briefly moving into the position of virtual race leader, the pressure on the peloton intensified further.

Despite the strength of the move, the gap was carefully managed as the race approached the decisive climb to Nobls/Montoppio. Pidcock remained one of the most active riders in the break, pushing the pace both on the climb and the descent, but the composition of the group and the GC threat it posed ensured the peloton never allowed it too much freedom.

As the climb began, the breakaway started to fragment under the pressure, with only a handful of riders remaining clear as the favourites closed in rapidly from behind.

Once on the 12.7-kilometre ascent, the race shifted decisively towards the general classification contenders. The break was gradually reeled in, with Pidcock and Juan Felipe Rodriguez among the last riders caught as the pace in the favourites group intensified.

It was at that point that the Italian made his move. Attacking from the reduced group, he immediately created separation from Thymen Arensman and Egan Bernal, forcing the race into small, fragmented groups across the climb.

Behind the race leader, Bernal proved the most resilient challenger, limiting the gap and briefly holding within striking distance as the climb progressed. However, the decisive moment came when the chase began to fragment. Michael Storer raised the pace behind, with Bernal able to follow, but Arensman was unable to respond and began to lose ground at a critical point in the stage. That split effectively reshaped the general classification battle, removing one of Pellizzari’s closest rivals from immediate contention.

From that point on, Pellizzari’s effort became a test of control rather than aggression. The Italian crested the climb with a clear advantage and managed his effort on the descent, holding a gap of around 20 seconds over the chasing riders.

Despite the presence of strong climbers behind, including Bernal and Storer, the lack of cohesion in the chase worked in his favour. No organised pursuit materialised, allowing him to maintain his advantage all the way to the finish.

The result marks the biggest victory of Pellizzari’s career, confirming his status as one of the standout performers of the race. Having taken the leader’s jersey on Stage 2, he defended it under constant pressure across the final stages before delivering the decisive move when it mattered most. With the general classification separated by just seconds heading into the final day, the Italian’s attack proved the defining moment of the race.