Tour de Pologne 2024 | Tim Merlier sprints to the win on stage 5 as Mads Pedersen caught up in crash again

Soudal - Quick-Step's Tim Merlier has taken the win on stage 5 of the 2024 Tour de Pologne after a frantic bunch sprint finale to the day in Katowice.

A three man breakaway formed early on stage 5. Movistar Team's Johan Jacobs, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team's Xabier Mikel Azparren and the Polish national team's Norbert Banaszek being the riders up the road.

Heading into the final 30 kilometres, the leading trio remained out ahead but the gap was narrowing between peloton and breakaway as despite having a lead of over four minutes at one point, just 1:20 separated the two groups. With around 10km to go, the break's day was over. After a brave fight, Jacobs, Azparren and Banaszek were caught by the peloton.

From there, a bunch sprint was always the likely finale to the day's racing and that is exactly how things turned out. Mads Pedersen and Phil Bauhaus were both sadly ruled out of the fight however, by a crash with around 3km to go. In the end, it was Tim Merlier who took victory ahead of Jordi Meeus and Olav Kooij.