photo credits @La Vuelta
Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) claimed an impressive victory in stage 5 of the Vuelta a España today, after the Czech rider edged out Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in a sprint finale in Seville.
Van Aert launched his sprint from distance, but Bittner managed to get back on terms with the Belgian, later vanquishing him with an expertly-timed bike throw on the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Meanwhile, Kaden Groves, whose Alpecin-Deceuninck squad led out the sprint, had to settle for third place after he was caught off guard by Van Aert’s long-range accelartion.
Today’s stage was once plagued by soaring temperatures as the race made its way south into Andalusia, as early escapees Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Ibon Ruiz (Kern Pharma) jettisoned the peloton with little resistance, later building a lead of more than three minutes before they were gradually reeled back in with around 40 kilometers to go.
Groves subsequently beat Van Aert in the intermediate sprint with 25km remaining, while the peloton continued to build a fierce pace as it hurtled towards the center of Seville and the finish line in the shadow of the Maestranza bullring.
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