Adam Yates wins Tour de Suisse stage five with virtuoso mountains performance
The Briton attacks to win solo, with team-mate Joāo Almeida coming in second
Adam Yates cemented his position at the top of the Tour de Suisse GC with a virtuoso victory at Carì on stage five.
He now leads by 35 seconds, but it's not quite as simple as it could be – hot on his heels is UAE Team Emirates team-mate Joāo Almeida, who did not only pace Yates up the steep, 10km climb, but shredded the lead group too. Then, after Yates took flight alone at 1.7km to go, Almeida stayed in touch to take an impressive second place, just six seconds behind the Briton.
With Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) now 1:11 down on Yates, Almeida is the closest challenger by some margin, and as Yates insist, he's not the boss.
"Yeah of course," he said, when asked if Almeida might be allowed to win. "If Joāo was stronger than me then he can win. You saw today he really put the pace on. If he has the same legs for the next two days then for sure he can take a win."
He added: "It's a good position to be in, to have two riders in great shape. From the beginning we were both co-leaders and so far it's working well.
After an impressive mountains victory Yates was happy just to revel in the strength in depth the team possesses, on a day when they overcame the best efforts of Ineos Grenadiers to ultimately prevail.
"It was a really strong performance," Yates said. "Right at the end there Joāo was putting on a crazy pace. I only had to follow for four of five k's and he was still there. He's obviously in great shape and the whole team's super motivated for the rest of the week.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"You saw today it wasn't easy for us," he added. "Ineos set a pace on the first two climbs that was really hard to try and flick us, but we came back as a team, got organised and we could do our pace in the final.
The stage – the second in a run of five consecutive days out in the mountains – took riders 148.6km from Ambri to Cari, bookended at each end by major climbs – different approaches to the same Alpine resort.
How it happened
With the race embarking on the category-two climb of Altanca almost from the gun, followed immediately by the day's first ascent to Carì, the peloton was never going to stay together for long.
An eight-rider group was established within two kilometres, though that quickly became smaller and by the time they crested the first-cat to Carì only Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan) remained, followed shortly by Tom Pidcock and Egan Bernal, as Ineos Grenadiers attempted to put the thumbscrews on Yates's UAE team.
A five-man group of Einer Rubio (Movistar), Stevie Williams (Israel-PremierTech), Nans Peters (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) and Lutsenko eased clear with around 100km to ride, joined shortly afterwards by Johannes Staune-Mittet (Visma-Lease a bike).
They were never really let off the leash, but nevertheless this quintet survived the long, flat central section of the stage, all the way to foot of the foot of the final climb.
Ineos took some early turns on a climb that was eight and nine per cent most of the way up, before UAE Team Emirates took the bull by the horns and Almeida began to systematically decimate the mid-sized front group. By the time he moved over to let Yates go at 1.7km, only four or five riders were left in total, and though Bernal and Enric Mas (Movistar) made valiant attempts to keep up, they were short-lived, with Almeida coming round to take second behind the man in yellow.
Results
Tour de Suisse 2024 stage five, Ambrì > Carì: results
1. Adam Yates (GBr) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:5437
2. Joāo Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates, +5sec
3. Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, +16
4. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel-PremierTech, +18
5. Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar, +22
6. Oscar Onley (GBr) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +54
7. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at s.t.
8. Sergio Higuita (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, +1:03
9. Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, +1:13
10. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Visma-Lease a bike, +1:20
General Classification after stage five
1. Adam Yates (GBr) UAE Team Emirates, 15:44:35
2. João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates, +35s
3. Egan Bernal (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, +1:11
4. Enric Mas (Esp) Movistar, at same time, + 1:49
5. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel-Premier Tech, +1:53
6. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek, at same time
7. Oscar Onley (GBr) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +2:21
8. Tom Pidcock (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, +2:46
9. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike, +2:51
10. Sergio Higuita (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, +3:01
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields.
Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.
A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.
-
Has cycling's most affordable pro bike brand just launched its aero machine?
Van Rysel set to equip Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale with new RCR-F in 2025
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Even if you ride a lot, here's why you shouldn't skip leg day at the gym
Think your legs get enough exercise? A little gym time can unlock big strength and performance gains.
By Greg Kaplan Published
-
Simon Yates says he took a pay cut in order to join Visma-Lease a Bike
32-year-old says it was now or never as he gets set to leave Jayco AIUla after eleven years
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Demi Vollering wins third stage in four days at Tour de Suisse to win overall
Dutchwoman takes her fourth Women's WorldTour stage race in a row, proving her dominance
By Adam Becket Published
-
A UAE Emirates Tour de France podium clean sweep is a real possibility
Adam Yates, Tadej Pogačar and João Almeida are all hitting form at the perfect time with the Florence Grand Départ fast approaching
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Neve Bradbury takes first pro victory in Canyon-Sram one-two on stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse
Australian breaks away with team-mate Kasia Niewiadoma, who happily gifts win in Champagne
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Adam Yates seals the overall victory at the Tour de Suisse as João Almeida wins the final stage time trial
The UAE Team Emirates teammates take their fourth consecutive one-two finish of the race on the final stage
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
Adam Yates wins stage 7 of the Tour de Suisse in another one-two finish with João Almeida
The UAE Team Emirates duo complete the three-peat with their third one-two finish in a row
By Joseph Lycett Published
-
João Almeida springs to Tour de Suisse stage six win as UAE Team Emirates dominate
On shortened day, Almeida wins as his teammate Adam Yates extends lead on other squads
By Adam Becket Published
-
'It's for Gino': Torstein Træen wins Tour de Suisse stage four as Adam Yates takes control of race
Norwegian rider takes maiden professional victory as he wins from the break
By Adam Becket Published