Giro d'Italia 2010 stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson>>
Jérôme Pineau defied the sprinters to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia today into Novi Ligure.
In a Giro d'Italia that continues to confound expectations, Pineau leaped from a breakaway group of lone warriors that had survived for most of the 162km stage from Novara to Novi Ligure.
The Frenchman from Quick Step was the strongest - and the most tactically astute - to keep a rampaging peloton, insistent to set up a bunch sprint, at bay.
"The first time, Monday, they told me that I went into the escape for nothing," said Pineau. "I remember what Didier Rous told me, 'An escape is good only if it gets to the finish line.'
"I called my brother a little after the race, I told him that I think I have finally found faith in myself. Even when the Japanese rider attacked, I believed I had the legs and I believed I could win."
"The Giro d'Italia for me is important because the mythical cyclists have raced here. [Fausto] Coppi grew up here and to think that I am racing a bike with Eddy Merckx's name on it. These guys made cycling, so to win here is special."
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With 20 kilometres of the stage remaining, the breakaway group commanded a lead of just two minutes on the peloton. With Columbia and Lampre working together on the front for André Greipel and Alessandro Petacchi, it looked the breakaway's days were numbered on the long, straight roads into Novi Ligure.
The bunch chipped steadily away at the break - now down to three after Paul Voss cracked - and had it firmly within its sights with just two kilometres left.
Sensing the danger, Yukiya Arashiro attacked the trio soon after the red kite, with Pineau and Julien Fouchard gritting their teeth to stay in contact.
A tight right-hand bend played into the break's hands as Arashiro jumped again. This time Pineau was expecting it.
It was in fact the perfect lead out for the Frenchman who bided his time and tore past Arashiro to take the stage win, Quick Step's second of the race after Wouter Weylandt's win on Monday.
Behind Fouchard and Arashiro, Tyler Farrar once again proved he is the sprinter to beat in this year's Giro, leading home the bunch ahead of Greg Henderson and Petacchi.
There was little change on the general classification and Italy's Vincenzo Nibali remains in the pink jersey ahead of team-mate Ivan Basso.
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