Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel scupper chances of winning Tirreno-Adriatico stage five after missing turn
Jonas Vingegaard was also a part of the trio of riders catching the breakaway group before completely missing a turn 6km from the line
![Evenepoel Pogacar Vingegaard Tirreno-Adriatico Stage five](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7Pqt3M33rJkjF32iJZz3Do-415-80.jpg)
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) all managed to spectacularly end their chances of winning the fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico by bizarrely missing a right-turn 5km from the finish line.
With 8km left of the stage, Evenepoel launched an attack from the peloton in an attempt to catch up with the leading group a minute-and-a-half up the road. Tadej Pogačar immediately followed in order to not squander any time to his GC rival, while Jonas Vingegaard also managed to bridge the gap and follow the two race favourites.
Up front was seven riders, all desperately trying to maintain the gap between themselves and the peloton to potentially win the stage. However, triumph from this group seemed unlikely, considering the trio of elite-level riders behind them had managed to bring the deficit to below a minute in just a couple of kilometres.
Crazy scenes as Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard going the wrong #TirrenoAdriatico #procycling pic.twitter.com/9vzgH81dayMarch 11, 2022
What transpired in a crazy twist of fate, though, was Evenepoel, Pogačar and Vingegaard carrying on straight down a road for 50m, when in fact they should have turned right. It seemed the trio missed the marshal directions and signals telling them to turn right up a steep climb instead of continuing down a flat road.
Consequently, this opened the door for Warren Barguil (Arkéa Samsic) to power away from the competition of a 21% gradient stretch of climb, the Frenchman building up a 25 second gap behind him, which he duly took advantage of.
Dealing with the stone-paved streets of Fermo, Barguil reached the Piazza del Popolo to cross the finish line first in an exceptional ride.
Pogačar and Vingegaard still managed to finish a respectable sixth and seventh though, 28 seconds behind Barguil, while Evenepoel came home in ninth in the same time.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Consequently, Pogačar still leads Evenepoel by nine seconds in the GC, with two more stages of Tirreno-Adriatico still to come over the weekend.
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
Ryan is a staff writer for Cycling Weekly, having joined the team in September 2021. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before making his way to cycling. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer.
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I'm definitely pushing over 2,500 watts' - Meet the most powerful cyclists in the GB Olympics squad
Move over track sprinters, there are stronger legs in town
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tadej Pogačar to skip Olympics road race
Tour de France champion was originally selected as part of four-man Slovenia team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Even if I never come back to the Tour de France I will be satisfied': Tadej Pogačar revels in third victory
Three Tour de France wins before turning 26, the Giro-Tour double, the suggestion of a triple crown. Records tumble for the Slovenian
By Adam Becket Published
-
Remco Evenepoel: No one should doubt me anymore
The Tour de France's third-placed finisher suggests that he will have to reduce his time trial work if he is to beat Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Tadej Pogačar: 'There will always be doubts... but cycling is the cleanest sport'
Tour de France champion addresses critics, saying it would be "super stupid" to dope
By Adam Becket Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and won the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia and Tour de France victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'You always need to go for the victory if you can' - Insatiable Tadej Pogačar won't stop winning at Tour de France
The Slovenian says that he was "at the limit" on the final climb of stage 20
By Adam Becket Published
-
'The best rider I've ever seen': Even UAE Team Emirates are astounded by Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France brilliance
The Slovenian is just two days away from becoming one of only eight men to win the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the same year
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published