It has been a mixed Volta a Catalunya for the Irish and Philip Deignan abandoned today. But Sam Bennett has a chance of another sprint finish tomorrow. He'll need to climb well in the first half of the stage. Above, Jarlinson Pantano wins stage 5 of the race today.
Jarlinson Pantano wins stage 5 at Volta Catalunya
With just two stages remaining at the Volta a Catalunya Sam Bennett is in with another possible chance tomorrow. But Philip Deignan has withdrawn from the race.
Deignan (Team Sky) started the stage today but was not among the finishers. The reason for his withdrawal was not clear at the time of writing.
The stage was won by Jarlinson Pantano (Trek Segafredo). He outwitted Vegard Stake Laengen (UAE Team Emirates) in the downhill finish.
Both were survivors from the breakaway that animated the 213km stage 5 from Llívia to Vielha Val d'Aran.
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Egan Bernal (Team Sky) picked up the first intermediate sprint, and three bonus seconds, after just 5km.
That meant he closed the gap to the only man ahead of him overall; race leader Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
Shortly after those early fireworks the breakaway went clear. Pantano and Laengen would later attack the breakaway and ride up the final climb ahead of the others.
They flew down the other side at speeds of up to 80km per hour. What remained of the peloton was breathing down their necks.
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And with some of the other survivors from the initial escape not far behind, they could never relax.
Pantano got the jump on his breakaway rival with superior descending skills as they dropped all the way into the finish line. He held that modest gap to win.
Just behind Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida) shot from the peloton. He overhauled some of the survivors from the breakaway and took 3rd just 10 seconds behind Pantano.
The peloton, sprinting for 7th, was just a further four seconds back. Race leader Valverde was ever-attentive and took 8th on the stage to keep his lead.
Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) and Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing) finished side by side at the back of the peloton; in 75th and 76th.
Possible chance for sprinters (maybe)
Sam Bennett was 131st some 13:19 down. With tomorrow's course, he may get another chance to sprint for victory having been 2nd on the opening stage.
However, the sprinters hoping to contend for victory will need their climbing legs first. The stage takes the riders 194km from Vielha Val d'Aran to Torrefarrera.
There features a cat 2 climb straight after the start with another two crested at 51km and 126km.
But there is then a flatter run for the remaining 70km to the finish. Some of the fast men may be in with a fighting chance at the finish.
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