Mezgec wins stage 5 of Volta a Catalunya
Giant-Shimano rider lands his third victory of the week in Catalunya
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Luka Mezgec won stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya Friday in Valls, Spain. Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) took his third stage of the race in a bunch sprint at the end of the 218-kilometer leg from Llanars Vall de Camprodon.
Julian Alaphilippe (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) was second and Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2r La Mondiale) was third.
Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) defended his four-second overall lead against Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) with two days remaining. American Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) is third, at seven seconds.
“In the final kilometer Warren Barguil set me up, putting me near the front. I knew that I needed to be near but not right at the front into the last corner and that worked out well,” Mezgec said in a press release. “It’s great that even with a young team out here we can play such a big part in this race.”
The Volta a Catalunya continues Saturday with the 172km sixth stage, from El Vendrell to Vilanova i la Geltru.