Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) has won the 216 kilometer fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico today which took place from Chieti to Colmurano. The determined Italian was the fastest in a leading group of four on the stage's uphill drag to the finish. Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) finished second with Gasparotto's Astana teammate Maxim Iglinskiy finishing in third. World Champion Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) finished a strong fourth.
Italian Michele Scarponi retained his overall lead in the race, finishing 8 seconds behind the day's winner.
Before the racing began, today's tough hilly stage was shortened by 18 kilometers because winter road conditions made some of the roads impassable. The race would also continue without Team Milram leader Linus Gerdemann, who didn't start because of an intestinal infection. The German won the opening stage of the event, and after Fabian Wegmann's broken collarbone earlier in the race, it makes to casualties in Italy for the Milram team.
The race for the stage began when Gasparotto attacked the group containing the race's overall leader 18 kilometers from the finish. The Astana rider powered toward the base of the difficult final climb picking up lone breakaway rider Juan Jose Oroz (Euskaltel-Euskadi). Garzelli was the first from the Scarponi group to react, jumping across to his compatriot, while Oroz began to fade fast and out the back.
Next to bridge the gap was World Champion Cadel Evans, who was marked by Astana's Iglinskiy as he rode across to the leaders. In the final meters Evans tried to surprise his companions for the win, but Gasparotto was too strong and took an easy win.
Tomorrow's stage six is a short, hilly 134 kilometer stage that takes the riders from Montecosaro to Macerata.
2010 Tirreno-Adriatico stage 5 results:
1. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana
2. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
3. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana
4. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
General classification after stage 5:
1. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli 23:40:44
2. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone @ 10s
3. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana @ 15s
4. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing @ 18s
5. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank @ 27s
6. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia @ 29s
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox s.t.
8. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo @ 31s