March 28, 2014 (Valls, Spain) – Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) has sprinted to his third stage win of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya today on Stage 5 from Llanars Vall de Camprodon to Valls 218.2km, with another comfortable win at the end of a dominant day of racing from Team Giant-Shimano.

Despite a second category climb in the final 20km of the race, the peloton flew into the finish in Valls together and Luka once again proved that he is the fastest man in the race.

Earlier in the day, Georg Preidler broke away initially with seven others before moving clear with just Marcus Burghardt (BMC) for company. They built up a healthy lead of over three minutes and this meant that behind the team could concentrate on keeping Luka out of trouble rather than having to chase.

After being set up by the team in the final kilometres, Luka put the power down on his Propel, putting over a bike length between himself and second place.

After the stage, Luka had a wry smile on his face. “During the stage I didn’t think it was going to happen as my legs felt empty – I think it was because of the cold yesterday.

“With Georg up the road we could concentrate on getting over the climb. The guys stuck with me and when I heard that there was a head wind the otherside I got a confidence boost and knew that it would slow.

“I went all out and got over the top with the main group, then the guys started to control the bunch.

“In the final kilometre Warren Barguil (FRA) 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.

“It’s great that even with a young team out here we can play such a big part in this race.”

“It was a fantastic display from the team here today. Everyone played their part and overall it worked out easier than the previous stage wins.

“We wanted to get a guy in the break so that we didn’t need to chase today. Firstly Chad Haga got in the early move but the pace was too high. Georg managed to break the elastic and ended up with just one other out front.

“Having him out front made the job easy behind. It all come back together in the final 30km and from there we took control. Warren Barguil did a great lead-out and Luka once again finished it off.”

Results

1. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Giant-Shimano 5:16:00
2. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
3. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
4. Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
5. Michel Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
6. Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo
7. Adam Yates (Gbr) Orica Greenedge
8. Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
9. Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol
10. Davide Vigano (Ita) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
11. Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
12. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin Sharp
13. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp
14. Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
15. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica Greenedge
16. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
17. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
18. Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar
19. Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
20. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale
21. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
22. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing Team
23. Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
24. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Esp) Team Katusha
25. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Team Sky
26. Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr
27. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Trek Factory Racing
28. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano
29. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
30. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team
31. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin Sharp
32. Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
33. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
34. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
35. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Esp) Team Katusha 00:06
36. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
37. Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
38. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) BMC Racing Team
39. Christian Meier (Can) Orica Greenedge
40. David Arroyo Duran (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
41. Amets Txurruka (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
42. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
43. Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
44. Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice
45. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr
46. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team
47. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr
48. Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
49. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
50. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
51. Heiner Rodrigo Parra Bustamente (Col) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
52. Carlos Verona (Esp) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
53. Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Polsat Polkowice
54. Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Belisol
55. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Astana Pro Team
56. David Lopez Garcia (Esp) Team Sky
57. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano
58. José Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
59. Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
60. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
61. George Bennett (Nzl) Cannondale
62. Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 00:15
63. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
64. Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
65. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
66. Jhoan Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica Greenedge
67. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
68. Igor Anton (Esp) Movistar Team
69. Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing
70. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
71. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Sky
72. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
73. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
74. Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ.fr
75. Martijn Keizer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
76. Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
77. Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
78. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol
79. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Team Sky
80. Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol
81. Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida
82. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
83. Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Movistar Team
84. Javier Moreno Bazan (Esp) Movistar Team
85. Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
86. Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo
87. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
88. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team 00:26
89. Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale
90. Damien Howson (Aus) Orica Greenedge 00:32
91. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
92. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
93. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Team Europcar
94. Nico Sijmens (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 00:36
95. Alberto Losada Alguacil (Esp) Team Katusha 00:40
96. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha
97. Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
98. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo 00:57
99. Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 01:27
100. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-Merida 01:36
101. Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida
102. Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida
103. Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida
104. Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
105. Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
106. Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky
107. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek Factory Racing
108. Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
109. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Garmin Sharp
110. Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
111. Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Shimano
112. Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Shimano
113. Marcos Garcia (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
114. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
115. Javier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Garmin Sharp
116. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Giant-Shimano
117. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale
118. Koldo Fernandez (Esp) Garmin Sharp 01:48
119. Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Cannondale
120. Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Esp) Movistar Team
121. Boris Vallee (Bel) Lotto Belisol 01:52
122. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Team Katusha 02:17
123. Julian Kern (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale 05:35
124. Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
125. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale
126. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.fr
127. Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team Europcar
128. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
129. Cheng Ji (Chn) Team Giant-Shimano
130. Nathan Brown (USA) Garmin Sharp
131. Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol
132. Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
133. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
134. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
135. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team
136. Antonio Piedra Perez (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
137. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr
138. Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team
139. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing
140. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar
141. Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha 05:40
142. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 08:09
143. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
144. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
145. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
146. Sam Bewley (Nzl) Orica Greenedge
147. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Cannondale
148. Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
149. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha
150. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale
151. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha
152. Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
153. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr 10:34

GC after Stage 5

1. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Esp) Team Katusha 23:03:34
2. Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo 00:04
3. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 00:07
4. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 00:10
5. Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (Col) Movistar Team
6. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Team Sky 00:17
7. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin Sharp 00:18
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 00:26
9. Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano 00:42
10. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Trek Factory Racing 00:48
11. David Arroyo Duran (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 00:51
12. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team 01:00
13. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 01:01
14. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr 01:20
15. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Esp) Team Katusha 01:22
16. Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 01:24
17. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin Sharp 01:26
18. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 01:43
19. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp 01:49
20. David Lopez Garcia (Esp) Team Sky 01:54
21. Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Belisol 01:58
22. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 02:17
23. Amets Txurruka (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
24. Carlos Verona (Esp) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 02:55
25. Adam Yates (Gbr) Orica Greenedge 03:00
26. Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale 03:16
27. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 03:24
28. Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Belisol 03:35
29. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 04:16
30. Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 04:18
31. José Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team 04:34
32. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 04:36
33. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr 05:21
34. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Esp) Team Sky 05:26
35. George Bennett (Nzl) Cannondale 06:46
36. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team 07:05
37. Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 07:25
38. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol 07:54
39. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) BMC Racing Team 08:08
40. Davide Malacarne (Ita) Team Europcar 08:15
41. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
42. Pieter Serry (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 08:53
43. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 09:09
44. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Astana Pro Team 09:26
45. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha 10:18
46. Igor Anton (Esp) Movistar Team 10:42
47. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Lampre-Merida 11:19
48. Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Esp) Movistar Team 11:29
49. Jhoan Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica Greenedge 11:34
50. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 12:06
51. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale
52. Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida 12:22
53. Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Movistar Team 12:33
54. Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Polsat Polkowice 13:59
55. Christian Meier (Can) Orica Greenedge 14:11
56. Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 16:06
57. Maxime Mederel (Fra) Team Europcar 16:36
58. Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo 16:43
59. Alberto Losada Alguacil (Esp) Team Katusha 16:50
60. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) BMC Racing Team 16:53
61. Heiner Rodrigo Parra Bustamente (Col) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 16:59
62. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 17:15
63. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Sky 17:50
64. Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Lampre-Merida 17:53
65. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 18:07
66. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team 18:14
67. Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice 18:29
68. Javier Moreno Bazan (Esp) Movistar Team 19:27
69. Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Col) Cannondale 20:13
70. Paul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 20:48
71. Javier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Garmin Sharp
72. Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 21:21
73. Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo 21:43
74. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr 21:48
75. Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 22:55
76. Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida 23:23
77. Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing 23:29
78. Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 23:34
79. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo 23:35
80. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano 24:53
81. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team 25:02
82. Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 25:10
83. Nathan Brown (USA) Garmin Sharp 26:08
84. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale 26:10
85. Koldo Fernandez (Esp) Garmin Sharp 26:35
86. Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 26:36
87. Marcos Garcia (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 27:13
88. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 27:15
89. Martijn Keizer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 27:27
90. Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ.fr 27:40
91. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team 27:41
92. Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol 27:56
93. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Trek Factory Racing 27:59
94. Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Shimano 28:09
95. Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 29:13
96. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Garmin Sharp 29:36
97. Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar 29:49
98. Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha 30:35
99. Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 31:06
100. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Movistar Team 31:51
101. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 32:05
102. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 32:30
103. Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice
104. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar 32:54
105. Serge Pauwels (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 32:56
106. Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 33:03
107. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Giant-Shimano 33:12
108. Nico Sijmens (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 33:19
109. Stig Broeckx (Bel) Lotto Belisol 33:38
110. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek Factory Racing 33:51
111. Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 33:53
112. Nathan Earle (Aus) Team Sky 34:24
113. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale 34:33
114. Davide Vigano (Ita) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 34:37
115. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 34:53
116. Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 34:55
117. Damien Howson (Aus) Orica Greenedge 35:12
118. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 35:37
119. Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr 35:41
120. Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 36:17
121. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 36:26
122. Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Polsat Polkowice 36:37
123. Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo 36:48
124. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Giant-Shimano 36:57
125. Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Shimano 37:04
126. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Team Katusha 37:12
127. Boris Vallee (Bel) Lotto Belisol 37:18
128. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 37:29
129. Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team Europcar 37:33
130. Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 39:10
131. Michel Kreder (Ned) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 39:15
132. Antonio Piedra Perez (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 40:15
133. Julian Kern (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale 41:06
134. Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
135. Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team
136. Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-Merida 41:32
137. Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.fr 42:10
138. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale 42:45
139. Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 43:24
140. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Esp) Movistar Team 43:25
141. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team 43:27
142. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha 43:37
143. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha 43:38
144. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team 45:52
145. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Cannondale 47:21
146. Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky 51:25
147. Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr 53:30
148. Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica Greenedge 59:41
149. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Giant-Shimano 1:00:37
150. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 1:03:50
151. Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 1:09:15
152. Sam Bewley (Nzl) Orica Greenedge 1:09:36
153. Cheng Ji (Chn) Team Giant-Shimano 1:14:19