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Tour de France stage 5 report: Hindley storms into yellow as the GC battle kicks into gear

Jai Hindley is the new Tour de France leader as Jonas Vingegaard puts time into Tadej Pogačar.

Dane Cash
by Dane Cash 05.07.2023 Photography by
Cor Vos
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Just five days into the 2023 Tour de France, the general classification battle was turned on its head as Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) stormed to the stage 5 win and the yellow jersey out of the breakaway while Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) put over a minute into Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).

Hindley was one of several big names in a large, dangerous break that formed on the up-and-down stage from Pau to Laruns, and he soloed clear on the final climb of the day, the Col de Marie Blanque. Behind, Vingegaard made a powerful surge to get clear of Pogačar and quickly built up a substantial advantage. Eventually, Vingegaard teamed up with a handful of riders from the early break in pursuit of Hindley, but there would be no catching the Australian.

When all was said and done, Hindley took the win 32 seconds ahead of Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), with Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën) taking third. Vingegaard finished in that same group, just over a minute ahead of Pogačar and erstwhile race leader Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates).

Hindley now leads the Tour with a 47-second advantage on Vingegaard, with Pogačar now 1:40 down on the race leader.

How it happened

Brief results:

  1. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe)
  2. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) +32s
  3. Felix Gall (AG2R Citroën)
  4. Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe)
  5. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) all at same time

General classification:

  1. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) +47s
  2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +1m3s
  3. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) +32s
  4. Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) +1m11s
  5. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) +1m34s
Jonas Vingegaard on the attack on stage 5 of the Tour de France. Photo: Vincent Kalut/PN/Cor Vos © 2023

Brief analysis

Bora-Hansgrohe teammates Emanuel Buchmann and Jai Hindley celebrating after stage 5 of the Tour de France. Photo: Luca Bettini/SCA/Cor Vos © 2023

Best of social media

Jai Hindley (figuratively) emulating Rigoberto Urán paid off on stage 5,

Jonas Vingegaard isn’t counting his chickens yet.

What’s next: Stage 6 preview

As challenging as stage 5 was, Thursday’s stage 6 will offer no reprieve as more Pyrenean climbs await. The journey from Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque will feature a first-category trip up the Col d’Aspin and the hors categorie Col du Tourmalet before the first-category finish to Cauterets. The day’s total elevation gain and a steep final few kilometers will again bring the climber’s to the fore. Jonas Vingegaard sure looks like a formidable favorite after his stage 5 showing, though the break could also have its day again on the up-and-down profile.

Quote of the day

“I have no words; I cannot believe what happened. I was surprised when I was part of the break, and the bunch didn’t really react. We decided to start working in the group and just have fun,” Jai Hindley said after the stage. Obviously, that plan worked pretty well.

“Initially my idea was to just get a buffer to the other GC guys. On the [Col du] Soudet I started thinking about a stage win, at the bottom of the climb I also saw my parents which was really special and emotional. When I attacked, everything went so fast, I knew I had a good chance, but I only started really believing on the home straight. It still feels surreal to have that jersey on my shoulders.”

Further reading

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