Favorites stage 5 Tour of Catalonia 2024 | Will De Gendt pull another classic move, or will the peloton keep tight rein?

The fifth stage runss between Altafulla and Viladecans, with the mid-section of the route containing quite a bit of ups and downs. On paper, this could be a day for the breakaway riders to do their thing.

Climbs
64.5 km: Coll de les Ventoses (7.8 km at 4.3%)
137.0 km: Alt de la Creu d'Aragal (6.4 km at 5.9%)

Times
Start: 1:35 PM
Finish: 5:30 PM

Spring is once again in full swing in finish town Viladecans this week. Clouds will give way to sunshine by late afternoon, and the sun will continue to shine until the evening. However, the thermometer will read eighteen degrees, noticeably cooler than Thursday's twenty-four. The wind, blowing at about ten kilometers per hour, seems unlikely to play a significant role. That makes for some nice, calm racing weather!

On paper, it seems like one of those racing days that could go in any direction. Do the sprinters smell another chance for victory? Or will the punchers take the bouquet this time? Or will Tadej Pogacar drop another bomb on the general classification? Who can say...

Our prediction leans towards the well-climbing sprinters and punchers who also have a good flat sprint. Riders like Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) or Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan Team) come to mind. With stage winner Nick Schultz, Israel-Premier Tech also has an ace up their sleeve. Riders like Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) should also find the course to their liking, while pure sprinters like Marijn van den Berg (EF-Education-EasyPost), Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty) or Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) will need to be on top form to keep up on the day’s final climb or catch back up in the descent.

Therefore, the breakaway riders are certainly not without a chance, and Thomas De Gendt immediately comes to mind. The Belgian veteran of Lotto-Dstny was already stretching his legs in the breakaway on Thursday and will undoubtedly be eager to make a move given the course of this stage. Strong riders like Ivan Garcia Cortina (Movistar) or Dorian Godon are potential companions but can also rely on their sprinting abilities.

Top favorites: Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) and Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan Team).
Outsiders: Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Dstny), Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech) and Ivan Garcia Cortina (Movistar)
Long shots: Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny), Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates), Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty), Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Emils Liepins (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis)