Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to a victory on stage 5 at the Itzulia Basque Country.
He surged out of a front group of 22 riders to secure the win ahead of Andrea Bagioli (Soudal-QuickStep), who was a bike length back in second, and Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) trailing in third.
Race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) rode across the line in Amorebieta in 10th, a few positions ahead of an attentive Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), and so the two continued their GC battle with the Dane retaining the leader’s jersey before Saturday's final stage.
Friday’s stage heated up after a long-range breakaway by the Soudal-QuickStep duo of Mattia Cattaneo and Rémi Cavagna was wiped away with 21km to race.
On the final narrow, twisting roads with a series of short climbs in the final 10.9km, Vingegaard and Attila Valter were aggressive for Jumbo-Visma and caused fractures in what remained of the peloton.
Thanks to an intermediate time bonus, Vingegaard extended his overall lead by one more second, now 13 seconds on Landa. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) remained third overall and 31 seconds back. Skjelmose moved from seventh to fourth, one second back of Gaudu.
“It was actually a very tricky day, a very warm day,” Vingegaard said after defending his yellow leader's jersey.
“There was a strong breakaway, only two guys, most likely the two strongest guys in the peloton. It was just a big fight to bring the breakaway back. Once again, I have to just thank my teammates for bringing it back and for sacrificing everything today. They did an amazing job."
Higuita moved through the pack on the far right side, sneaking past Movistar riders and Bagioli in the final 100 metres. Bagioli could not react quickly enough and settled for second.
Higuita took a second stage win for Bora-Hansgrohe in four days, Ide Schelling taking a sprint victory on stage 2.
"It was a really tough stage today but I knew that I had a good chance to take a top result. In the finale, I saw the opportunity and knew that I had to take it. I went actually a little bit early, but in the end, I was strong enough to keep my lead and not be reeled back," Higuita said.
"I'm really happy to give the team a second stage win, and it's always nice to win at this race, as I have good memories here. After a few not so easy months, this stage victory, plus my podium at GP Indurain, has given me back more confidence. It's really motivating for me and the team."
How it unfolded
Friday was the penultimate stage of the 2023 Itzulia Basque Country with a relentless day of climbing leading to closing circuits accentuated by three sharp hills within the last 11km to the finish in Amorebieta-Etxano.
Multiple riders tried to escape in the first 10 km under sunny skies on the approach to the first of four classified climbs across the 164.5 km route, the category 3 Montecalvo, that reared into view after just a few kilometres.
While their efforts reaped no rewards, it was the Soudal-QuickStep duo of Mattia Cattaneo and Rémi Cavagna who were successful, earning a gap of 20 seconds with 150 km to race.
They grabbed the KOM points across the Montecalvo, then swept up more points 40km later across the category 3 Natxitua. Well behind, a gap expanding to almost four minutes, mountains classification leader Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) collected the final remaining KOM point from the peloton.
Diving into the valley below, the duo increased the lead to 3:54 while Jumbo-Visma pulled the peloton for race leader Vingegaard and Bahrain Victorious protected second-placed Landa.
Next on the menu was the second-category Paresi, the duo covering the 4.3km ascent with a solid advantage of 3:30 and scooping up more mountains classification rewards. There was no panic in the peloton, the yellow Jumbo-Visma colours still massed together.
The rhythm of the peloton was disrupted with 47 km to go when Jumbo-Visma’s Stephen Kruijswijk skidded to the ground in the middle of the peloton on a descent. He was soon back on his bike and back for the mass chase to close down the breakaway, now with a 2:40 advantage.
After another 15 km fell away, the duo’s lead continued to dwindle, the time dropping to 1:30.
Cattaneo took the first of two intermediate sprints at Muxika, Cavagna riding through in second and a little later Gaudu taking the final bonus second from a group of eight riders that had formed a gap from the chasers.
Ineos Grenadiers began to take up the chase in the main peloton headed to the final climb, Belarrinaga, just 2 km at an average of 6.7%.
With 25 km to go Cavagna relented from the front and left Cattaneo on a solo assault of the Belarrinaga. Cattaneo's day ended 4 km later and it was game-on for the finish.
With 10.9km to go, the first of three stiff, short climbs followed in quick succession. Ineos Grenadiers led the way with five riders at the front of a reduced front group of 22 riders, swooping across the narrow roads. Vingegaard followed in the reduced front group, with Landa keeping him in sight.
Charging down wider roads with 3km to go, the climbs behind them and the chasers distanced, Soudal-QuickStep’s Bagioli accelerated at the front of the group carrying Mauro Schmid and James Knox on his wheel.
As they worked for position at the front with Enric Mas and Ruben Guerreiro of Movistar, Attila Valter (Jumbo-Visma) was chased and the group was shuffled.
Higuita hit the front early on the riding finish and held off everyone else, including a frustrated and poorly positioned Schmid. Higuita was delighted to sweep to his third win of the season.
Saturday brings the decisive final day to the Itzulia Basque Country with seven categorised climbs.
The queen stage is the shortest at 137.8 km, minus the emblematic Mount Arrate finish this year, but is still loaded for action with an uphill drag to the finish in the town of Eibar to bring down the curtain.
It will be Vingegaard’s final test but will surely crown him the overall winner.
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