Arlenis Sierra

Havana, Jul 12 (JIT) - Cuba's Arlenis Sierra took third place in the massive sprint to win the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia Women's 2024, the best performance of her Movistar team so far in this elite world road race.

Arlenis was only beaten by Belgian 2023 world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and Italian Chiara Consonni (UAE-ADQ), all three with the same time of 2:38.54 hours in the 108 kilometres from Frontone to the town of Foligno, mostly on terrain favourable to the fastest riders.

The same time was given to the main pack of 125 riders out of the 147 who took the start, although Kopecky now appears in second place for her 10 seconds bonus thanks to the victory and moved to within three seconds of Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek), leader of the general classification since the first stage.

The Manzanillo rider gained four seconds and moved up a step to 43rd, but the most remarkable thing is that she seizes every opportunity when a succession of big mountains is not in her way and has the ability to stay in the lead to sprint confidently and powerfully among the world's top cyclists. Such was the case on the second stage when she came close to the podium in fourth place.

Although her mastery is of a respected level, the support of her teammates also ensures the possibility of a good finish, as happened on Thursday when the work and punctual help of German Liane Lippert in the final stretch was very efficient.

On the day, in which the heat prevailed, there were several breakaway attempts after the first kilometres of a quiet peloton rolling from side to side of the road, but none achieved their goal. The full pack almost made it to the final segment, where four more Italians were included in the top ten.

However, shortly before the finish line, the world title holder's team-mates prepared the conditions and Kopecky gradually pulled away from her closest rivals to cross the finish line in front and celebrate her 11th win of the season.

Meanwhile, after the effort in support of Arlenis, Germany's Lippert crossed in 29th place, Serbia's Jelena Eric in 34th, Britain's Claire Steels in 40th and the Netherlands' Mareille Meijering in 45th. Movistar held on to sixth place among the 22 teams competing.

With the sixth stage to be run this Friday over 159 kilometres, the mountainous days return, starting in San Benedetto del Tronto and finishing in Chieti, where they should arrive after half past two in the afternoon.

There will still be climbs and descents as the race moves from one valley to the next for ten tough climbs and ten dangerous descents, with hardly any flat terrain, so the finish is uphill.