Stage Five Victory

British teenager Matthew Brennan continued his impressive performance at the Volta a Catalunya by clinching his second stage win in the 2025 edition. The 19-year-old rider from Visma-Lease a Bike outpaced Dutch cyclist Tibor del Grosso in a thrilling sprint finish to secure the fifth stage in 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 14 seconds.

Race Dynamics

The 172km fifth stage was tailored for sprinters, featuring only one categorised climb. However, strong winds in the final 20km added an extra layer of challenge. Brennan's team executed a flawless strategy, positioning him perfectly for the final stretch.

Brennan's Reaction

"We've worked all day and we knew it would be a little bit hectic coming into the final stretch," Brennan said. "I think the whole team was there [at the end] and we came into the finish in a good position. I'm so happy that I could finish off for them."

General Classification

Spain's Juan Ayuso from UAE Team Emirates XRG maintained his lead in the general classification. However, Primoz Roglic from Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe narrowed the gap to just one second. Enric Mas, another Spaniard, is 21 seconds behind in third place.

Upcoming Stage

The sixth stage, the penultimate day of the race, will shift to the mountains for a challenging 159km stretch. This stage is expected to be a decisive factor in the overall standings.

E3 Saxo Classic

In other cycling news, Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin–Deceuninck won the E3 Saxo Classic in Belgium for the second consecutive year. Van der Poel launched a solo attack from 38km out, securing his third win of the season.

Stage Five Results

1. Matthew Brennan (GB/Team Visma-Lease a Bike) 3hrs 28mins 14secs
2. Tibor del Grosso (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck) Same time
3. Pavel Bittner (Cze/Team Picnic PostNL) Same time
4. Marjin van den Berg (EF Education-Easypost) Same time
5. Corbin Strong (NZ/Israel-Premier Tech) Same time

General Classification After Stage Five

1. Juan Ayuso (Spa/AE Team Emirates-XRG) 22hrs 23mins 03secs
2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +1sec
3. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) +21sec
4. Mikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-QuickStep) +22sec
5. Lenny Martinez (Fra/Bahrain Victorious) +28sec