emirates7 - Igor Arrieta produced one of the most remarkable rides of this year’s Giro d’Italia to claim victory on Stage 5 in Potenza, overcoming crashes, a wrong turn in the finale and brutal weather conditions to deliver back-to-back stage wins for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

The 203km stage from Praia a Mare to Potenza was one of the longest and toughest of the race so far, raced under relentless rain and cold conditions from the opening kilometres. The difficult weather and the early category 2 ascent of Prestieri created an aggressive battle for the breakaway, with attacks continuing for more than 40km before the decisive move finally formed.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG were immediately active, with both Igor Arrieta and Stage 4 winner Jhonatan Narváez making the front group after a hectic opening phase. The 13-rider breakaway also included dangerous GC contenders such as Afonso Eulálio, Einer Rubio, and former pink jersey Thomas Silva, forcing Lidl-Trek to maintain a hard pace behind to defend the maglia rosa of Giulio Ciccone.

Igor Arrieta said:“I don’t really know what to say. I’m really, really happy to achieve this victory, it means a lot for me, because of the crash in the opening days and all the teammates who went home. I didn’t think it was lost after crashing – I needed to try until the end. After such a hard stage, you never know.

I was completely empty in the last kilometres but I knew Eulálio was also suffering.

When I lost him after taking the wrong turn in the final two kilometres I thought: ‘it’s not possible’. But I just kept pushing. When I got back to his wheel, I started to believe maybe I could still win the stage.”

The victory marks a major milestone for the 23-year-old Spaniard, who takes his first win at World Tour level.